28 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



{January, 



[Your friend is in all propability, quite cor- but this lias nothing to do with the question, dO' 

 rect in his figures. Branches from the trunk tree trunks elongate? rrom the manner in 

 are often several inches higher from the ground j which wood is known to be made, it is impossible 

 at their junction with the trunk on old trees, for a branch formed one year, to elongate any 

 than they were when the trees were small ; time after. — Ed. G. M.] 



Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes, 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



ASCENT OF PIKE'S PEAK, 



BY ISAAC C. JVIARTINDALE. 



(Concluded from page 377. December.) 



When b}^ our comfortable firesides at home, 

 in coming winter time we read, in the morning 

 print the weather record of the preceding day 

 and night, let us remember, some at least, have 

 not the comforts that are ours to enjoy, but 

 nevertheless, by whose diligence and labor we 

 receive the advantages these reports furnish the 

 world. 



An hour's comfortable rest, the enjoyment of 

 the lunch with which we are supplied. And 

 still the storm rages without. Where are our 

 companions, the ladies, where are they? I ven- 

 ture the hope that they have turned back, see- 

 ing the storm ahead, surely an hour should have 

 brought them here had they followed on. Just 

 at this moment I hear Meehan's voice, and rush 

 to the door to learn if all are safe. Sallie ! 

 where is she ? and Tom ! is he well ? how fare 

 you all, who are yet behind? I put the ques- 

 tions rapidly, without waiting for replies, and 

 assist them as best I can to a place of warmth 

 and shelter. Five of the fourteen have given 

 out by the way, and turned their faces down the 

 steep ; one of the pedestrians only, reached the 

 top. The ascent, by my watch, required five 

 hours. An horn* and a half of rest and I am 

 ready to descend, as I care not to be overtaken 

 by night in a narrow mountain pass. The storm 

 by this time has ceased and the clouds passing 

 rapidly away let the sunlight through. I walk 

 to the outer edge of the rocky summit, and there 

 behold such a glorious sight of mighty vastness, 

 as seldom the opportunity is afforded. To the 

 right the chain of mountains sweep away be- 

 yond the Spanish peaks, to Sangre de Cristo, till 



Sierra Blanca, with its whitened top the highest 

 of them all, 15,000 feet above the sea, cuts off 

 the view ; to the left stands boldly up Mt. Rosa- 

 lie, Torrey's Peak and Gray's, capped with 

 eternal snow, the heights of the Sierra Range 

 with Long's Peak, and Mt. Lincoln in the far 

 distance ; behind a cluster of mountain summits 

 seemingly so numberless that I wonder names 

 enough are found for all. Before me stretch 

 the vast plains with mottled covering of light 

 and shade from intervening clouds, below, far 

 below, for from this airy height I can look down 

 as I never looked before ; I hear the rumbling 

 thunder and see the lightning's flash of the 

 storm which has passed beyond us on its journey 

 eastward. Not long have I to survey this scene ; 

 this grandeur I never may again perhaps behold, 

 but mind and memory, twin sisters that they 

 are, will call it up when far away, as now in 

 full realization comes before me the impressions 

 made when I stood on the Rigid Mt., by Lake 

 Luzerne and saw an expanse leagues in extent,, 

 of water and of land. 



Some of our party have gone, the rest are 

 ready, and I bid good bye to the observer, thank- 

 ing him for his attention, mount my waiting 

 steed and seek the trail again. The snow and 

 hail have accumulated to the depth of four to 

 six inches, and collect on the horses feet, rend- 

 ering the descent quite as dangerous as the as- 

 ' cent, and requiring the exercise of great caution 

 and care that the loose stones in the way may 

 not prove pit-falls for us, .nor damaging to our 

 animals. I had expected to make a collection 

 of alpine flowers, but find the storm has effectu- 

 ally put a stop thereto, so I must content my- 

 self with a few that peep out from underneath 

 some sheltered rock where the snow has not 

 covered them. We go down much more rapidly 

 than we went up, not having to give the horses 

 rest so frequently. Just before we reach the 



