12 



RECREATION. 



rections was exceptionally interesting and 

 beautiful. To the East and North stretch 

 immense snow fields, or glaciers, cut by crev- 

 asses and punctured here and there by 

 sharp, rocky peaks. A mile to the East is 

 a small lake of blue water surrounded by 

 snow. To the South for several miles 

 stretch the ragged, undulating crests of the 

 2 spurs that bound the gulch we ascended ; 

 and far beyond is Sisson, just visible 

 through the smoke of forest fires. We did 

 not see anything animate above the line of 

 perpetual snow, about 10,000 feet, except 

 common flies and butterflies. All day we 

 observed hundreds of butterflies, principally 

 the common small yellow variety, fluttering 

 aimlessly and helplessly upward, only to be- 

 come the victims of frost and snow as soon 

 as the sun went down. 



We spent an hour photographing, ate our 

 lunch and then resumed our journey toward 

 the summit. On account of unusual thaw- 

 ing of the snow we were obliged to change 

 the route ordinarily taken and scale some 

 steep, rocky slopes near Thumb Rock, but 

 after surmounting them the route lay over 

 an easy slope of snow and around to the 

 South side of a spur jutting out from the 

 summit. We continued our ascent on the 

 crest of this spur. The footing was in 

 snow and loose rock successively and was 

 extremely fatiguing. After every 30 or 40 

 steps our hearts beat like sledge hammers, 

 but after a rest of a few seconds we could 

 proceed again. Whenever we stopped we 

 could hear boulders rolling and crashing 

 down the mountain. Finally we reached 

 the little plateau on top of the mountain, 

 and there remained to climb only the tower- 

 like pile of rocks, about 80 feet in diameter 

 and 60 feet high, which constitutes tht 

 summit. 



Emmons seated himself on a convenient 

 rock at that point and directed my ascent 

 verbally. In a few minutes I had gained 

 the top and stood by the side of the cylin- 

 drical steel monument placed there by the 

 U. S. Government to mark the summit. 

 After 11 hours of hard work since leaving 

 camp that morning my feeling of satisfac- 

 tion, of victory, at that moment can readily 

 be imagined. 



The surroundings were most inspiring. 



Nowhere within the range of vision was 

 there another eminence to rival Shasta or 

 detract from its grandeur and glory. To the 

 Westward my eyes in one tremendous 

 sweep spanned the valley between Shasta 

 and the Coast range ; and through gaps in 

 the latter, here and there, I could discern 

 patches of the blue waters of the Pacific 

 ocean. The valleys of the Klamatte, Pitt 

 and Sacramento rivers are in plain sight. 

 Vast forests carpet the surface far and near, 

 enveloping even the foothills of Shasta ; but 

 nearer at hand there is naught but rock and 

 snow — the black and white that are found 

 only above the timber line. 



There was little opportunity to enjoy and 

 appreciate Nature's wonderful panorama 

 from that point of vantage. Much time had 

 been consumed in photographing, and it was 

 necessary to hurry back toward camp as 

 fast as possible before darkness should 

 overtake us. I hastily pocketed a handful 

 of small stones for souvenirs ; registered 

 my name in the book that is kept for the 

 purpose in a small, sheet-iron box near the 

 monument, and taking a last look in all 

 directions, began the descent. It was just 

 10 minutes past 6. On reaching Emmons 

 he took me a short distance Westward to a 

 hot spring which emitted strong sulphurous 

 fumes. We then began a rapid descent 

 over the snow by a different route. The 

 slopes were sufficiently steep so that in a 

 sitting position we could slide, feet first, 

 distances of over T 4 of a mile. I used my 

 alpenstock under my right arm to steer, 

 and by forcing il into the snow in the 

 steepest places it served effectively as a 

 brake. Emmons is an expert at this method 

 of rapid transit, and frequently made light- 

 ning express speed with a cloud of snow in 

 his wake. I was more "timid and made 

 slower time, but enjoyed the experience 

 thoroughly and had no mishap. 



By 7 o'clock we had descended 4,000 feet, 

 and at 9 o'clock we were at camp. Much to 

 our chagrin one of the horses had broken 

 loose and gone home. We watered the re- 

 maining horse, prepared and ate a big sup- 

 per and slept as only tired men can sleep. 

 The next morning after breakfast we packed 

 all our duffle on the remaining horse and 

 walked back to Sisson. 



• 



"Isn't that Russian naval officer over- 

 whelmed with grief after damaging one of 

 his own ships?" 



"No. He is proud because the Japanese 

 didn't do it."— Washington Star. 



