ars 
VI | MOUNTAINS 209 
and ina year or two a little crest of corn is 
seen waving upon the rocky casque.” 
Tyndall, speaking of the scene from the 
summit of the Little Scheideck,’ says: ‘“ The 
upper air exhibited a commotion which we 
did not experience ; clouds were wildly driven 
against the flanks of the Eiger, the Jungfrau 
thundered behind, while in front of us a mag- 
nificent rainbow, fixing one of its arms in the 
valley of Grindelwald, and, throwing the 
other right over the crown of the Wetterhorn, 
clasped the mountain in its embrace. Through 
jagged apertures in the clouds floods of golden 
light were poured down the sides of the moun- 
tain. On the slopes were innumerable chalets, 
glistening in the sunbeams, herds browsing 
peacefully and shaking their mellow bells ; 
while the blackness of the pine trees, crowded 
into woods, or scattered in pleasant clusters 
over alp and valley, contrasted forcibly with 
the lively green of the fields.” 
Few men had more experience of moun- 
tains than Mr. Whymper, and from him, 
I will quote one remarkable passage de- 
1 The Glaciers of the Alps. 
E 
