ON PLAIN AND PEAK 



narrow gorge, to form a bend below the hut, and 

 flow on down the main valley the Zillergrund. 



There is great beauty in these mountain streams. 

 The rocks and boulders that lie scattered along their 

 course, encrusted with red or grey or yellow lichen ; 

 the little pools among the rocks, blue as the sea and 

 clear as crystal ; the miniature cascades and water- 

 falls where the rushing torrent bubbles and foams in 

 its haste ; and the pure cold water itself, fresh from 

 its snowy source, hurrying onward ever onward ! 



There had been a hard frost in the night, and the 

 ground was like iron, whilst the ice-coated stones 

 made climbing slippery and sometimes difficult 

 work. The colour of the fir-trees was changed to 

 pearly white by hoar-frost, which sparkled and 

 glittered in the rays of the morning sun, that now 

 began to struggle through the mist. 



Two hours' climbing brought us above the tree 

 line, where the only vegetation besides the rough 

 coarse grass is a small species of rhododendron, 

 that in the spring brightens these high altitudes 

 with its deep red flowers, and the Latchen, or 

 dwarf pine, loved by the chamois both for shelter 

 and food. 



Another hour, and we came out on to the upper 

 slopes, where all vegetation ceases, and a view, such 

 as I have never before seen, lay before us. 



The valley we had left behind was filled with 



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