STEEP TRAILS 



sands of miles away, traveling with majestic, 

 slow-heaving deliberation, reaching the end 

 of its journey, striking its blow, bursting into 

 a mass of white and pink bloom, then falling 

 spent and withered to give place to the next 

 in the endless procession, thus keeping up the 

 glorious show and glorious song through all 

 times and seasons forever! 



Terribly impressive as is this cliff and wave 

 scenery when the skies are bright and kindly 

 sunshine makes rainbows in the spray, it is 

 doubly so in dark, stormy nights, when, 

 crouching in some hollow on the top of some 

 jutting headland, we may gaze- and listen un 

 disturbed in the heart of it. Perhaps now and 

 then we may dimly see the tops of the high 

 est breakers, looking ghostly in the gloom; 

 but when the water happens to be phosphores 

 cent, as it oftentimes is, then both the sea 

 and the rocks are visible, and the wild, exult 

 ing, up-dashing spray burns, every particle of 

 it, and is combined into one glowing mass of 

 white fire; while back hi the woods and along 

 the bluffs and crags of the shore the storm-wind 

 roars, and the rain-floods, gathering strength 

 and coming from far and near, rush wildly 

 down every gulch to the sea, as if eager to join 

 the waves in their grand, savage harmony; 

 deep calling unto deep in the heart of the 



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