Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-10-26

Concluded from last toeek.

Mr.. Editor.
At six D m. we arrived at the lake,
where we found n small cabin which
contained a bunk and stove. On the
door was a piece of paper on which
was written, "Smith gone TO creek to
work" We did not try to find the
creek or Smith, but walked In, Cali
fornia style, lighted a Ore, partook OF
a bounteous supper, staked the horses
and retired for the night. We were
awakened once during the night by
the call OF the moose on the opposite
side OF the lake. II being a dark
night and being in strange country
we let him call. We got fair nights
rest and were ready for the climb in
the morning. Mr.. Symonds, who
did not feel strong enough to make
the climb, staid behind to keep camp
and do some fishing.
The minister, Ray and myself,
taking our rifles, struck the trail at
seven O'Clock. We had not gone far
when we came on a coyotes track.
He seemed to be making for the peak
as he never left the trail till the
mapzanita brush drove him from 1t.
Here we lost our trail and worked
our way through about one-hah mile
OF this brush, when we struck the
lava beds, from which the peak
doomed up in plain eight. We took
crooked bee line and made for 1t.
In crossing these lava beds, which
were covered with ashes and in some
places with large trees, we saw
plenty of bear tracks, for here the
old grizzly bear made his stamping
grounds, but at the present time only
an occasional one Is seen. Probably
the tracks we saw were made by the
cinnamon bear, which are quite
plenty at this section, but like the
alligator and snake hunter of the
Express 6 Standard, tracks were all
we saw and we passed on, for no
bears were in sight. After crossing
the lava beds we came to a canon
where a fine stream of water came
down from the mountain. Here we
found green grass, also deer and
moose tracks. They too, like the
bear. knew we were coming and gave
us a wide berth. At noon we were
above the timber line and came to
several large snowdrifts. From here
on the mountain Is covered with
loose stones which give under ones
feet, making II very hard climbing.
Here the elder got a little fresh and
took the tran. He evidently
had never climbed peak like
this, for, like the pyramids OF
Egypt, the higher we climbed
the farther of the top appeared.
expected by the way the parson
started out that he would have ample
time to scale the peak and preach a
sermon before the boy and arrived.
Imagine my surprise when / looked
up about an hour later and saw the
boy several blocks ahead and the
elder lying on a stone for repairs. 1
kept forging ahead and finally came
within hailing distance and asked,
"what's the matter with you, Elder?"
He shouted back, 81 tell you it's
great deal farther up. here than l
expected"
At two o'clock we were on the
peak, that is, the elder and 1. The
boy was nearly ready to come down
when we arrived. 1t takes boys and
goats 10 climb mountains. The dis
lance from the lake is six miles and
we were seven hours in making it.
We went down in the crater, which ia
about one hundred feet, below the
peak. Here we found snow fifteen
feet deep and took a snap shot of a
SNOWFALL match. This was on the
18th day of August. q THE sun was
shining and we filed a tin cup with
snow and put it in the warmest place
we could find, where we let it stay
one hour, and it did not melt enough
so we could get a drink. The view is
magnificent, the country for miles
being in plain view to the naked eye.
AT 800 p. m, after being on the
summit one hour, we started for
camp, making the descent in three
hours. Mt. Lasson is an ancient vol
csno and about 1C 600 feet high. On
the east side are numerous boiling
springs, but none on the north and
west. We reached camp at 500 p.
M, taking eleven hours for the jour
ney. Symonds had about the same
luck with the hook that we had with
the rifle, so we dined on bacon
instead of fish and bear. The next
morning we made for Plateau. The
only thing On our return that will
mention was load of logs hauled by
traction angina This load cnnaisted