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From a commanding promontory the forest- 

 edge appears like a great shore-line, as it sweeps 

 away for miles along the steep and uneven sides 

 of the mountains. For the most part it follows 

 the contour line; here it goes far out round a 

 peninsula-like headland, there it sweeps away 

 to fold back into cove or canon and form a 

 forested bay. In Colorado and California this 

 forest-line on the mountains is at an altitude 

 of between eleven and twelve thousand feet. 

 Downward from this line a heavy robe of dark 

 forest drapes the mountains; above it the tree- 

 less heights rise cool and apparently barren, piled 

 with old and eroded snowdrifts amid silent moor- 

 lands and rocky terraces. 



The trees of timber-line are stunted by cold, 

 crushed by snow, and distorted by prolonged 

 and terrific winds. Many stretches appear like 

 growths of coarse bushes and uncouth vines. 

 They maintain a perpetual battle, and, though 

 crippled, bent, dwarfed, and deformed, they 

 are stocky and strong old warriors, determined, 

 no weaklings, no cowards. They are crowded 

 together and tangled, presenting a united front. 



50 



