Past the path to the ice caves where, in caverns hundreds of feet deep, nature provides an abundant store of ice at all seasons of the year. In their vicinity, the mountains seemed to have been rent by some convulsion of nature that split the solid rocks into chasms from two to twelve feet wide, about one-half a mile in extent, and perhaps two hundred feet deep. Geologists say that they are not of volcanic action but caused by the gradual cooling off of the earth's surface.
Soon the road was steadily up and they halted frequently to rest the horses and enjoy the view below. Dora had never seen the mountain laurel, and the mountain sides were literally pink with blossoms.
"Oh, how beautiful!" she exclaimed, examining a superb bunch that Hernando had picked for her. "The symbol of victory."
"I regret that this is not the 'Laurus Nobilis,'" Mr. De Vere replied. "That could not stand our climate. The Indians called this 'Spoonwood,' and utilized the fine-grained knots for making spoons."
