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at Camp Barkeley, in a torrential rain storm with sand blowing off the ephemeral

pocls of water.

The impression of Nt. Shasta and the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico more
than conteracted the delightful reception in Texas. Shasta will forever remain
a vivid picture in my memory. I always seem to have a resefved place for such
things. In fact I pledged myself at the time that I would return someday
with the avowed intention of exploring its fascinating and graceful slopes and
if time would allow, an ascent to its summit. I have had considerable experience
with volcanic mountains in the Northwest but Shasta compares with any of them
in both finess of feature and delightful outline. I can readily see why the
National’ Park should choose to create a permanent custodian for its preservation
as a primitive area. Myyapproach was made from the north during the most
delichtful part of the day with the early morning rays Sn n@inG Upon its eastern
exposure. Before I reached the south side the lights were well distributed
over the entire mt. and it was very much awake by then, The feature that I
will always remember and one second to its physical beauty was its mystrious
evading the permanency of position and its omnipresent nearness. One moment
the mountain would be somewhat permantly anchored on one side of the train and
then without notice would shift to an entirely new location. The apparent
flightiness was explainable by the fact that the gradual curves of the rgil-
road system had a way of completely disorienting one in respect bo direction.

For those passengers who did not keep a constant watch but only intermittnt
glimps found the displacement with emphasis. It requres a singel and dominanting
landmark like this volcanic cene to impress one with the contimual confusion

of the mind when operating on a moving object. The faithfulness of the mountain
nearness was explainable agina by the position of the railway course, followi-
ing a more or less circuitous route around ae of its slopes, beginnins

at the north-wast side and traversing the conifer covered shoulders of the old
glacial systems and finally endings at the south side. JI an certainly extend

a word of thanks to the Union Pacific who so thoughtfully considered by choice

in placing this railroad course in such an outstanding vantage position. When-—