150 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



which it is regarded ; indeed, it is scarcely possible 

 to describe the scene, or to convey an adequate 

 idea of the undefinable sensation of reverence that 

 steals over the mind whilst contemplating it. 

 Scarped, overhanging cliffs, fringed with dark 

 pines, and splintered crags" of fantastic shape, 

 tower so high, that only a small strip of sky is 

 visible over head, and close up the view on every 

 side, except towards the east, where the five large 

 peaks of Rudroo-Himaleh rise, forming a semi- 

 circular hollow down which a huge glacier rolled. 

 The appearance of this mountain from Gangoutiie, 

 as seen through the vista of the valley, was most 

 striking, for it seemed like a mighty barrier of 

 snow that closed up the head of the gorge, whilst 

 the contrast of its dazzling whiteness with the deep- 

 blue sky above, and the dark, stern cliffs on each 

 side, gave it a character almost artificial. In such 

 scenes the mind often wanders from the real to the 

 ideal, and for the moment I fancied I was stand- 

 ing before some enormous stage, the proportions of 

 which were so immense, that nothing short of 

 Titans, or the giants that fought against Mahadeo 



