66 ` ‘THE MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO. 
most imperceptible. Kansas City, at the junction of the Missouri 
and Kaw Rivers, is six hundred and forty-eight feet above tic 
water; First View, near the western line of Kansas, is four thou- 
sand, four hundred and seventy-nine feet; and Denver, fourteen 
miles from the base of the mountains, is five thousand, one hun- 
dred and five feet. Thus it will be seen that the traveller along 
this route is ascending a rapidly-inclined grade which to the € 
appears as a dead-level ; 
From this elevated plateau the mountains rise abruptly, like a 
great rampart, ridge succeeding ridge, until, on the fortieth 
allel, the culminating point is attained at Gray’s Peak. This 
was named in honor of the distinguished botanist of that n 
by one of his devoted disciples, Dr. Parry, who was the firs 
measure its altitude, which he found to be fourteen thousand, ) 
hundred and forty-five feet. : 
There are really two culminating points to the range in this 
cinity ; one with a rounded outline probably a few feet lower, and 
the other cone-like in form, which in the distance resembles an 
aérial pyramid. It would not be inappropriate to attach to the 
southern point the name of Torrey, who has done so much in í 
termining the botany-of the mountain region of the United States; 
thus linking together the names of two honored observers who 
throughout a series of years have worked side by side in a © 
mon science. Here is the water-shed of the continent. The rat 
which fall on the western slope find their way to the Pi 
through the Colorado River and the Gulf of California, and 
which fall on the eastern slope reach the Atlantic through 
Platte branch of the Missouri, thence through the Mississippi # 
the Gulf of Mexico. 
Standing at Denver on a clear summer’s day, the observer cme 
prehends in the range of his vision, a view rarely surpa 
grandeur and extent. The mountains rise abruptly from 
plains like a great wall which can be traced for one hundred 
‘fifty miles. To the south is seen Pike’s Peak, distant sixty , 
_ or more, jutting into the plains, and to the north, pert "J 
tant, Long’s Peak, with its snow-clad flanks and bare s 
up amidst the congeries of peaks. .The intermediate dist 
filled in with mountains of every variety of contour; some se 
ted, some crater-like, some pyramidal and some with rou 
outlines. - 
Ey 
a. 
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