FOUNTAINS AND STREAMS 251 



displayed in wonderful clearness and beauty 

 against the sky. 



The greatest storms, however, are usually fol- 

 lowed by a deep, peculiar silence, especially pro- 

 found and solemn in the forests ; and the noble 

 trees stand hushed and motionless, as if under a 

 spell, until the morning sunbeams begin to sift 

 through their laden spires. Then the snow, 

 shifting and falling from the top branches, strikes 

 the lower ones in succession, and dislodges bossy 

 masses all the way down. Thus each tree is en- 

 veloped in a hollow conical avalanche of fairy 

 fineness, silvery white, irised on the outside ; 

 while the relieved branches spring up and wave 

 with startling effect in the general stillness, as if 

 moving of their own volition. These beautiful 

 tree avalanches, hundreds of which may be seen 

 falling at once on fine mornings after storms, 

 pile their snow in raised rings around correspond- 

 ing hollows beneath the trees, making the forest 

 mantle somewhat irregular, but without greatly 

 influencing its duration and the flow of the 

 streams. 



The large storm avalanches are most abundant 

 on the Summit peaks of the range. They de- 

 scend the broad, steep slopes, as well as narrow 

 gorges and couloirs, with grand roaring and 

 booming, and glide in graceful curves out on 

 the glaciers they so bountifully feed. 



Down in the main canons of the middle region 



