338 



THE NATURE BOOK 



seasons. Their waste is spread over the 

 low grounds to renew and enrich the 

 exhausted soil. 



If all the mountains were reduced to 

 the level of the sea, cloud and river 

 would cease to exist, the silence of the 

 hills would descend into the plain, and the 

 earth would become stagnant and barren. 



The influence of mountains on life is 

 equally important. The varying chmates 



cation between the peoples living on 

 opposite sides. Isolation bred peculiarities 

 in customs, language and manners, and 

 races struggling against a stronger in- 

 vading power found refuge and security 

 in the mountains. 



In the wild and unfrequented hills of 

 the west, the Celtic races still preserve 

 their racial characteristics, their language 

 and their ancient customs. 



•THE BREmOEN HILLS WOULD LONG AGO HAVE MERGED INTO THE SHKOFSHIKE PLAIN 

 BUT FOR THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ONCE THE SEAT OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY." 



experienced on the earth's surface be- 

 tween the tropics and the poles 

 are reproduced on ascending a lofty 

 mountain. Even near the Equator we 

 get mountains whose crests are covered 

 with perpetual snow and reproduce a 

 climate similar to that of the Arctic 

 regions. Ascending such a mountain, 

 we pass from the region of deciduous trees 

 through a zone of cone-bearing plants 

 to the lonely lichens, and finally we 

 enter conditions where life is impossible. 



Mountains have also exerted great and 

 lasting influences on man. In past ages 

 he approached them with fear and awe. 

 They were the seats of the gods, and as 

 the encirchng clouds veiled them with 

 mystery he wove legends of heroes and 

 supernatural beings. 



Now we make them our playgrounds 

 and seek health and recreation among 

 the snows. 



In former times mountains were effec- 

 tual barriers which prevented communi- 



Perhaps we cannot more fitly summarise 

 our brief study of the life history of a 

 mountain than by quoting a short passage 

 from Ruskin's " Modern Painters" : 



" In order to bring the world into the 

 form which it now bears, it is not mere 

 sculpture that is needed ; the mountains 

 could not stand for a day unless they 

 were formed of materials altogether 

 different from those which constitute 

 the lower hills and the surfaces of the 

 valleys. A harder substance had to be 

 prepared for every mountain-chain, yet 

 not so hard ]:)ut that it might be capable 

 of crumbling down into earth, fit to 

 nourish the Alpine forest and the 

 Alpine flowers ; not so hard but that in 

 the midst of the utmost majesty of its 

 enthroned strength there should be seen 

 on it the seal of death, and the writing , 

 of the same sentence that had gone forth 

 against the human frame : Dust thou 

 art, and unto dust thou shalt return.' " 



J. LOMAS. 



