MOUNTAINS AND HILLS 



327 



effects of equal splendor when the mountains 

 are lying to the east and are taking color from 

 the last rays of the sun. They are far more brill- 

 iant in hue than the western mountains, struck 

 by the light of early morning. The warmth of 

 color is greater, because the sunlight in the 

 morning passes through cool and clarified air, 

 and at evening the same sunlight throws its 

 light eastward through a heated and dust-laden 

 air. The difference in atmosphere makes the 

 difference in color and light, and these in turn 

 make a decided change in the east-lying moun- 

 tains at sunset. Indeed, form as shown in the 

 outline and the shadowy silhouette is not now 

 conspicuous. Lines are dissipated and surfaces 

 are flattened into tints. The range may be 

 shadowed at its base a deep, hazy shadow 

 while the tops may be in full sunlight and 

 receive the glow of the western sky on every 

 bush and tree and crag with startling effect. 

 The total result of reflected light from the range 

 may be copper-color, pale yellow, rosy-red, or 

 silver-gray ; and upon such a feature as a tall 

 spur or bare peak the color may change from yel- 

 low to pink, from pink to gray, from gray to 

 purple, until the light goes out of the west and 

 the spur darkens and looms against the eastern 



