THE PASSES 93 



mens I had seen, were mostly ugly, and some of 

 them altogether hideous. The dirt on their faces 

 was fairly stratified, and seemed so ancient and so 

 undisturbed it might almost possess a geological 

 significance. The older faces were, moreover, 

 strangely blurred and divided into sections by fur 

 rows that looked like the cleavage -joints of rocks, 

 suggesting exposure on the mountains in a cast 

 away condition for ages. Somehow they seemed to 

 have no right place in the landscape, and I was 

 glad to see them fading out of sight down the pass. 



Then came evening, and the somber cliffs were 

 inspired with the ineffable beauty of the alpenglow. 

 A solemn calm fell upon everything. All the lower 

 portion of the canon was in gloaming shadow, and 

 I crept into a hollow near one of the upper lakelets 

 to smooth the ground in a sheltered nook for a bed. 

 When the short twilight faded, I kindled a sunny 

 fire, made a cup of tea, and lay down to rest and 

 look at the stars. Soon the night- wind began to 

 flow and pour in torrents among the jagged peaks, 

 mingling strange tones with those of the waterfalls 

 sounding far below ; and as I drifted toward sleep 

 I began to experience an uncomfortable feeling of 

 nearness to the furred Monos. Then the full moon 

 looked down over the edge of the canon wall, her 

 countenance seemingly filled with intense concern, 

 and apparently so near as to produce a startling 

 effect as if she had entered my bedroom, forgetting 

 all the world, to gaze on me alone. 



The night was full of strange sounds, and I 

 gladly welcomed the morning. Breakfast was soon 

 done, and I set forth in the exhilarating freshness 



