COLLECTOR S RAMBLES 



south to that far-famed Virginia City which is known 

 the world over for its mines of silver and gold. 



From Reno the ascent becomes very steep, requiring 

 two locomotives. We could see the forest of dark 

 pines and firs ahead ; the Sierra Nevada Mountains 

 rising abrupt and precipitous from the desert plain. 

 Night closed in just as we were reaching a good eleva- 

 tion ; and on looking out of the window afterwards, I 





HUMBOLDT LAKE. 



found we were in the long snow-sheds which cover by 

 far the most of this mountain road. As soon as it 

 grew light, we were all on the lookout; but the spaces 

 between the snow-sheds only served to make us dis- 

 contented, because so much beautiful scenery was cut 

 off by them. 



The snow, in some places, came nearly to the tops 

 of the telegraph poles, and I should say, at a guess, 

 that it was ten feet deep on a level. We got clear of 

 the sheds at last, and began to descend on the western 



