THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL 



comes into a peculiar intimacy 

 with it. There is a vast difference 

 between a trail and a road. There 

 are usually many roads, and if one 

 loses the road he may make in- 

 quiries and find another one. But 

 if one loses the trail he must find 

 that one trail again, and there is 

 no one of whom to ask directions. 

 A road advertises itself afar off. 

 You can always tell when you are 

 coming to a road, but you may 

 pass within twenty feet of a moun- 

 tain trail and never dream of its 

 presence, so modest is it and so 

 slight. A road looks very much 

 alike mile after mile, but every 

 rod of a mountain trail has its 

 individuality all its own. One 

 usually travels a road in a vehicle, 

 but I have always traveled the 

 mountain trail on foot, and, travel- 

 ing so, every rise, every down 

 grade, every stretch of dusty sun- 

 [61 



