The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-30
LETTER FROM COLORADO.


switzerland of America" and credi-
ted with the climate of Italy. Ofthe
climatic characteristics and their eff
fects, | may be able to give the reader
something pertinent in another letter,
while this one refers more to what we
haYe seen since my last, and to what
may be seen in this part of the world.
by the concurrent testimony Of tray
elerS, the scenery of the Rocky Noun
tains has been pronounced not infer
Tor to that Of the world famed Alpine
region Of Europe. In the Alps great
abundance of snow is ENCOUNTERED at
attitudes where none is found here
popularity often remarked upon by
the traveler-and there is charm
there in the plentitude of vegetation
and Yerdure all around, almost up to
the snOW-line. But this is atoned for
in the surprising l0ftiness and gran
deur of these immense rockies, while
the wonderful and fantastic forma-
lions OfCOluradO canons are uneuualed
anywhere in the universe. There are
no less than fifteen peaks in this State,
each with an altitude but little be-
low that of Mt. Blanc and in extent
OF surface one of these great peaks
exceeds the entire area OF SWitZ, T.
land. To gain some idea OF the eX-
tent OF Colorado scenery, let the read
er bear in mind that the State is larger
than Great Britain, comprising an
area of 81, 100000 acres, of which one
third only is good grazing or agricul-
tural territory, while the remainder
is the vast upheaval known as the
Rocky Mountains.
Situated twelve miles from George
town is Gray's Peak, POO feet higher
than Pixies, and one of the four
highest of the whole range. Its cold,
stony summit points up through the
cloud, l4,341 feet above the sea level,
leaving vegetation and timber line
far below. We made the ascent on
horseback, and hard climb it was.
Our horses had been there many
times before and followed the narrow,
winding trail up the steep mountain
side where to look back made ones
head swim, and where a miss step or
astumble would percipitate horse and
rider down the terrible rocky incline
to almost certain destruction. But
the magniticence of the scenery repaid
many times over, the labor and risk
OF reaching it. AS we neared the top
we could look down hundreds of feet
below us upon immense snow banks
which the summer sun had failed
to dissolve. 1t was a bright, clear
morning, and with OvercOats and
wraps we We're able to meet the chill
ing breeze without discomfort. Rest
ing over the tops of lower mountains
we saw immense white clouds, which
from above, with theSunlight shining
on them, looked like great sheets of
snow below US. For hundreds of
miles in every direction mountain
peak after mountain peak met our
view, snow-capped and rock bound,
"grand, gloomy and peculiar" 1t
was the sight of a lifetime. In the
clear, rarified atmosphere there is al
most no limit to ones vision with
good glass. Denver lay fifty miles to
the south of US. Pixies Peak 40
miles distant, looks as though it was
scarcely a gun-shOt away. South
Peak, an elevated, fertile PLAIN with
an area of many thousands of acres.
was almost at our feet, while ranges
of mountains in Wyoming and New
Mexico were plainly visible. Victor
Hugo tells us. that "eyery condition
has its instinct" and he who finds
himself for the first time face to face
with the Rocky Mountains-God's
eternal SentinelS-haS an appalling
sense that he has not only Over-rated
his individual importance in Natures
economy, but has likewise under
valued the influence of inarticulate
nature upon himself. Nothing can
transcend the majesty Of these snow
capped mountains! You gaze upon
them in mute wonder until you grow
distracted and out of self into the
idea of perpetual greatness. You do
not think-only iceland somehow
the eastern world that you have left
behind with its glitter and gloom, its
enyious struggles and manifold de-
fects, fades into insignificance in view
of this endless range of Diyine archi-
lecture, and you are for once an hum
BILE worshipper at the pure shine of
sublimity.
Three miles up a mountain gulch
above Georgetown is what is know as
Green Lake. 1t is large basin at an
elevation of l1,000 feet, filled with
water 70 feet deep, almost as cold as
ice and of "A prppniSh hua Tbo IoI,o