The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-05-25
The Scenes
By the Way.

To many readers of the Astorian the
beauties of scenery Of the Shasta Route
from the Golden Gate to the Columbia
River are so familiar that any descrip-
tion may pail on them like tale many
times repeated. Sometimes, however
that with which we are perfectly famil-
lar impresses us anew when seen
through the medium of a strangers
eyes.
A Pullman Palace Car, in charge of
a courteous conductor, ably assisted by
a quietly attentive porter, and the ex-
cellent service Of the Southern Pa
cific road, tend to put one in that
genial mood consequent to physical
comfort, and enable one to enjoy thor
oughly the higher pleasures.
Add to this the refreshing influence
Of a nights sound sleep, though in
motion, and one awalsens assured that
all these are a proper prelude to a
days pleasure.
a lovely sky-dellghtful air and kind
ly sunshine, produce an exhilarating
effect, and we watch the grand panor-
anna, so constantly changing and vary
ing, even when seen repeatedly by the
winding Of the road, with an increasing
interest. At first exclamations are ma
ny and frequent, but as we climb high
er and higher, and the views become
grander and yet more grand, words
become fewer and appreciation c.rres-
pondingly deeper.
Then surely the words of the psalmist
are sent like an echo from the noun
tains and we hear the refrain, 1.-The
earth is the Lords and the fulness
thereof''-and again from the same
source comes the question "Who shall
ascend into the hill of the Lord?" while
the mountains answer, HE that hath
clean hands, and a pure heart; who
hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity,
nor sworn deceitfully."
Mingled with the enjoyment of the
lovely Sacramento river and the awe
inspired by the magnificent mountains,
is the feeling Of admiration for the
human daring and skill that pushed
so stupendous a piece of engineering
through so seemingly inaccessible re-
glons. AS we cross and recross the
Sacramento, tracing it back through |
ferny wales, blossoming meadow and |
yawning chasm, to the snowy peaks |
whence it gushes and gurgles roars and
races, we wonder If those eighteen |
crossings were a necessity in the con-
struction of the road Or were deliber-
ately planned and executed solely to
add to the pleasure of the passengers.
So kindly do we feel toward every
thing animate and inanimate that our
wonder inclines strongly to belief in
the extreme disinterestedness of cor
porations in general and the Southern
Pacific in particular.
While these thoughts fit through the
mind we are traversing the Shasta foot
hills and watching the grand old noun
tain, now at our left next in front of
us, then losing sight of it for a time,
to discover that what we are supposing
is cloud, is our sentinel looking down
upon us from an entirely different posi-
tion.
In spite of the clearness Of the day,
Shasta yelled his head in clouds, as if to
seek solitude, or, having mercy on his
beholders, to dim in part the dazzling
ofh is MI |
We pass Castle Crag, and find, as we
expect from the name, a wildness and
beauty that account for the location of
its famous tavern and attractive hunt
ing lodges
Here, too, q few devotees of Isaak
Walton prove the truth of the trout
stories already told us by the babbling,
rushing stream and especially revealed
by the cool, darkling pools.
Dunsmuir, with its ancient Scotch !
name, receives closer inspection as we i
stop for a brief half hour. Here so pro-
siac objects as markets and groceries /
distract our attention and make us
aware that neat, thrifty town is s
nestled here among the mountains.
Here, too, we see a typical village
sight-a group Of admiring men around
the oracle of the town, who is expound-
ing the latest events of importance in
the outside world. While we cannot I
hear his words as we pass, it is easy to :
translate that self-satisfied look and
air into
Better be first in little Iberian viii
lage
Than second in Rome"
Leaving this glimpse OF human ma ,,
lure, we come after a short ride to the
Shasta springs, where we find Dame
Nature as proprietor of a wonderful o
ioda fountain in an exquisite setting of a =
Hills. whose sides are covered with +,
nosses and lichens whence flow innu- b
nerable streams and gushing springs n
he whole forming a water fall of in 7
beauty. While entranced c
~ this beauty we do not fail to pat o
onize the soda fountain and find the r
parking water far more agreeable to e
he taste than that of any of the Sara
oga springs. II
Again the climbing is resumed, and q
he mountains form a changing scene
hat keeps one constantly turning from 81
ide to side, or. as one good lady said,