CROSSING THE SIERRA NEVADA. 219 
"jose depth was lost in the mist below, sometimes crossing 
_ pp ravines on lofty tressel bridges, now dashing through a 
}imel, then entering a mile or two of snow-sheds, and at 
tes whirling round so sharp a curve that we felt as if 
‘:trifugal foree would send us flying off the rails. Higher 
the grades became steeper ; another engine was added as a 
sher to the train, and our speed was much reduced. The 
‘tas up and down the ravines between the mountains were 
verb; the graceful Californian pines, with their dark 
/ age, seemed to rest their heavy limbs upon the white 
_ stening breasts of the hills, for so deep was the snow that 
» bare portions of the trunks were buried beneath it. 
‘{ was strongly reminded of one scene in Switzerland as we 
pt up the mountains—the pass of the Col de Balme into 
» Valley de Chamounix. 
_ At thirteen miles from the summit we reached the temporary 
; it of the railway, and exchanged the warmed cars for the 
-erland Mail Company’s sledges. There were half-a-dozen 
these waiting our arrival, each drawn by three pair of 
 stangs, in the sleekest possible condition. The sun was 
ing, and a brilliant crimson tint was thrown for a few 
ments over everything as we dashed off with a chorus of 
; 90ps from the driven and shot like lightning over the 
- d crisp snow. 
‘hose who cross the mountains by stage in summer enjoy 
- te an exciting drive; those who pass over them by sledge 
ing the winter revel in scenes of inexpressible grandeur. 
g ‘tom twenty to forty feet of snow lies below you, the summits 
_ e€ to be crossed at an elevation exceeding 8,000 feet, the 
y 1 is cut for miles along precipices whose edges are but 
_uely visible to the stranger even by a bright moonlight, 
the cold is intense, so much so that a dozen thicknesses 
