76 THE MOUNTAINEER 



]iiit to return to the actual start of The Mountaineers on July 24th,* 

 whose party of sixty-five counted amongst its number faculty members of 

 throe universities, nearly a score of other instructors, a few scientists, with 

 medicine, the law and various other professions and trades represented as 

 well; but which was which was more than one could tell, for the khaki suits 

 in which so many Avere clad as to give almost the appearance of a uniform, 

 I)roved quite a disguise to rank. After several days in the w^oocls I by chance 

 discovered that the man in the much-worn khaki suit was a well known auth- 

 or whom I had long wished to meet; that the man with the jolly laugh and 

 the ready wit, was, when at home, a most serious preacher of the gospel in 

 one of Seattle's largest and most conservative churches. The round-faced, 

 mild-looking man proved an autocratic leader with an iron wnll, to w^hich 

 men almost twice his size meekly yielded — for the time at least. The grave 

 professor of history proved to know more jokes and limericks than a dozen 

 ordinary mortals ; the smooth shaven young fellow with city looks and 

 ways was in reality a trapper spending his life in the woods ; while the stal- 

 wart man, apparently an experienced mountaineer, proved to be a professor 

 of mental science in a prominent university. But enough of the people. 



Of the trail pages might be written and much yet be left unsaid. I am 

 tempted to describe in detail every bit of the way; the trees, marvelous not 

 only in height but in peculiarities of growth ; the canyons, the mountain 

 torrents wath their magnificent Avater-falls ; the evidences all about of Avild 

 animals, yet our apparent safety; each night's camp so utterly unlike 

 any other yet each so unutterably beautiful. 



INIany an amusing tale might be told of incidents on the trail, especially 

 of the "steerage" committee, appointed anew each day to steer the roast- 

 beef-to-be safely up and down the steep road and through innumerable 

 rivers and streams. The progress of that committee was somewhat in the 

 nature of a continuous performance, w'ith new and unexpected features at 

 irregular intervals. 



The numerous bridgeless river crossings also added variety and interest 

 to the program, though appreciation was sometimes wofuUy lacking in 

 the involuntary performers, amongst whom was one dignified judge who 

 had come from a distance to join the party, and Avho may be said to have 

 met his Waterloo while crossing the Godkin, resuming his march a wetter, if 

 not a wiser man. 



One day allowed in camp for the preliminary settling, and the next, all, 

 save the Outing Committee (who have gone to reconnoitre for the Olympus 

 trip), may be seen w^ending their way over the nearest snow-field, en route 

 to the top of Noyes, led by Prof. W. D. Lyman, of Whitman college. Paus- 

 ing to admire the first snow-arch, another delay while a fe^v enter the big 

 snow-cave, then a steady climb over the snow^ and we see the welcome 

 green of the Divide, which is soon reached. Here we get our first hint of 

 the view to be seen from the top. Then a stiff climb over rock, often but a 

 narrow^ ledge around some sharp corner, offering but scanty foothold. The 

 summit proves much farther than it looks, but such a view of peaks as one 

 catches long before the summit is reached, impells all but two to continue 



*For the convenience of certain University men, whose lectures at the summer 

 session of the University of Washington prevented their leaving in July, a second 

 party of seventeen, under the leadership of the ])resident of the Club, Henry Landes, 

 started ten days later, the others awaiting their arrival before making the ascent 

 of the main peak. 



