163 



But to resume the thread of our narrative; at the close of his 

 first season's botanizinj^ Cireene tells us that he had become en- 

 rolled as a regular candidate for Holy Orders in the Episcopal 

 Church. Consequently in early spring he entered the Bishop's 

 Collegiate and Divinity School at Janis Hall, Golden City, 

 Colorado, both as teacher of science and student of divinity. 

 After he became a minister he asked for duty in out-of-the-way 

 places, in order to prosecute the better his chosen avocation. 

 As an itinerant clergyman he acf|uired such a knowledge of far 

 western botany as no individual had ever before, or probably 

 has ever since, acquired at first hand. Professor Aven Nelson, 

 than whom no one is in better position to know, has said : "The 

 intimate field knowledge of the earlier decades of his career 

 forms the basis for the discriminating work that is now the 

 marvel and the despair of those of us who have drunk less deeply 

 at the Pierian spring." 



During his journeyings as a missionary he travelled thousands 

 of miles on foot through dangerous and difficult country, often 

 carrying only his plant press and a few changes of socks. In 

 order to minimize the danger of losing his money, he sent it ahead 

 in post ofifice orders. In 1877 he made a trip on foot from San 

 Diego, California, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. At that time the 

 journey was ordinarily made by stage coach, for there were as 

 yet no railroads in southern California. He encountered In- 

 dians, who did not offer, however, to molest him, and made 

 friends on the way with a notorious bandit, "a fair-spoken, 

 likable man, with polished manners," who conversed freely of 

 outlaws and recommended them to Dr. Greene as good fellows 

 to be with. After he passed through Yuma, the local paper 

 published this item: 



"Last Saturday evening the Rev. Edward L. Greene reached 

 Yuma on foot from San Diego. On Sunday morning he preached 

 an excellent sermon to a fair congregation, and another in the 

 evening to a large one. On Tuesday morning, refusing all offers 

 of transportation or financial help, he continued his way east- 

 ward. This is solid pluck in big chunks. Boys, get acquainted 

 with him. You will like him and will find that he is no chicken- 

 eating bummer." 



