90 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



stems, covered with little acute spines, festoon most 

 of the large boulders exposed to the sun. RMp- 

 salis, with long slender drooping stems, hang from 

 high places; and in crevices, sheltered from the 

 strong glare of the sun, many species of ferns find 

 lodgment. One of the most remarkable objects of 

 the very steep slopes of high altitude is a green, 

 smooth-stemmed tree with swollen barrel-shaped 

 trunk, small head, crooked branches, and almost 

 no leaves whatever. The roots of this extraordin- 

 ary tree are long, smooth, sinuous, and bright 

 green, wandering over and under the rocks like 

 great snakes. They feel soft to the touch and give 

 a shock to the climber, who, with nerves already 

 on edge by reason of insecure position, fancies, 

 for a dreadful moment, that he has seized a boa. 

 One of the most strikingly beautiful objects in 

 this bewildering botanic exhibit is a soft wooded 

 tree with immense palmate leaves which are dark 

 green above and silvery white beneath (Cecropia 

 peltata) . In a breeze these great leaves flash their 

 white under-surfaces in alternation with the rich 

 green of the upper portion, making a moving 

 picture that fixes an exclamation point in one's 

 confused memory of an overwhelming flora. 



