l8o MY LIFE " [Chap. 



But even more remarkable than these are the wonderful 

 group of isolated rocks, forming what is called the gateway to 

 the garden. Here are two enormous walls or slabs of red 

 sandstone rising abruptly out of the smooth grassy surface to 

 a height of three hundred and fifty feet, and leaving about 

 the same distance between them, in the centre of which is a 

 smaller similar rock. Through this opening is seen the fine 

 rocky mass of Pike's Peak, snow-clad in spring and flecked with 

 snow in summer, contrasting with the rich red of the sand- 

 stone gateway and the flower-specked sward, so as to produce 

 a landscape which for singularity and beauty I have never seen 

 equalled. In nature, as in the view here reproduced, the 

 precipices forming the gateway have the appearance of rocky 

 hills pierced by a chasm, and it is only when one goes through 

 the gate and looks back, and then walks completely round 

 them, that one sees that they are mere vertical slabs of sand- 

 stone, quite comparable with those which form the fantastic 

 groups and pillars already described, but of much greater 

 dimensions. Looked at from another point of view, the 

 upper ridge is seen to be worn into ^ strange shapes with open- 

 ings and pinnacles, the central mass having excellent 

 representations of a seal and a bear, while on the left is seen 

 the figure of an Indian in his robes. From yet another point 

 the same masses, when seen edgeways, appear as a wonderful 

 group of lofty rock-pinnacles, which are appropriately named 

 the Cathedral Spires. Glen Eyrie, a little way further north, 

 is a small valley terminating in a narrow gorge full of isolated 

 columnar masses of various forms and overhanging ; often 

 mushroom-like tops, as shown in the photograph, have quite 

 a distinct character, but have not the varied beauty of the 

 " Garden." 



The next day (Monday, July i8) I went on to Denver, 

 and arranged with Miss Eastwood, whom I had met in May, 

 to go to Graymount, the nearest station to Gray's Peak, for a 

 few days' botanizing. Starting at eight the next morning, we 

 went up very picturesque valleys to the mining settlement of 

 Georgetown (eight thousand five hundred feet), and thence 

 on to Graymount, eight miles further, in which distance we 



