52 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA 



sion of the scenery rocky and savage seemed 

 sadly disappointing ; and as they threaded the for 

 est from ridge to ridge, eagerly scanning the land 

 scapes as they were unfolded, they said: "All this 

 is huge and sublime, but we see nothing as yet at 

 all available for effective pictures. Art is long, 

 and art is limited, you know ; and here are fore 

 grounds, middle-grounds, backgrounds, all alike; 

 bare rock-waves, woods, groves, diminutive flecks 

 of meadow, and strips .of glittering water." " Never 

 mind," I replied, "only bide a wee, and I will show 

 you something you will like." 



At length, toward the end of the second day, the 

 Sierra Crown began to come into view, and when we 

 had fairly rounded the projecting headland before 

 mentioned, the whole picture stood revealed in the 

 flush of the alpenglow. Their enthusiasm was ex 

 cited beyond bounds, and the more impulsive of 

 the two, a young Scotchman, dashed ahead, shout 

 ing and gesticulating and tossing his arms in the 

 air like a madman. Here, at last, was a typical 

 alpine landscape. 



After feasting awhile on the view, I proceeded 

 to make camp in a sheltered grove a little way back 

 from the meadow, where pine-boughs could be ob 

 tained for beds, and where there was plenty of dry 

 wood for fires, while the artists ran here and there, 

 along the river-bends and up the sides of the canon, 

 choosing foregrounds for sketches. After dark, 

 when our tea was made and a rousing fire had been 

 built, we began to make our plans. They decided 

 to remain several days, at the least, while I con- 



