A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains

In 1873, a middle-aged Englishwoman toured the Colorado Rockies on horseback - alone, for the most part. Painting an intimate portrait of the "Wild West," Bird wrote eloquently of flora and fauna, isolated settlers and assorted refugees from civilization, vigilance committees, lynchings, and the manners among the men she encountered in the wilderness.

Isabella Bird (1831–1904) was born in England and became one of the most famous travel writers of the 19th century. After a childhood marred by illness, she was encouraged by her physician to travel. With 100 pounds given to her by her clergyman father, Bird explored Canada and the United States. During her travels, she wrote to her sister about her experiences and drew on that material for her first book. Later, Bird journeyed to Japan, China, Tibet, and Korea. Her discerning observations have been entertaining readers for over a century.