i5 2 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



"THE CHUMS," OR PERHAPS BETTER "THE TWINS." 

 Mr. Charles H. Lounsbury at the left; Mr. Mathew Dean at the right. 



this panorama of the valleys on a clear 

 day, may see in the far distance the 

 clusters of nomes. 



"Tree Tops" is at the very end of 

 the road. Beyond that a path with 

 overhanging boughs and foliated arches 

 leads to a veritable jumping off place. 

 This is the chasm of the gorge of the 

 Santa Cruz or Holy Cross Ealls. I 

 visited these falls in the driest part of 

 the past summer when no water was 

 flowing over, and while I failed to see 

 the curious formation that suggested 

 the name, I had the advantage of seeing 

 the rough and rugged rocks, the crag- 

 ged precipice and the overhanging 

 ledges in all their unadorned beauty. 



Retracing one's way for some forty 

 rods, one may descend a series of steps 

 to the lower road and, standing on a 

 beautiful rustic bridge, may gaze up- 

 ward at the Santa Cruz precipice that 

 towers above. No camera can do jus- 

 tice to the inspiring scene. It is in the 

 sweep of the eye from the high to the 

 low, from the right to the left, and the 

 combined imprint upon the retina that 

 gives all the grandeur of what has 



taken place through ages to build this 

 as a retiring and inspiring place. 



At the north of Mr. Lounsbury's pic- 

 turesque mountain cottage, is the Santa 

 Cruz Inn, photographs of which were 

 shown in the advertising department 

 in the August number of this magazine. 

 Here, as elsewhere throughout the 

 Catskills, no single view of ninety or 

 even a hundred and ten degrees as 

 taken in by the ordinary wide angle 

 lens of the camera can do the subject 

 justice. Nor could a circuit camera 

 fully do justice lo it. It is in the effect 

 of the whole that lies the chief charm, 

 and not alone in the surroundings. Its 

 interior with its perfect fittings, to- 

 gether with Mrs. French's grace and 

 cordiality, are in their way no less 

 pleasing. Santa Cruz Inn is the ideal 

 place for rest and refreshment. There 

 is no noise of carousal nor rattle and 

 bang of passing teams. Here one may 

 be alone, with an abundance of food 

 for the mental and the spiritual as well 

 as the physical nature. It is a place 

 in which to dream, to find one's self; 

 yes, even better, to understand one's 

 self. The view from the northern 



