A VISIT TO MOUNT AGASSIZ 241 



Railway. Four or five trains were descend- 

 ing the track, one close behind the other, 

 and it became a matter of absorbing interest 

 to make them out through the small tele- 

 scope and a field glass. Why be at the 

 trouble to climb so high, at the cost of so 

 much wind, unless you do your best to take 

 in whatever is \^sible ? " Yes, I can see 

 one — two — three — Oh, yes, there 's the 

 fourth, just leaving the summit." So the 

 talk rah on, with minor variations which 

 may easily be imagined. One important 

 question related to the name of a certain 

 small sheet of water ; another to a road that 

 curved invitingly over a grassy hilltop ; an- 

 other to the exact whereabouts of a rich 

 man's fine estate (questions about rich men 

 are always pertinent), the red roofs of which 

 could be found by searching for them. 



I took my full share of the discussion, 

 but half an hour of it sufficed, and I went 

 back again to commune with myseK upon 

 the rocks. The sunshine was warm, but the 

 breeze tempered it till I found it good. 

 And the familiar scene was lovelier than 

 ever, I began to think. Here at my feet 



