Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/328

322 narrow bottom of the stream and sometimes upon sides and summits of the ridges. The snow still continued deep and covered both the bottoms and the mountains in all parts around us; but it was very compact, and in the morning would generally bear our animals. We traveled up the North side about eleven miles and came to the forks of the stream, the North branch of which we crossed with difficulty, the current being very strong and the channel full of large rocks upon which some of our pack animals fell, and were carried down the stream, and we were compelled to leap into the water, just melted from the snow, and assist them to the shore. Having crossed, we came into a prairie about one mile in width and three or four in length, extending to the base of the main ridge of the mountain, which now lay immediately before us. We ascended this ridge without much labor, although it was composed entirely of granite, which lay in large detached fragments over the whole surface, and gained the summit. This, on either side of the narrow gap through which we passed, was very sharp and perfectly bald and barren. Immediately upon reaching the summit the whole Eastern side of the mountain burst upon the view, and a sudden thrill of joy awakened in every bosom and flashed in every eye, for the snow, which had so much impeded and made so disagreeable and dangerous the ascent on the West, had melted almost entirely away on the East. Down the mountain we could see a green spot, at the further end of a beautiful lake, which spread out in a broad crystal sheet below us. But although this was so pleasing to us, as it was now the third day since our animals had had any nourishment, we could not but remain for a moment to admire and enjoy the vastness of the prospect around us. On either side there was no limit to the vision, save the thickening air of the distant horizon, which bent down and rested