Biographical Notice 



altitude had been variously reported 

 at from 14,000 to 18,000 feet. From 

 the first, the members of the Cali- 

 fornia Survey looked forward with 

 eager anticipation to a thorough 

 examination of it. We had two 

 barometers made with scales which 

 would show an altitude of 18,000 feet, 

 and after collecting all available in- 

 formation, I was expecting to ascend 

 Shasta in September, 1862. It was 

 a very malarial year, and nearly all 

 my party came down with fever. Of 

 those who were able to work, some 

 had to be distributed to observe sta- 

 tion-barometers, for the subsequent 

 comparison with the summit-readings. 

 The rest, accompanied by Prof. Whit- 

 ney, who came from San Francisco 

 for the same purpose, proceeded to 

 the western base of Shasta, and made 

 the ascent to the summit Sept. 2, 1862. 

 It was the first time that the altitude 

 of a mountain in the United States, 

 314 



