THE BLUE SKY 
51 
of coloring, which at sea dulls the vision in- 
stead of clearing it. 
It is on the land, and from the mountain-top, 
that we gain the best idea of the round reach 
of the sky. From such an elevation we not 
only see hills and valleys stretching away and 
down the sweeping world-circle, but if the sky 
be spattered with the white cirro-cumulus 
clouds, driving along in flocks before the wind, 
these, too, will seem to slope outward and down- 
ward like the earth. The result is that the im- 
pression of expanse in sky and earth is prodig- 
iously enhanced. The view is awe-inspiring ; 
and it is not necessarily so because it belittles 
the objects directly below us, but because it 
gives us a larger idea of distance, space, and 
sweep. The world seems a greater globe, the 
sky becomes enormous, and the imagination 
rises to meet the new presentation. 
There is no feature of the earth that can be 
regarded as more fixed, more permanent, than 
the blue sky overhead. And yet it seems as 
though a strong wind might blow it away. 
Winds, however, have small effect upon it. 
Clouds and storms pass across it, altering and 
obscuring it to our eyes, but beyond the local 
disturbance we know the sky is as serene and 
Sky lines 
seen from 
heights. 
Apparent 
changes in 
the sky. 
