The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-25
TnE DEArTIEs Or m. nA1xIEH

How the Magnificent Mountain l0-
pressea = TraveaeR.
James r. Merriam. in Springfield tMass)
Republican
Some twenty minutes after sunset. in q
fun. magnificent Hush OF pfnk-of exactly
the delicate tint OF Mount Blanc when
seen in the eventide from the Lake OF tse-
neva-the great apocalypse rose before
and above us. I caught my very breath.
1t was "ossa on Peiion' In very truth.
apparently . towering array Of the eumua
clouds which often assume mountainous
shapes far up in the heavens, only to tam
saiixe us with their suggestiveness. Al
the sunset light faded the pink flush grew
less pronounced and was succeeded by de-
grees by a very light gray or. IL ! may
SO speak, a pale white. Gradually the
outlines grew fainter and fainter sin. and
when at last we BOWED into Tacoma. the
mountain was barely visible in outline
only dtscernibie by the circumstances that
IL obseured the stars.
The reason why Rainier 10 50 peculiarly
grand is in the twofoid circumstances that
one sees II from sea ieyel-gets the whole
great sweep of 1880 feet sheer up from
where he stands: and again in the cir
cumstance noted in the article from For
ester. that the FIR forests extend SO dense
Is. darkly green. for . distance OF six or
seven thousand feet up. affording by way
Of contrast a most picturesque setting TO
the great vision.
Again, on such days as are fine. the at
mosphere is exceedingly clear, like that
which characterixes nearly all OF the
western half of the country. A peculiar
ity Of the mountainous noted by travel
ers among the Alps also-is that OF its
surprising apparent changes in point or
proximity. Seen in the early morning oy
sunrise il seems to stand a distant pyra-
mid on the horixon-one would say mat
ter of fifty or sixty miles away But IN
the MONDAY light II suddenly approaches
makes one feel that by taking short
stroll he could be actually exploring
among it's precipsces and glaciers; then.
toward night it retreats again. On the
second day / had much better chance
even than on my first glimpse. 10 note aus
varied beauty of color. for could observe
them before sunset as well as after.
saw II flush all into pink, then quite SUD
denly assume a hue az nearly as
can define it. of delicate amethyst
that amethyst tint" famous among art
lists as somewhat peculiar to the Pacihc
coast; then gradually grow to more dis-
tinct blue; and quite suddenly assume
again It's tint of clear pink. a. seen from
Tacoma there are no precipitous descents.
so sudden as to appreciably mar the SOHO
wilderness OF the snow, One sdiis huScus
discern what appear to be great. cavern
Gus hoilows. and. In places. wave-like Dill
lows. suggesting huge volcanic convai-
sions But at the time of year at which
saw it. about the middle Of November. II
is q snow-mountain, pure and simpie-a
luminous tabernacie--seen against the blue
sky, an appropriate New World Olympus
for New World Jove.
1t may seem a descent from the suoiime
to the ridiculous. but for such readers as
care not particularly for the charms OF
natural scenery. am moved TO relate
further experience We had In one OF the
GLACIAL streams which fiow down from
Rainier through the PuyaIlup valley to
Puget sound. Our party consisted OF four,
including among them as fine specimen
OF the Eastern farmer as ] have ever
IN my life had the pleasure OF associating
with-a tall. straight. broad-shouIdered
son of Anak. keen Of perception. quick OF
apprehension. although CD years az age,
muscular and agile: an ex-president OF
one of the largest state agricultural asso-
Citations of the country. II was on his ex-
pert verdict of the agricultural resources
OF Eastern Washington largely that had
based my own. st equals, and more than
EQUALS, all I have ever heard concerning
it," was his final verdict.