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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1885)
THE WEST SHORE. 269 shaped craters, side by side, eaoh a quarter of a mile iu uiameior, the ridge between them being the highest point These were full of buow, but their rooky rims were bare. We observed several holes in the snow by uie eages, where toe strong odor of sulphur indicated that heat had been given out not many months before. On the western edge there" is large chamber in the snow, and trom a bole six or eight inches in diameter a continuous column of steam and nli.linmn aim lit A Ari una showing that the internal fires of Mount Rainier are not . yet extinguished. We stood about it to warm ourselves, and endeavored to peer into the hole, with no other rosult than receiving a burnt hand and inhaling a disagreeable quantity 01 sulphur aud brimstone fumes. Near this chimney hole we found a piece of load with four names inscribed upon it We examined the summit carefully, though we did not visit the western peak, which is about iour nuniirea feet lower. The rocks are all volcanic, with considerable of scoria. Curiously enough we found a butterfly fluttering over the snow. We had observed numerous others in going up. The day was bright and clear, with no clouds and but little fog or smoke hanging over the low places, offering a splendid view of the sur- rounuing oountry. it is a common but erroueous idea that the view from the top of onr great mouutnins is grander than that afforded by lower altitudes. We found mat me view Uoes not increase in grandeur with the alti tude. In this respect a high mountain is somowhat dis appointing; the aiuht is much loss imorosiiive than ram naturally expects, the one redeeming feature being the aeowieuge oi the lact that the eye ranges over a vast extent of territory. It is too muoh like a bird's-eye map, like the prospect from a balloon; the range of vision is too comprehensive and the eye cannot take it all in. The view through gaps in lower mountains is far more im pressive. We speut much time in studying the details of the great panorama spread out before us, which, as a whole, was so confusing in its vastness. To the north Mount Baker, oue hundred and fifty miles distant, seemed near at hand, and we could plainly see the mountains of British Columbia, more than twice the distance. We traced the shores of the Straits past Victoria far np the side of Vsnoouver Island. Below us the Cascade Range, with its peaks six and eight thousand feet high, seemed scarcely more than a potato patch. Westward, over the tops of the Olynqro Mountains, the Pacific Ocean formed a level horizon, and nearer, through a semi-transparent soa of hate, were seen the tortuous outlines of l'uget Sound. The cities were maiked by their smoke, and even the steamboats auuouned their position in the same manner. The grain field i.ud prairies seemed like little islands in the vast blue sea of forest To the south the shsrp peaks of Adams and 8t Helens loomed up grandly, with their long snow-covered sides. Oregon was shrouded in smoke, Mount Hood and a, few other points alone lifting themselves above the gloom. On the east the spurs of the Rocky Mountains closed our horiaon, though because of the smoky hue they wore but dimly sewn. We could vnn hvi?j distinct jlcicfj Hiiuli'. " down from the mountains, the heads of six rivers. Ws experienced no peculiar physioal effoots from the high altitude It was not extremely cold, thawing a little in the sun and freeaing in the shado; but a sharp, oold wind chilled ns very quickly whenever we ceased exeroialng, and we were glad enough to start down again after spending an hour ou the summit The only actual fun of such a journey is iu the descent It took us eight hours to ascend aud ouly two to return. Squatting on our foot, and using our alpine-stocks as a kind of third leg and break, we would sometimes slide down a halt mile of smooth slope in aliout two minutes. We reached oamp at six satisfied, jolly and hungry. New trials were in store for us.' For throe days we had been among the whitest snows, with the August sun shining. . We had two pairs of goggles, but did not use them, because we could not see bo well with them, and sometimes a misstep of an inch would have thrown ns down a crevasse, However, we kept our faces in the vicinity of the eyes well blackened with charcoal. My two companions had been troubled more or lew before, but that night their eyes became very muoh inflamed and jxviued them so that they could Dot sleep. The next morning they could scarcely see. We had ouly one day's rations, and there was the Carbon glacier to cross, which required the most careful watchfulness, and a mile of hard climbing, besides throe of rough traveling to reach the trail But it was a oase of necessity, and we started, progressing slowly and paiuf ully the first day, but more easily the second, as the sore eyes beoaiue better iu the shade of the woods. . We resohexl Taooma thirteen days from our start, with bsnds and faces Bo burned that the skin was peeling off, but with added health of body and that satisfied condition of mind which comes ouly from success. Warmer Fonts. Don't Worm on am Empti Stomach. The errors that prevail with regard to early morning exorcises are simply monstrous. Even the strong and athletic are liable to injure themsolves by exercising long and vigor ously in the early morning on an empty stomach, while the delicate, the dyspoptio and the nervous should Dot sllow themselves to indulge in any sustained activity of the brain or muscles until the system has been fortified by at least a preliminary breakfast Farmers sometimes injure themselves by working too long before breakfast Moderate exercise, such ss walking, the lighter forms of gymnastics and easy games, can be taken Indiscrimi nately, just before or just after meals, without injury; but the severer tasks rowing or active games-slwuld usually be reserved for the middle of the forenoon or afternoon, or for the eveuing. It is not well to go to our meals m a oondition of exhaustion, either of the brain or of the muscles, It is not well to be over fastidious about exercising just after meals, for our own feelings will usually guide ns right After a hearty nwl we do not care to plunge Into the severest kind of work, Dr. Oeo, It. Hoard.