170 



Sierra Club Bulletin. 



just as perilous as bear-hunting. In either case, the 

 rule is, First learn how. The trouble is that everybody 

 thinks he could preach a sermon or climb a mountain 

 if only his wind held out; the art of the mountaineer he 

 has not the patience to acquire. One is reminded of 

 the remarks made by the gentleman of Celtic extraction 

 when he was asked if he could play the violin. *'Faith," 

 he replied, "I don't know; / never tried! " 



On the rocks grew five varieties of lichen, — a yellowish- 

 green one, others of sage-color, black, orange, and brown. 

 Now we were level with the top of North Guard, 13,304 

 feet. Here grew the yellow draba, one of the mustard 

 family {Draba alpina, variety algida), the name, ''chilly," 

 significant of the cold situation in which it chooses to 

 dwell.'^ Soon was lifted into view a little tarn, reflecting 

 the light of the skies. It is astonishing how these little 

 bodies of water add variety and interest to the view; 

 one always thinks of an eye in seeing them, such life 

 and expression do they give to the landscape. This was 

 of a delicious light opaque green, characteristic of bodies 

 of water in high, rocky mountains. One sees them to 

 perfection in Switzerland, and of many varying tints; 

 the color is due, I presume, to the presence of mineral, 

 of infinitesimally disintegrated stone; the pecuhar hue 

 is found petrified in jade. Loose rocks drove us again 

 to the snow, soon so steep as to compel us, sidling to 

 the south, to come back to the rocks. Then up over 

 broken boulders, most of them easy to cross, one, how- 

 ever, proving baffling and turning me back to follow 

 my companion to the east side of the ridge, where we 

 somewhat gingerly picked our way along a bank of 

 drifted snow, keeping away from the edge, which over- 

 hung. It was not more than a hundred yards farther to 

 the summit. Our first act there was to line up in bat- 

 taHons and give the Sierra yell, then we had a look at 

 the Club cylinder and recorded our names. 



The clouds were only partially lifted, and we had one of 

 those mountain views so stimulating to the imagination. 



* Or more recently named Draba lemoni — Watson. 



