THE TRUCKEE AND HUMBOLDT VALLEYS. 31 
height range beyond range is seen both east and west, and 
there seems to be no limit to our vision. No positive colors 
enliven the landscape, giving it the pleasing variety of our 
eastern scenery, but there are only varying tints of brown 
in the foreground and light azure in the distance. The re- 
mote hills look as if merely outlined in blue. The valleys 
are dreary wastes, through which the roads may be seen 
winding. From these clouds of dust often rise a thousand 
feet into the still air. The dreary monotony of the desert 
is relieved at this distance by the broad plains of snow- 
white alkali, which it is well to view afar off. They have 
no fascination for the unfortunate traveller who inhales their 
smarting dust, penetrating as it does the eyes, nose and ears, 
and imparting a nauseous soapy taste to the mouth. These 
deposits often contain embedded crystals of rock-salt of 
great beauty. 
About sunset is the proper time to really enjoy the weird 
prospect, for the colors the mountains then assume are most 
charming. The main masses look as if dusted with gold, 
while each cañon and ravine is filled with purple shadows. 
'The delicate tints change rapidly, deepening and blending 
until finally night drops its curtain on the scene. Still 
the act is not closed, for the stars twinkle above the serrated 
outline of the mysterious mountains, or the moonlight trans- . 
figures their barren slopes. 
When we study each detail of this anomalous scenery in 
its horrible individuality it seems unreasonable that the 
whole should in any way delight us, yet that it is fascinat- 
ing is most certain. "There is a peculiar coloring, or rather 
tinting, seen nowhere else, and never to be forgotten. I do 
not mean to say that the land is anything but a desert—a lit- 
eral “howling” wilderness, nor do I maintain with many of 
the settlers that earth has no fairer habitations. It is an in- 
sult to a forest to call it a wilderness in the above sense, 
teeming as it is with myriad forms of life and beauty, but 
here where nothing interrupts the view but bare, treeless 
