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Show 454 WESTERN WILDS. the north end of Leavenworth, on rocky ways, with an incline some-times of fifty degrees, our bronchos carried us with ease and safety ; for one of these native horses could easily go up and down any stairs in Cincinnati. Reaching the main road again, above the reservoir, we followed a gentle up- grade for three miles to the first climb. There the stream plunges down a series of cascades, while the road winds in and out on the face of the cliff, to reduce the nearly perpendicular wall to a series of passable inclines : at times the frowning granite threat-ening to close in and cut us off; at times the foaming stream sinking clear out of sight in the gorge itself had fashioned, its presence only proved by the roar and spray that issued from the granite jaws ; and again road and stream came together, and our panting animals cooled themselves in fording the torrent. At this level we enter on the heavy forests of mountain pine. On all the trees the limbs slope downward from the trunk, the result of heavy winter snows. New beauties appeared at every step. Cold springs bubbled up near the road, and the streams therefrom often formed little ponds which were lined with lilies. Other flowers, too, became more numerous ; and, in the timber, the dark green pines, spruces, firs, and hemlocks grew dense and formed a heavy shade. Occasionally we passed a winter camp of miners, where the stumps standing ten or twelve feet high suggested the work of Anakim ; but it seems they were cut off level with the surface when the snow was at its deepest. Another climb of a thousand feet brought us to the region of mountain flowers. There were myriads, of all colors white, red, and yellow predominating, all of the brightest hues. Singularly enough, all the open spaces were densely matted with buffalo grass, of the same species as that on the plains, which our horses ate with avidity. As we progressed, new species of flowers continually appeared, all small, and growing smaller every mile. Another climb of some five hundred feet, and there was a sudden change in the timber. The tall, graceful pines disappeared, and in their stead came a scraggy, scrubby growth, with a tendency to " crawl " along the ground, or bunch together. It was evident we were nearing the timber line. It is not cold, as many suppose, which causes this " crawling" ( thus the mountaineers, scien-tists call it " procumbence ") ; for the timber line is reached at about the same altitude in the tropics, and on latitude 50. It is the want of oxygen in the air, by reason of which the scant growth can not attain any height, but leans and grows along the ground. A few more steps, and we were out of timber entirely, 11,000 feet high, and still the sum-mit stood out clear and distinct, 2,000 feet above us. We were now |