MOUNTAINS. 



31 



it lay till the tnonth of August. During this period, 

 of nine or ten months, the mountains exhibit more or 

 less of that bright appearance, from which they are 

 denominated white. In the Spring, when the snow- 

 is partly dissolved, they appear of a pale blue, 

 streaked with white ; and after it is wholly gone, 

 at the distance of sixty miles, they are altogether of 

 the same pale blue, nearly approacing a sky colour; 

 while, at the same time, viewed at the distance of 

 eight miles or less they appear of the proper colour 

 of the rock. These changes are observed by people 

 who live within constant view of them ; and from 

 these facts and observations it may, with certainty, 

 be conchided, that, the whiteness of them is wholly 

 caused by the snow, and not by any other white 

 substance, for, in fact, there is none. There are ih- 

 deed'in the Summer monthfe, some streaks which ap- 

 pear brighter than other parts ; but these, when 

 viewed attentively with a telescope, are plainly dis« 

 cerned to be the edges of the long deep gullies, en- 

 lightened by the sun, and the dark parts are the 

 shaded sides of the same ; in the course of a day these 

 spots may be seen to vary, according to the position 

 of the sun. 



These vast and irregular heights, being copiously 

 replenished with water, exhibit a great variety of 

 beautiful cascades ; some of which fall in a perpen- 

 dicular sheet or spout, others are winding and slop- 

 ing, others spread, and form a bason in the rock, 

 and then gush in a cataract over its edge. A poetic 

 fancy may find full gratification amidst these wild 

 and rugged scenes, if its ardour be not checked by 

 the fatigue of the approach. Almost every thing in 



