124 Snapshots from the North Pacife.

It issues from the broad valley about five miles back, and
is spread out like.a fan on a bed of its own making. It 1s
said (but I doubt it) that with all its ramifications the ice
area of this one glacier is equal to 200 square miles. The
scattered granite boulders, often as large as a room, found
many miles from their first bed, testify to the former desola-
tion.

“The strange thing was to see the aspen growing on the
river banks, standing out of deep snow, opening their buds
and looking like pale gold from a distance. With icy
water percolating round their roots, snow above, and an
atinosphLere in the Caytime nearly to freezing point, they
were still true to the call of their Easter summons, Daunt-
less, hopeful children of God, what a lesson in faith ye teach
us |

“After passing through the coast range, the birthplace of
snow, the scene changes as if by magic. On the eastern
slopes summer like a queen reigned supreme, less than fifty
miles from the throne of winter in the same merry month of
May.

“On arriving at our destination, 180 miles from the
coast, I saw strawberry blossom and other flowers in bloom
on the 23rd of that month. The mountains were much less
lofty than the coast range, and free from snow. Three days’
steaming against an average current of six miles an hour,
but often swifter, took us not only into bright sunshine, but
so hot that I was glad to wear a straw hat on shore, and in
the daytime spread my blankets over my stout little tenf.

“One evening after we had moored to the bank a huge
bear came down the mountain to inspect us. A bevy of our
sporting passengers rushed to their cabins for their rifles,
and began stalking the brute until they got within seventy
yards. Poor beast, I thought, your tough hams will soon
simmer in the galley! Seven deadly weapons are emptied
at his feet! Forward rush the sportsmen, each sure he
sent the fatal bullet! We, the lookers on, saw the dust
peppering poor bruin, till he scuttled nimbly round a rocky