Autumn Days in the Rockies. 



from the earth at the base of the mountains and has the appear- 

 ance of a buried mosque. It was dark when the train made the 

 next stop at Ferndale, one of the most unique resorts in the 

 canyon. As a rule, mountain resorts are located in the valleys 

 or parks, but Ferndale is situated in a narrow gorge where 

 there is barely room for the river and railroad. When the train 

 stopped, a number of people got off and I wondered where they 

 were going. Not a cottage or tent could be seen and the thickly 

 wooded walls of the canyon rose abruptly from the track on 

 either side. Glancing back as the train moved away from the 

 station I noticed the twinkling of lights among the thick 

 growth of blue spruce away up on the mountain side and the 

 mystery was explained. There were the homes of the summer 

 cottagers, one above another in mid-air, like a colony of wasps. 



At 8 o'clock p. m. the brakeman called "Cliff," and our 

 delightful day's ride of 450 miles was ended. In this run of 

 one day we were carried from the beautiful and fertile south 

 central Nebraska through the great grazing section of west- 

 ern Nebraska, and landed amidst the grandest mountain scen- 

 ery of the continent. 



You will note a peculiar characteristic with every mountain 

 stream that flows through a narrow valley it never follows 

 the middle, but invariably hugs the higher and steeper bank 

 for a distance until the cliffs rise on the opposite side, when it 

 crosses over to keep company with its more imposing friend. 



The cliff cottages are built at a bend of the river where 

 the stream winds around the base of Cliff Rock, leaving a piece 

 of bench land on the mountain side just large enough for the 

 half dozen tiny cottages. As we stepped off the train the moon 

 was just appearing over the cliff across the river and the scene 

 was an enchanting one. Clouds were hovering above the 

 mountains wantonly descending, then lifting and floating across 

 the canyon and through the tree tops. The river, fresh from 

 the eternal snows, went tumbling and foaming over the rocks, 

 the pines whispered in the breeze and lent their soothing 

 fragrance to the air. 



[86] 



