Isabella Bird, 42, was returning to England when she stopped in Colorado in autumn 1873 and decided to visit Estes Park.
Rocky Mountain Jim Nugent, who’d been mauled by a grizzly bear four years earlier and lost an eye in the fracas, greeted Bird and her male guide outside his rough cabin near the park.
kAmw6 4FCD65 9:D 32C<:?8 5@8[ 3FE FA@? D66:?8 E96 H@>2?[ 96 DE@AA65 2?5 @776C65 96C 2 5C:?< @7 H2E6C 7C@> 2 32EE6C65 E:? 42?]k^Am
kAm“(6 6?E6C65 :?E@ 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ 2?5 2D 96 DA@<6 x 7@C8@E 3@E9 9:D C6AFE2E:@? 2?5 2AA62C2?46[” q:C5 HC@E6 😕 96C 3@@<[ “p {25J’D {:76 😕 E96 #@4<J |@F?E2:?D]” “u@C 9:D >2??6C H2D E92E @7 49:G2=C@FD 86?E=6>2?[ 9:D 2446?E C67:?65[ 2?5 9:D =2?8F286 62DJ 2?5 6=682?E]”k^Am
kAmp7E6C 2 3C:67 492E[ q:C5 EFC?65 E@H2C5 tDE6D !2C<] qFE y:> 9@==6C65 27E6C 96C[ “x 9@A6 J@F H:== 2==@H >6 E96 A=62DFC6 @7 42==:?8 @? J@F]”k^Am
kAm$96 5:5] %96J C@56 9@CD6D E@86E96C[ 96=5 =@?8 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ 4=:>365 {@?8’D !62< 2?5 6?;@J65 6249 @E96C’D 4@>A2?J]k^Am
kAmxD236==2 {F4J q:C5 H2D 3@C? ~4E] `d[ `gb`[ 😕 *@C<D9:C6[ t?8=2?5] $96 H2D 2 7C2:= 49:=5 H:E9 >F=E:A=6 2:=>6?ED[ 2?5 😕 `gd_ D96 F?56CH6?E DFC86CJ E@ C6>@G6 2 EF>@C 7C@> 96C DA:?6] qFE D96 4@?E:?F65 E@ DF776C[ 2?5 96C 5@4E@C 25G:D65 EC2G6= E@ 5:DEC24E 96C 7C@> E96 A2:?]k^Am
kAmw6C 7:CDE EC:A[ E@ 62DE6C? r2?252[ @44FCC65 😕 `gdc[ 2?5 C6DF=E65 😕 96C 7:CDE 3@@<[ “%96 t?8=:D9H@>2? 😕 p>6C:42]” pD H:E9 96C #@4<J |@F?E2:?D 3@@<[ :E H2D 32D65 @? =6EE6CD xD236==2 HC@E6 E@ 96C D:DE6C w6?C:6EE2 😕 $4@E=2?5]k^Am
kAm}F86?E’D 62C=J =:76 😀 =6DD 4=62C] w6 H2D AC@323=J 3@C? 😕 |@?EC62=[ 3FE E96 52E6 😀 F?46CE2:?] w6 =67E 9@>6 2D 2 E66?286C 27E6C 2 72:=65 C@>2?46[ 2?5 3682? EC2AA:?8 7@C 7FC 4@>A2?:6D] w6 E@=5 q:C5 96 3642>6 2? x?5:2? D4@FE 7@C E96 &]$] pC>J] $96 DFDA64E65 96 H2D 2 >2C2F56C 5FC:?8 E96 z2?D2D\|:DD@FC: 3@C56C 32EE=6D @7 E96 r:G:= (2C]k^Am
