First Ascent: Mt. Humphreys. 163 



blow on us from the west. Whitney made as large a 

 camp-fire as our wood-pile would permit, and I prepared 

 our lunch for the next day. We lit our pipes, sat in the 

 warmth of the genial fire, discussed the day's doings, 

 and took considerable " thought for the morrow," won- 

 dering what it " might bring forth." The day had 

 been an energetic one; the morrow might be even more 

 so ; and at 8 130 we were ready for our beds. 



Near midnight I began to realize that I was in a semi- 

 conscious state, and presently awakened with chilly 

 sensations, to find that I was doubled up, hugging myself 

 in a vain effort to keep warm. The fire had burned down 

 to a mass of glowing embers. I hastily arose to rebuild 

 it. The moon had followed the sun and was just setting 

 behind the western mountains. It cast an almost ghostly 

 light over the snow-fields, which appeared like great 

 white sheets laid over the bones of the mountains. The 

 lakes were a mass of molten silver, and the glacial polish 

 was burnished brass. Humphreys was a great black wall 

 close at hand and of immense height. Overhead the 

 myriads of stars twinkled brilliantly. There was no 

 sound except the constant murmur of the little near-by 

 rills. As I looked over this weird scene, from the setting 

 moon to the millions of brilliant stars, and then across 

 the glaciated basin to the snowy peaks, and finally to the 

 great black wall of Humphreys, I felt as never before 

 the force of the words, The heavens declare the glory 

 of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork." A 

 cold wind had arisen, blowing down from the moun- 

 tain and across the frozen lakes, bringing with it an 

 unpleasant chill. I threw some logs on to the burning 

 embers, crawled back into my sleeping-bag, and rolled 



