[[1]]
Aug[ust] 2nd / [18]77
Denvers[sic] Colorado
Dearest Hyacinth *1
I wrote last from La Veta on the 23.d. since which I have been incessantly on the move &
very hard at work. The Stracheys *2, 3 & I left La Veta that day for by a rail road up a gorge
in the rocky Mountains westwards, ascending to 9000 f[ee]t. amongst Pine forest where
Prof[essor] Hayden *4 has formed a camp that we might explore the neighbouring forests
for plants. There were 5. tents all small, pitched at the edge of the Pine forest, 1 for Dr &
Mrs Gray *5,6, 1 Gen[era]l & Mrs Stratchey, 1 Dr Langborn[sic] *7 & self, 1 Cook & black
man & 1 for Mess.
On the second day a tremendous storm of T[hunder]. L[ightning]. & hail came on
[[2]] followed by hail, rain all the afternoon & we were pretty miserable on that day.
On the 26 [th] we left the tents & proceeded partly by rail & partly in 2 horse wagons to Fort
Garland, a Military fort to the Westward, in order to ascend the Sierra blanca, supposed to
be the highest of the Rocky M[ountain]s. about 14500 f[ee]t. The Fort, which consists of
adobe huts, stands on a vast plain, & is garrisoned by about 5 officers & 50 soldiers.
Now that there are no Indians within 50 or 100 miles, they have no fighting to do except
when sent on detached duty to distant outposts, & their chief duties are escorting stores of
all
[[3]] kinds. The life must be a dreadfully monotonous one[.] There are 4 ladies officers
wives, at the Fort, & their nearest neighbour are a brother or brother in law of Mr
Blackmore (of Canterbury Museum) who lives with his family some 15 miles off.
On the following day Dr Gray & Langborn[sic] Hayde[n] & myself set out for the Mountain
about 15 miles off, & had very heavy work to ascend above the timber line (12--13000
f[ee]t.) having to force a road through some thickets of Aspen for 5 hours, & then through
forest of pine the fallen trunks of which encumbered the ground. We slept at 13000 f[ee]t
under thick blankets on the ground by a huge fire very comfortably though my breath
turned to frost all round my head. On the following day Dr Gray & I botanised
[[4]] the heights in two directions & then we returned to the Fort; very tired & in rags -We were up at 4 next morning & drove 16 miles to the rail road descending to La Veta, &
thence Northward past Pueblo to Colorado Springs -- a good way North. & then by coach
to Manitou [Springs] a watering place at the foot of the R[ocky]. M[ountains]. close to Pikes Peak
near a beautiful Gorge. This is a favourite summer resort for invalids & I found a Dr Solly *8
there who I had known in London & came to America for his health & married here.
After botanizing here for 2 days we took train to this place arriving last night.
Tomorrow we take the rail to a place called George town[sic] where we ascend Gray's
Peak
[[5]] then return here & go to Cheyenne which is on the great line of rail road to California.
I have had no letter from England but yours' written two days after I left & I am very
anxious for news. I know that letters for me did go to the P[ost]. O[ffice]. La Veta, & they
were to have been sent to Colorado Springs but were not there, nor have they been sent
on here as they should have been. I must just be patient.
This is a very active &indeed hard life. What with travelling, collecting, preserving, writing
notes & journals & being introduced to people, I am kept tremendously busy. I am however
learning an enormous deal -- & I do so long for you my darling -- I often wish too that your
father was here,
[[6]] he would enjoy it so much but the travelling is awfully expensive -- being on Hayden[']s
staff in Colorado all my expenses are paid, but it will not be so in California.
Mrs Gray takes it very quietly[?] & gets on nicely, but I think that Mrs Strachey is at times
more done up than she cares to show, & very uncomfortable.
Now darling I must close with best love to all. Dyer *9 sent me 3 copies of the Report, but
no letter -- I long to hear of you all.
Ever y[ou]r most affect[ionate]husband | J. D. Hooker [signature]
ENDNOTES
1. Hooker, Lady Hyacinth (1842--1921). Second wife of J.D. Hooker, previously Jardine,
née Symonds.
2.Strachey, Sir Richard (1817--1908). British soldier & Indian administrator.
3. Strachey, Lady Jane Maria (1840--1928). Author & supporter of women's suffrage.
4. Hayden, Ferdinand Vandeveer (1829--1887). American geologist.
5. Gray, Asa (1810-1888). American botanist.
6. Gray, Jane Loring (1821--1909).
7. Lambourne, Dr Robert Henry. Identified from RBG Kew's website
http://www.kew.org/ucm/groups/public/documents/document/kppcont_048531.pdf,
accessed 9/7/14.
8.Possibly Solly, Samuel Edwin (1845--1906). Surgeon.
9.Thiselton-Dyer, Sir William Turner (1843--1928). Botanist and Director of RBG Kew.
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