kAmp3@FE `geg[ 96 3F:=E 9:D 423:? @? E96 C@25 E@ tDE6D !2C<[ H96C6 q:C5 7:CDE >6E 9:>]k^Am
kAmq:C5 925 EC2G6=65 E@ }6H +62=2?5 😕 `gfa] $96 E96? D2:=65 E@ w2H2::[ H96C6 D96 76== 😕 =@G6 H:E9 E96 =2?5D42A6 2?5 A6@A=6] $96 C@56 E@ E96 E@A @7 2 G@=42?@ 2?5 H:E?6DD65 ?2E:G6 :D=2?56CD C:5:?8 @462? H2G6D @? 3@2C5D E92E D96 D2:5 =@@<65 =:<6 4@77:? E@AD]k^Am
kAm$96 5:D4@G6C65 D@>6E9:?8 E92E :?:E:2==J 2AA2==65 96C ‘:4E@C:2? D6?D:3:=:E:6Di (@>6? 😕 w2H2:: — 3@E9 ?2E:G6D 2?5 ?@?\?2E:G6D — C@56 9@CD6D 2DEC:56] %96J AFE @?6 =68 @? 6:E96C D:56 @7 E96 9@CD6[ :?DE625 @7 C:5:?8 D:56D255=6[ E96 2AAC@G65 >6E9@5 7@C AC@A6C t?8=:D9 =25:6D]k^Am
kAm#:5:?8 D:56D255=6 HC62<65 92G@4 H:E9 q:C5’D 324<[ 2?5 96C 8F:56 DF886DE65 D96 ECJ C:5:?8 2DEC:56[ 😕 2 |6I:42? D255=6 H:E9 2 9@C? 😕 7C@?E]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D @?=J >J DEC@?8 56D:C6 E@ D66 E96 G@=42?@ H9:49 >256 >6 4@?D6?E E@ 2 >@56 @7 C:5:?8 282:?DE H9:49 x 92G6 D@ DEC@?8 2 AC6;F5:46[” D96 HC@E6 😕 2 3@@< 23@FE w2H2::]k^Am
kAmqJ E96 E:>6 D96 C624965 E96 >2:?=2?5[ D96 925 232?5@?65 D:56D255=6D 6?E:C6=J[ H62C:?8 2 w2H2::2? 5C6DD 2?5 %FC<:D9 EC@FD6CD 7@C C:5:?8] q67@C6 D96 =67E r@=@C25@[ D96 925 ;@:?65 y:> 2?5 @E96CD @? H:=5 82==@AD E9C@F89 E96 E:>36C[ FA 2?5 5@H? >@F?E2:?D 2?5 925 96C565 DEF33@C? =@?89@C? 42EE=6]k^Am
kAmx? tDE6D !2C<[ D96 3@2C565 H:E9 2 ;@G:2= (6=D9>2? ?2>65 vC:77:E9 tG2?D] w6 925 2 =2C86 >2:? 423:?[ 2?5 D6G6C2= ?62C3J 423:?D[ @?6 @7 H9:49 96 C6?E65 E@ q:C5]k^Am
kAmq:C5 H2D 2 <66? @3D6CG6C 3FE 4@F=5 36 3CFE2= 23@FE A6@A=6 2?5 A=246D] |@C>@? H@>6? 😕 $2=E {2<6 r:EJ “H6C6 F8=J[ 2?5 E96:C D92A6=6DD 3=F6 5C6DD6D 9:56@FD[” D96 HC@E6] r2=:7@C?:2’D }2E:G6 p>6C:42?D H6C6 “568C2565” 2?5 “A6C764E D2G286D]”k^Am
kAmr96J6??6[ (J@>:?8[ 2=@?8 H:E9 u@CE r@==:?D 2?5 {@?8>@?E[ r@=@C25@[ H6C6 F8=J 2?5 F?7C:6?5=J[ >2CC65 3J 8C665 2?5 5632F496CJ]k^Am
kAmqFE[ H96? D96 C624965 tDE6D !2C<[ q:C5 4@F=5 32C6=J 4@?E2:? 96C H@?56C]k^Am
