1877.] Glacial Marks on the Pacific Coast. 675 
peculiar features in the system of ancient modified moraines of 
. Central and especially Southern New England, including Nan- 
tucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and the Elizabeth Islands. It seems 
to us plain enough that the ridges, or osars, and tumuli of gravel, 
as well as the sudden depressions among them, so frequent in 
- New England, particularly about Salem and Andover, Mass., and 
in Maine, are of direct glacial origin. 
The ascent of the crater cone of Mount Shasta was made dur- 
ing a short stay at Sisson’s Station, at the base and to the 
southwest of the mountain, under the guidance of Mr. J. H. 
Sisson, who as the former guide of Mr. King and others was 
familiar with the moraines and glaciers of this magnificent peak. 
Never had I seen such a pure mountain form, chiseled out by 
the subterranean forces. No mountain, so far as we know, in 
Europe or America north of Mexico approaches it in its treble 
qualities of isolation, its regular conical form, and great altitude. 
Its summit for about four thousand feet is in large part covered 
with snow fields, and three glaciers, the Whitney, McCloud 
(on the eastern side), and Ash Creek (on the northeast), de- 
scend its flanks to or near the timber line, which is at an eleva- 
tion of about nine thousand feet. I afterwards, in Oregon, had 
distant views of Mounts Hood, Adams, and St. Helens, members 
of the same family of extinct volcanoes, which form snow- 
capped, isolated cones rising about eight or nine thousand feet 
above the Cascade Range, which seemed dwarfed by their pres- 
ence. I ascended the crater cone of Shasta by the trail leading 
from Sisson’s hotel, and descended the eastern side to a point im- 
mediately overlooking the Whitney Glacier, which is about three 
miles long and extends from the summit of Shasta Peak down 
to or quite near the line of trees. With a good glass I could 
study the surface of the glacier for its whole length. The fol- 
lowing account of the moraines and glacial marks is taken 
nearly as I wrote it down on the spot : — 
August 25th we camped at the foot of the crater cone, and 
after a clear, cold night, the ice forming nearly an inch thick, 
we made an early start and reached the summit of the crater 
before nine o’clock. Here a magnificent view was spread out at 
our feet. 
To the northwest lay the Siskiyou Range and Pilate’s Knob, 
_ to the west the serrated range of the Salmon Mountains, while to 
the south rose to the altitude of about twelve thousand feet Las- 
Sen’s Peak, its snow-clad summit glistening in the sun. The eye 
