TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 219 



purple-black gorges whose walls at times excluded the 

 light, and only a jagged line of blue told us that the 

 day was ours to hold a little longer. Over a shining 

 glacier, a frozen Niagara, emerald tinted and opal- 

 escent, to an autumn valley, afire with myriad glowing 

 tints. 



The scheme of colouring was Nature's own, and 

 therefore perfect. Everlasting mountains pressing 

 close about one adumbrate the spirits, it becomes 

 wearisome to be perpetually overshadowed. This was 

 the smiling valley. There was nothing wanting. 



Here we camped, and knocking over four ptarmigan 

 had a supper worth remembering. All around us 

 these beautiful birds were forming into packs, in 

 autumn habit, the cock ptarmigan crowing in mourn- 

 ful tones the requiem of the short summer, so different 

 to the laughing chuckle with which he salutes the 

 spring. 



The brilliancy of the stars at this altitude was a 

 revelation, and the transparency of the atmosphere 

 imparted a very clear-cut effect to all the surrounding 

 country. The tiniest crevasse in any mountain limned 

 clear its slopes in magical array. It was as though 

 one perpetually viewed the landscape through a power- 

 ful field-glass. 



If Ovis dalli had minds like ordinary sheep such a 

 spot as we were camping in would be their Mecca, 

 but, then, they are not common uneducated specimens 

 of the genus, and take up positions at a great altitude 

 with the deep-set purpose of obtaining a clear view 

 of all on-coming enemies. We were supposed, if 