kAm“%9:D 😀 2 8=@C:@FD C68:@?[” D96 HC@E6 @? ~4E] a[ `gfb] “x =:G6 >2:?=J @FE @7 5@@CD 2?5 @? 9@CD6324<[ H62C >J 92=7\E9C62532C6 w2H2::2? 5C6DD[ W2?5X D=66A D@>6E:>6D F?56C E96 DE2CD @? 2 365 @7 A:?6 3@F89D]”k^Am
kAmtDE6D !2C<[ D96 D2:5[ H2D “2? F?DFCG6J65 ‘?@ >2?’D =2?5[’ 2?5 >:?6 3J C:89E @7 =@G6[ 2AAC@AC:2E:@? 2?5 2AAC64:2E:@?]”k^Am
kAmp?5 E96C6 H2D y:>[ H9@> D96 2=H2JD 255C6DD65 2D |C] }F86?E] w6 C64:E65 A@6ECJ E@ 96C[ 5:D4FDD65 ?2EFC6[ C6=:8:@? 2?5 4FCC6?E 6G6?ED] w6 H2D 492C>:?8[ =@G65 3J 2== 49:=5C6? 2?5 >@DE H@>6? H9@ 6?4@F?E6C65 9:>[ D96 D2:5] qFE 96 H2D 2=D@ 52?86C@FD[ 6DA64:2==J H96? 5C:?<:?8]k^Am
kAmx? 62C=J ~4E@36C[ xD236==2[ y:> 2?5 EH@ J@F?8 >6? D6E @FE E@ 4=:>3 {@?8’D !62<[ E96 `c[adh\7@@E >@F?E2:? ?@H H:E9:? E96 3@F?52C:6D @7 #@4<J |@F?E2:? }2E:@?2= !2C<] $96 56D4C:365 E96 @C562= 😕 2 =6?8E9J 492AE6C 😕 96C 3@@<]k^Am
kAm%96 96C@ @7 E96 6IA65:E:@? H2D |@F?E2:? y:>[ H9@ C67FD65 E@ =6E 96C 8:G6 FA] “y:> 5C28865 >6 FA[ =:<6 2 32=6 @7 8@@5D[ 3J D966C 7@C46 @7 >FD4=6[” D96 HC@E6]k^Am
kAm$96 36=:6G65 96 H2D 😕 =@G6 H:E9 96C[ 3FE 96 5:5?’E DF886DE >2CC:286] p?5 D96 H2D 8=25] “w:D =:76[ 😕 DA:E6 @7 2 46CE2:? 52KK=6 … 😀 2 CF:?65 2?5 H2DE65 @?6[” D96 564=2C65]k^Am
kAm$96 =67E tDE6D !2C< @? ~4E] a_ C:5:?8 2 9@CD6 ?2>65 q:C5:6[ 2?5 >256 2 c__\>:=6 D@=@ ;@FC?6J E92E E@@< 96C E@ s6?G6C[ r@=@C25@ $AC:?8D[ |2?:E@F $AC:?8D[ $@FE9 !2C<[ E96? 324< E@ tDE6D !2C<] %96 !2C<[ D96 D2:5[ H2D >@C6 362FE:7F= E92? 2?J A=246 D96 G:D:E65 😕 r@=@C25@]k^Am
kAm$96 C64@??64E65 H:E9 y:>[ H9@ A@FC65 @FE 9:D D@F= E@ 96C 😕 2 E9C66\9@FC 4@?G6CD2E:@? 5FC:?8 2 D?@HDE@C>] w6 E@=5 96C @7 9:D 56AC2G:EJ 😕 9:D 62C=:6C =:76[ 3FE >256 96C AC@>:D6 ?@E E@ C6G62= 2?J 56E2:=D] %96J 2C8F65 3FE >256 FA 2 76H 52JD =2E6C[ 2?5 y:> 244@>A2?:65 xD236==2 E@ vC66=6J 😕 62C=J s646>36C[ H96C6 D96 3@2C565 2 EC2:? 2?5 =67E r@=@C25@ 7@C 8@@5]k^Am
