114 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



March II. The morning was so fine that we felt invited out. The snow is nearly all 

 gone. The rocks look charming in their Alpine dress of beautiful, pale green moss 

 lichen. We were so fortunate as to discover a fine bunch of Greenland sandwort one 

 in bloom. I took up some of each for house-plants, that our parlor may boast its 

 winter garden. 



March 23. This morning there was a thick stratum of clouds eastward, at a moderate 

 elevation above the summit. By 8 A. m. it was quite dense ; at 9 a. m., snow-squalls to 

 the north-east, and the clouds gradually settling in the valleys; 11 o'clock, thick on 

 the Carter range; by 12, clouds all about, except on the summit. By 2 p.m. the 

 mountain was in clouds. The formation, for I can call it nothing else, and progress 

 of the storm were very interesting. The clouds were at a higher elevation than has 

 generally been the case, cirro-stratus, color gray, uniform in density over nearly the 

 entire field of view; thick along the south-east, east, and north-east, long before it 

 shut down elsewhere. Evidently the lower current of the wind was from the east, 

 while the wind on the summit was west-north-west. It was two hours from the time 

 the Carter range shut in before the summit was enveloped. The clouds poured over 

 Mt. Adams, and, later, over the dividing ridge between Mts. Washington and Clay. 

 They seemed to curve, as they passed over these mountain-tops, as though the upper 

 currents of air conformed to the irregularities of surface. When there are two strata 

 of clouds, they unite before the snow or rain falls, as a rule, though to-day snow fell an 

 hour previous to the clouds settling on the mountain. 



April J^. All the forenoon, till 1 p.m., the summit was in a dense cloud. Suddenly 

 it lifted, or passed off, and then we had the most gorgeous display of cloud-scenes we 

 have yet witnessed. Eastward, masses of cumuli rested over the valleys and the moun- 

 tains. Why not call them mountains of cloud? Certainly. They rise far above our 

 level, six thousand, or perhaps eight thousand, feet higher than this peak! They con- 

 form to the heights over which they lie, and seem to envelop other mountains 

 nearly as lofty as their upper limits. The illusion was perfect; and Mt. Washington, 

 in comparison, was a diminutive spur or outlying peak of this great mountain range. 

 Without ever having seen the Alps, I understood them better for having seen these 

 cloud mountains. The sun runs high, but we know nothing of spring. It is more like 

 winter than some of the time in March. Then there was no snow; now everywhere 

 there is snow and ice. 



April 5. All day there has been a furious storm of snow, at one time wind 86, and 

 temperature low as 2. 9 p. m., wind 60, and clear. This afternoon we were surprised 

 by the arrival of Messrs. Clough and Cheney. They were somewhat frost-bitten, ears, 

 fingers, and feet, and it was doubtful, for a half hour, how badly. But now they are 

 all right, though their hands and ears are considerably swollen. It is the toughest 

 storm in which any party has made the ascent this winter. 



April 28. At 4 p. m., started down the railroad, expecting to meet Mr. Huntington 

 and Mr. Holden. To show the changes of temperature here, in a few feet of altitude, 

 I note my trip down to-day, and up as well. Left the house at 4: 30 p. m., wind 30 



