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e sinless women who could eat these berries without being reminded of the lost purity and delicacy of the primeval senses。 Every year I doubt not this stainless berry ripens here； and is unplucked by any knight of the Holy Grail who is worthy to eat it； and keeps alive； in the prodigality of nature； the tradition of the unperverted conditions of taste before the fall。 We ate these berries； I am bound to say； with a sense of guilty enjoyment； as if they had been a sort of shew…bread of the wilderness； though I cannot answer for the chaplain； who is by virtue of his office a little nearer to these mysteries of nature than I。 This plant belongs to the heath family； and is first cousin to the blueberry and cranberry。 It is commonly called the creeping snowberry； but I like better its official title of chiogenes；the snow…born。
Our mossy resting…place was named the Bridal Chamber Camp； in the enthusiasm of the hour； after darkness fell upon the woods and the stars came out。 We were two thousand five hundred feet above the common world。 We lay； as it were； on a shelf in the sky； with a basin of illimitable forests below us and dim mountain…passes…in the far horizon。
And as we lay there courting sleep which the blinking stars refused to shower down； our philosopher discoursed to us of the principle of fire； which he holds； with the ancients； to be an independent element that comes and goes in a mysterious manner； as we see flame spring up and vanish； and is in some way vital and indestructible； and has a mysterious relation to the source of all things。 〃That flame；〃 he says； 〃you have put out； but where has it gone？〃 We could not say； nor whether it is anything like the spirit of a man which is here for a little hour； and then vanishes away。 Our own philosophy of the correlation of forces found no sort of favor at that elevation； and we went to sleep leaving the principle of fire in the apostolic category of 〃 any other creature。〃
At daylight we were astir； and； having pressed the principle of fire into our service to make a pot of tea； we carefully extinguished it or sent it into another place； and addressed ourselves to the climb of some thing over two thousand feet。 The arduous labor of scaling an Alpine peak has a compensating glory； but the dead lift of our bodies up Nipple Top had no stimulus of this sort。 It is simply hard work； for which the strained muscles only get the approbation of the individual conscience that drives them to the task。 The pleasure of such an ascent is difficult to explain on the spot； and I suspect consists not so much in positive enjoyment as in the delight the mind experiences in tyrannizing over the body。 I do not object to the elevation of this mountain； nor to the uncommonly steep grade by which it attains it； but only to the other obstacles thrown in the way of the climber。 All the slopes of Nipple Top are hirsute and jagged to the last degree。 Granite ledges interpose； granite bowlders seem to have been dumped over the sides with no more attempt at arrangement than in a rip…rap wall； the slashes and windfalls of a century present here and there an almost impenetrable chevalier des arbres； and the steep sides bristle with a mass of thick balsams； with dead； protruding spikes； as unyielding as iron stakes。 The mountain has had its own way forever； and is as untamed as a wolf； or rather the elements； the frightful tempests； the frosts； the heavy snows； the coaxing sun； and the avalanches have had their way with it until its surface is in hopeless confusion。 We made our way very slowly； and it was ten o'clock before we reached what appeared to be the summit； a ridge deeply covered with moss； low balsams； and blueberry…bushes。
I say； appeared to be； for we stood in thick fog or in the heart of clouds which limited our dim view to a radius of twenty feet。 It was a warm and cheerful fog； stirred by little wind； but moving； shifting； and boiling as by its own volatile nature； rolling up black from below and dancing in silvery splendor overhead As a fog it could not have been improved； as a medium for viewing the landscape it was a failure and we lay down upon the Sybarite couch of moss； as in a Russian bath； to await revelations。
We waited two hours without change； except an occasional hopeful lightness in the fog above； and at last the appearance for a moment of the spectral sun。 Only for an instant was this luminous promise vouchsafed。 But we watched in intense excitement。 There it was again； and this time the fog was so thin overhead that we caught sight of a patch of blue sky a yard square； across which the curtain was instantly drawn。 A little wind was stirring； and the fog boiled up from the valley caldrons thicker than ever。 But the spell was broken。 In a moment more Old Phelps was shouting； 〃The sun！〃 and before we could gain our feet there was a patch of sky overhead as big as a farm。 〃See！ quick！〃 The old man was dancing like a lunatic。 There was a rift in the vapor at our feet； down； down； three thousand feet into the forest abyss； and lo！ lifting out of it yonder the tawny side of Dix；the vision of a second； snatched away in the rolling fog。 The play had just begun。 Before we could turn； there was the gorge of Caribou Pass； savage and dark； visible to the bottom。 The opening shut as suddenly； and then； looking over the clouds； miles away we saw the peaceful farms of the Au Sable Valley； and in a moment more the plateau of North Elba and the sentinel mountains about the grave of John Brown。 These glimpses were as fleeting as thought； and instantly we were again isolated in the sea of mist。 The expectation of these sudden strokes of sublimity kept us exultingly on the alert； and yet it was a blow of surprise when the curtain was swiftly withdrawn on the west； and the long ridge of Colvin； seemingly within a stone's throw； heaved up like an island out of the ocean； and was the next moment ingulfed。 We waited longer for Dix to show its shapely peak and its glistening sides of rock gashed by avalanches。 The fantastic clouds； torn and streaming； hurried up from the south in haste as if to a witch's rendezvous； hiding and disclosing the great summit in their flight。 The mist boiled up from the valley； whirled over the summit where we stood； and plunged again into the depths。 Objects were forming and disappearing； shifting and dancing； now in sun and now gone in fog； and in the elemental whirl we felt that we were 〃assisting〃 in an original process of creation。 The sun strove； and his very striving called up new vapors； the wind rent away the clouds； and brought new masses to surge about us； and the spectacle to right and left； above and below； changed with incredible swiftness。 Such glory of abyss and summit； of color and form and transformation； is seldom granted to mortal eyes。 For an hour we watched it until our vast mountain was revealed in all its bulk； its long spurs； its abysses and its savagery； and the great basins of wilderness with their shining lakes； and the giant peaks of the region； were one by one disclosed； and hidden and again tranquil in the sunshine。
Where was the cave？ There was ample surface in which to look for it。 If we coul