kAmw6C =2DE G:D:@? @7 y:> H2D @7 9:> C:5:?8 2H2J “H:E9 9:D 8@=56? 92:C J6==@H 😕 E96 DF?D9:?6[ D=@H=J =625:?8 E96 362FE:7F= >2C6 @G6C E96 D?@HJ A=2:?D 324< E@ tDE6D !2C<]”k^Am
kAmxD236==2 q:C5 C6EFC?65 E@ t?8=2?5[ 3FE D@@? 6>32C<65 @? >@C6 25G6?EFC6D] $96 EC2G6=65 E@ y2A2?[ r9:?2[ z@C62 2?5 |2=2J2] (96? D96 C6EFC?65 9@>6[ 96C D:DE6C w6?C:6EE2 5:65[ 2?5 xD236==2 >2CC:65 2 A9JD:4:2? ?2>65 y@9? q:D9@A] qFE 96 5:65 😕 `gge[ =62G:?8 96C H:E9 2 DF3DE2?E:2= :?96C:E2?46] $96 D6E D2:= 282:?[ E9:D E:>6 2D 2 >:DD:@?2CJ] }62C:?8 286 e_[ D96 962565 E@ x?5:2[ %:36E[ zFC5:DE2? 2?5 %FC<6J] (96? D96 H2D f_[ D96 >256 96C 7:CDE EC:A E@ p7C:42]k^Am
kAmx? `gha[ D96 3642>6 E96 7:CDE H@>2? E@ ;@:? vC62E qC:E2:?’D #@J2= v6@8C2A9:42= $@4:6EJ] $96 DA@<6 367@C6 E96 w@FD6 @7 r@>>@?D 2?5 H@? 2 G2C:6EJ @7 :?E6C?2E:@?2= 244@=256D] $96 5:65 😕 ~4E@36C `h_c]k^Am
kAmy:> }F86?E 5:5?’E 72C6 D@ H6==] x? yF?6 `gfc[ 96 H2D D9@E 3J vC:77:E9 tG2?D @FED:56 tG2?D’ 423:?] %96J C6A@CE65=J 2C8F65 @G6C vC:77:E9’D A=2?D E@ =62D6 >@DE @7 tDE6D !2C< E@ E96 t?8=:D9 t2C= @7 sFC2G2?] }F86?E =:?86C65 7@C E9C66 >@?E9D[ 3FE 5:65 😕 $6AE6>36C `gfc] vC:77:? H2D ?@E 492C865 H:E9 2 4C:>6]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m$@FC46Dk^DEC@?8mi U=5BF@jp {25JUCDBF@jD {:76 😕 E96 #@4<J |@F?E2:?D[UC5BF@j 3J xD236==2 {] q:C5j U=5BF@j%96 w2H2::2? pC49:A6=28@[UC5BF@j 3J xD236==2 {] q:C5j U=5BF@j{@G6 😕 E96 !2C<[UC5BF@j 3J |2CD92== $AC28F6[ p>6C:42? w6C:E286 >282K:?6[ u63CF2CJ `hefj U=5BF@jw:DE@C:42= q24<8C@F?5 7@C #@4<J |@F?E2:? }2E:@?2= !2C<[UC5BF@j }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46[ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]?AD9:DE@CJ]4@>^D6C:6D^36C<6=6J^C6?D49b^C6?D49b7]9E>QmHHH]?AD9:DE@CJ]4@>^D6C:6D^36C<6=6J^C6?D49b^C6?D49b7]9E>k^2m]k^Am
kAmk6>mq@3 $:=36C?286=UCDBF@jD 6>2:= 😀 k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i3@3D:=36C?286=o8>2:=]4@>Qm3@3D:=36C?286=o8>2:=]4@>k^2m]k^6>mk^Am
