STEEP TRAILS 



tops are now a dome, now a flat table or a 

 spire, as harder or softer strata are reached 

 in their slow degradation, while the sides, with 

 all' their fine moldings, are being steadily un- 

 dermined and eaten away. But no essential 

 change in style or color is thus effected. From 

 century to century they stand the same. What 

 seems confusion among the rough earthquake- 

 shaken crags nearest one comes to order as 

 soon as the main plan of the various structures 

 appears. Every building, however compli- 

 cated and laden with ornamental lines, is at 

 one with itself and every one of its neighbors, 

 for the same characteristic controlling belts 

 of color and solid strata extend with wonder- 

 ful constancy for very great distances, and 

 pass through and give style to thousands of 

 separate structures, however their smaller 

 characters may vary. 



Of all the various kinds of ornamental work 

 displayed carving, tracery on cliff-faces, 

 moldings, arches, pinnacles none is more 

 admirably effective or charms more than the 

 webs of rain-channeled taluses. Marvelously 

 extensive, without the slightest appearance of 

 waste or excess, they cover roofs and dome* 

 tops and the base of every cliff, belt each spire 

 and pyramid and massy, towering temple, 

 and hi beautiful continuous lines go sweeping 



356 



