AND PACIFIC COAST GUIDE.

sp

 

ood: view of the

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ocky Mountains,
with Long’s Peak tow-
ering up the highest,
on the right of the
train.

After passing Tay-
lors, “Round Butte,”
a sharp, high peak
rising up out of the
plain on the left, ap-
pears to view. This
country is wholly giv-
en over to stock-rais-
ing, sheep being the
principal kind, large
flocks of which will
be seen for the next
twenty miles.

To the eastward, on
Lone Tree Creek, is
a collection of tower-
ing rocks—resembling,
from some directions,
an old castle—that are
called “ Natural Fort,”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

but they cannot be seen
from the cars.

Nine miles more,
and we pass BURNING

Bristo. —on Box
Elder Creek, another side-track. A few
miles after passing Bristol, by looking
away to the right, northwest, can be
seen the Black Hills range, south of
Sherman, and away up on the comb of
the ridge, but 500 feet higher, rises on
the view the “Steamboat Rock,” so-called,
but from our cars it resembles more
closely a huge fortress, round and tur-
reted, as seen from different directions.
The hills are nearly bare of timber, and
in places are very red, similar to those at
Red Buttes, on the Union Pacific road, in-
dicating the presence of iron.

Soon our train reaches the high prairie,
and then, if the day be a clear one, the
passenger will have, on the right, one of
the grandest mountain views that can be
found on this continent, or the world, the
great Rocky Mountain range, extending
from north to south as far as the eye can
reach. Immediately opposite is Long’s
Peak, 14,271 feet in height, the base of
which’seems almost at our feet, yet it is
50 miles away. Beyond can be seen a
few peaks of the “ Snowy Range,” covered
at all times with a mantle of snow; these
are full ray miles distant. To the south,

   

 

ROCK CUT, NEAR GREEN RIVER.

that towering old mountain peak—the
great land-mark for the “ Pilgrims” of
1858-9—Pikes Peak looms up 156 miles
away.

Continuing along on this high table-land,
we pass several small lakelets on our right,
and then comes in view the valley of the
Cache-a-la Poudre River, a tributary of the
South Platte River, which has its source
in the mountain springs around the base of
Long’s Peak. This river, which we will
cross at the next station, is about 50 miles
in length, running through one of the
loveliest valleys in the State. It is thickly
settled and the settlers raise abundant
crops.

To our right, away up the valley, em-
bowered in shade trees and orchards, is
the old city of La Porte, a few buildings
of which can be seen through the thick
foliage. It was once an important point
on the old overland stage road, which
runs from Denver slong the base of the
mountains to this place, and.continues on
through Virginia Dale Canyon to Laramie
Plains. La Porte is asmall place of per-
haps 100 inhabitants, a good hotel, several
stores and some fine residences. It is

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