CRUISINGS.IN THE CASCADES. 



CHAPTER I. 



Mountains arc the beginning and the end of all natural scenery." 



RUSKIN. 



anyone who lias the courage, the 

 hardihood, and the physical strength 

 to endiire the exercise, there is no form 

 of recreation or amusement known to 

 mankind that can yield such grand 

 results as mountain climbing. I mean 

 f" from a mental as well as from a phys- 

 ical standpoint ; and, in fact, it is the 

 mind that receives the greater benefit. The 

 'exertion of the muscular forces in climbing a 

 high mountain is necessarily severe; in fact, it is 

 'more than most persons unused to it can readily 

 endure ; and were it not for the inspiration which 

 the mind derives from the experience when the 

 ascent is made it would be better that the subject 

 should essay some milder form of exercise. But 

 if one's strength be sufficient to endure the labor 

 of ascending a grand mountain peak, that extends 

 to or above timber line, to the regions of perpetual 

 snow and ice, or even to a height that gives a general 

 view of the surrounding country, the compensation 

 2 (17) 



