(gocRg (mountain Tl7onberCanb 



of the water into spray, dashing and blowing it 

 about. I was thoroughly drenched. For half 

 a minute this spray whirled so thickly that it 

 was almost smothering. 



Water and ice are incessantly at work tearing 

 down the heights. Water undermines by wash- 

 ing away the softer parts and by leaching. 

 Every winter ice thrusts its expansive wedge 

 into each opening. Places are so shattered by 

 this explosive action that thousands of gallons 

 of water are admitted. This collects in open- 

 ings, and the following winter the freezing and 

 forcing continues. During the winter the ir- 

 resistible expansion of freezing water thus 

 pushes the rocks and widens the openings with 

 a force that is slow but powerful. Winter by 

 winter rocks are moved ; summer by summer the 

 water helps enlarge the opening. Years or cen- 

 turies go by, and at last during a rainy time or 

 in the spring thaw a mass slips away or falls 

 over. This may amount to only a few pounds, or 

 it may be a cliff or even a mountain-side. 



The long ice-ages of the earth appear to have 

 their sway, go, and return. These alternate with 



164 



