ENDLICH ON EROSION IN COLOEADO. 841 



13,160 feet high, this stream swiftly flows through its narrow valley. 

 Heavily timbered on either side, the immediate surroundings of the 

 creek show green meadow-land and groves of quaking-asp. Pine-lorests 

 rise upon the steep slopes and continue unbroken to the summits of 

 dividing ridges. 



Riding up this stream, from the Eio Grande, it was that we discovered 

 in 1875 a series of erosion-products that for unique character and beauty 

 is possibly nowhere equalled. Gradually ascending on a dim Indian 

 trail, we found the continuity of the timber farther up-stream broken. 

 Rocky, precipitous cliffs appeared high above the trees, entirely closing, 

 as it seemed, the valley. Progressing farther on our march, the indis- 

 tinct masses slowly resolved themselves into group upon group that can 

 be "seen but not described". From the steep slope to the eastward of 

 South River, massive walls of dark brown rock jutted out, transversely 

 trending across into the valley. As we still further approached them, we 

 found that every one of these walls was profusely ornamented by "monu- 

 ments ". Deep ravines existed between them, filled, in the most chaotic 

 manner, by trees, monuments, and enormous masses of debris. It re- 

 quired but a moment to recognize the beauty of these groups. For a 

 long distance they stretched along the slope, the largest one of them 

 being about half a mile in length. In the background, toward the 

 divide eastward, were visible steep, inaccessible, mural faces, from which 

 the walls above mentioned originated. Varying in height from 100 to 

 600 feet, these cliffs produced a very great impression. Few trees only 

 were found on the tops of the walls, and the bare rock was most effect- 

 ually exposed to the erosive action of nature's agents. ISTo one could but 

 admire the results produced. Thousands of monuments, of every size and 

 shape, ranging in height from 2 feet to 400 feet, densely studded the sum- 

 mits and lower edges of the walls. Groups of a hundred or more occu- 

 pied some prominent spot, and large pines appeared as pigmies by the 

 side of the towering forms. Caves have been cut deeply into the yield- 

 ing rocks, and through arches of ample dimensions glimpses of more 

 distant groups may be obtained. Climbing up on one of the projecting 

 walls within the largest groups, the sight was surpassingly beautiful. 

 Standing thus isolated, far above all immediate surroundings, the 

 observer might count hundreds of slender monuments at his feet, look- 

 ing down upon the almost bewildering scene. Pine timber, appearing 

 like a freshly started growth in size, covered intervening portions 

 between clusters of gigantic dimensions. Grouped together so as to be 

 united at the base, the graceful spires rose high up from the ground, and 

 separating into columns, each one supplied with its accessories, the total 

 elfect was one strikingly resembling that of the ornate style of Gothic 

 architecture. Looking down toward the base of the wall, a perfect sea 

 of conical and cylindrical shafts were seen, most of them protected by 

 the characteristic cap-stone. Farther off, in the distance, monuments 

 projected above the surrounding timber, until the last ones were lost as 



