groves, — a magnificence of rocks, a richness of 

 verdure, and the charm of running water — 

 all unite in a picturesque association which 

 makes a glorious and pleasing sunken garden. 



It is probable that Pike's Peak was discov- 

 ered by Spanish explorers either in 1598 or in 

 1601. These are the dates of separate exploring 

 expeditions which entered Colorado from the 

 south and marched up the plains in near view 

 of this peak. The discovery is usually accred- 

 ited, however, to Lieutenant Pike, who caught 

 sight of it on the 15th day of November, 1806. 

 Pike's journal of this date says: "At two o'clock 

 in the afternoon I thought I could distinguish 

 a mountain to our right which appeared like a 

 small blue cloud ; viewed it with a spyglass and 

 was still more confirmed in my conjecture. . . . 

 In half an hour it appeared in full view before us. 

 When our small party arrived on a hill, they 

 with one accord gave three cheers to the Mexi- 

 can Mountains." It appears not to have been 

 called Pike's Peak until about twenty-five years 

 after Pike first saw it. He spoke of it as the 

 Mexican Mountains and as Great Peak. The 



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