fairly
good we made twelve miles, which brought us to the shore of Mountain
Lake. The weather here was cold during the night, the water near the
edge of the lake freezing to the thickness of window glass. We were
among quite heavy timber of pine and fir. This place might be called the
second point in line of ascent. About one-half mile distant was the
region of perpetual snow, in full sight, toward which we climbed and
worked most assiduously, the line being very steep and the trail
exceedingly zigzagged. Resting-places were only to be had on the upper
side of the great trees. It was here that a four mule team, hitched to a
splendid carry-all, got started backward down the mountain, the driver
jumping from his seat. The whole outfit going down the mountain end over
end and brought up against a large tree, the vehicle completely wrecked.
The mules landed farther down.

Arriving at the snow line, we found grass and even flowers growing and
blooming in soil moistened by the melting snow. The notch in the summit
of the mountains through which we had to pass was four miles distant
from this point. The trail leading up was of a circular form, like a
winding stair, turning to the left, and the entire distance was
completely covered with snow, or more properly ice crystals as coarse as
shelled corn, which made the road-bed so hard that a wheel or an
animal's foot scarcely made an impression on it.

We reached the summit about noon, August 7th, where we halted to rest
and, as did Moses, "to view the landscape o'er." Looking back and down
upon the circular road we could plainly see many outfits of men,
animals, and wagons, as they slowly worked their way up and around the
great circle which we had just completed.

Thinking we might see the Missouri River or some eastern town from our
great altitude, we looked far out to the east; but the fact was we could
see but a very little way as compared with our view on the plains. On a
point high up on the rocks I spied a flag, which proved to be a section
from a red woolen shirt. Upon going to it I found in a small cavity in
the highest peak a bottle having upon its label the inscription, "Take a
drink and pass on."

We went down to the edge of the timber on the California side and spent
a night on the hard snow. We had wood for fire, snow for water, and pine
boughs for beds, but no feed for our hungry beasts. Having laid in a
good supply of provisions at Mormon Station, among which w