266 EXPEDITION TO THE TYROL. 



spike. Spiegle had a wallet, containing some provisions, 

 strapped on his back. Starting up the mountain, we fol- 

 lowed Spiegle through the gloomy pine forest, until we 

 were far above the valley, when, from a projecting cliff, we 

 obtained a magnificent view of the varied and romantic 

 country at our feet. While we were resting at this point, 

 the dazzling sun arose, and, as we resumed our jour- 

 ney, we found the pine forest flickered with gleams of 

 yellow morning light, and glittering with gems of dew. 

 We crossed the sparkling brooks and masses of rock, ankle 

 deep, in rich brown moss, and bejewelled with red and 

 purple berries; then passed through tangled heaps of 

 fallen pine, that had been leveled by the terrible ava- 

 lanche, and climbed over a fir fence into a little mountain 

 meadow, "where an old herdsman was milking the cows. 

 There we breakfasted upon the contents of Spiegle's 

 wallet, and then, considerably refreshed, resumed our 

 journey. 



The pine forest now gradually became more open and 

 the trees stunted and fantastic. Then we left the trees 

 behind us altogether. Nothing but wild, chaotic masses 

 of gravel and stones, tossed and heaped, one on the 

 ether, by the merciless avalanche, and patches of emerald 

 moss appeared. Then the traces of vegetation ceased. 

 Our path ran, steep and rugged, aloijg the edge of a ravine, 

 at the bottom of which a torrent chafed and roared. Just 



