Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-11-30

ing his beans we ourselves were
greedily devouring the scenery. From
our resting place we commanded a
view of the entire valley below us,
extending from mountain to ocean
about fifty miles long and some thirty
miles wide. There before our eyes
precisely as a map-lay the towns
and cities that hold the bulk of tt
valleys population. There in the far
corner was Redlands, with San Ber'
nardino nesting In the lap of it's par
ent range. Newport marked the west
ern line of our map. In the midst
we're Riverside Cotton, Pomona, Co
roma and the several other enterpris-
ing towns-a wonderful display and
a comprehensive lesson in local geog-
raphy, all from the single viewpoint.
Here, too, it !, as to this rlace that
we decided to return for o~l nights
camp. So we left our donkeys tied to
trees at the edge of the forest and
started out with renewed energy to
climb and climb and climb Whew!
Let's have a draw at that canteen!
1t was beginning to seem like climb
ing now, and-whew! the air wasn't
quite as numerous as 1t had been
down below. There, that taste of wa
ter helped some, even though we
couldn't have more than swallow
only a gallon and a half of water to
last seven persons twenty-four hours.
but then, when we struck snow, we
wouldn't have to drink water.
Climbed, Some More.
"And another locust came and took
another grain of corn"-and we climb
ed, and climbed and climbed. Then
we climbed some more The "whews"
came thick and fast now, and 1t GER
tainly seemed like Tong time be-
tween drinks" as the good old south
ern governors once complained. Then.
too, suspect. the altitude was Begin
ming to affect our more sensible in
stincts, for at the very first sight of
snow every last one of us m 'a a
dive for the nearest drift, regardless
of parched tongues and overheated
bodies, and snow pudding was the
popular diet for several minutes.
After a while we determined to
make another dash for the top. and
each taking on sufficient cargo of
snowballs to last until we should
reach the next drift we tugged on
ward. (Unlike Peary's noble crew, we
had no gumdrops to stimulate our ac-
tivities) After walking for some
time, we saw another party of bold
adventurers far ahead, standing In
group, taking off their hats and salut-
ing as though they thought they were
discovering something. Twas Baldy!
But, humph, it's two to one that that
uesk knew where 1t was long before
they reached 1t. The numerous cards.
names and handkerchief flags which
we later found lodging there. testified
to not less than a couple of hundred
previous "discoverers."
But ahi the magnificence of the
outlook! There we were, right at the
top of the world-as it seemed-and
every direction in which we turned
unfurled new panorama. Looking
northward, we could see the snow
mantled incline dropping down to the
sandy and--at that season OF the year
-well-nigh waterless bed of the Mo-
jave river.
OF to the east were the thickly-tim-
bered mountains of the San Bernar-
dino range. the great Arrowhead
standing out conspicuously in the
foreground. Then lifting our gaze, we
plainly discerned the veteran peaks
of San Bernardino and Grayback.
their snow-crowned submits reflect
ing in hues Of delicate pink the rays
of the evening sun.
To the south, Mt. San Jacinto's
/ lofty bluffs marked the setting of Hell
en- Hunt Jackson's great Indian love
story. While between our. elevated
station and that promontory grace
fully reclined the picturesque valley
that harbored our homes spotted in
varying shades of green by its vii
lagos. orange groves and ranches.
Then to the westward we could see
/ the rolling foothills extending down
to old ocean. And there was the Pa
cific in all her mighty grandeur.
Our descent was comparatively
rapid. and It was not long before we
were at our rendezvous In tho tall
timbers."