Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 47 (Color Image)

0047	Among the Celestials : vol.1

CHAP. 1.] THE EVER-WHITE MOUNTAIN. 23

that we now really were approaching the great

White Mountain, the mysterious goal of our

enterprise. As we climbed higher the forest

began to open out, and on the fourth day after

leaving the mules we at last found ourselves at

its base, and saw its serried outline -rising high

above the forest. It was with a sigh of infinite

relief that we looked upon it, but I cannot say

that, here in its solid reality, it inspired us with

awe commensurate with the mystery which had

been attached to it. Rising high above the

surrounding forest-clad hills, it might in the

British Isles pass muster as a mountain, but

was far from being the snow-clad monarch we

had expected to see ; it afterwards proved to

be but eight thousand feet in height. Still,

here the mountain was, and what it lacked in

grandeur was made up for in beauty, for its

sides were covered with the most exquisite

meadows and copses. In Kashmir beautiful

grassy slopes are found, but none to compare

with these, the equal of which I, at least, have

never seen. Masses of colour, flowers of every

kind, whole meadows of irises, tiger-lilies and

columbines, and graceful, stately fir trees

scattered about to relieve any excess of colour

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