Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-08-01
OLD SERIES, VOL. II. NO. As.

thom, but only few incidents connected with
these greatest vegetable productions of the
earth. AT first sight the stranger can hardly
realize their massive granduer-with trunks
ninety.six feet circumference, lifting their
huge branches three hundred and City feet
towards the heavens. 1t is only by compar.
ing them with the surrounding pines, which
are ten feet in diameter, and then with those
half that size, (which, in the eastern forests.
would be considered very largo trees1 that
any just conception can be formed Of their
real magnitude. The "Father Of the Forest;"
who has long since bowed his head to the
DUST" is still mighty in his ruins. His trunk
is over thirty-two ieet in diameter, and can
be traced nearly three hundred feet, where il
was broken into fragments, by falling on an
other tree. According to the general taper
OF other trees, this great progenitor must
have been over four hundred feet in length
At the distance of two Hundred and fifty feet
from the roots, we easily descended through
knot hole in cavf.y, at least eight feet
10 diameter. The view, while, seated upon
the moss covered trunk of the venerable Fa-
ther, surrounded by group of about twenty
giant sons and daughters, form one of the
most impressive scenes in in the forest
Near the Father" is the famouse "Horse
Back Ride" an old fallen trunk, ono hundred
and fifty feet long, followed out by the fres
which have. in days past, ragged in the forest.
The cavity is sufficiently large to allow per-
son to ride through on horseback. Most of
our party, both ladies and gentlemen, enjoy
! ed the romance of performing this great nov-
| el feat.
These mammoth trees resemble the cedar
| very much, as is indicated by the the bark
and leaf and according to many botanists be-
| long to the family of Iarodiums. They have
justly been named the tFashingtonia Gigan-
tea, but according TO two Of the greatest En-
llsh botanists, they are classified as an entire
ly new species, and to crafty English pride,
| and extend the fame of the hero of Waterloo
they named them Sequoia Welhngtonia.-
There are ninety-two large trees of this fam-
| ly still standing. They measure from fifteen
| to thirty feet in diameter, and are from two
hundred to three hundred and seventy feet
high.
The pleasant little valley in which the
grove is located contains about three hundred
acres of land, and in t-aside from the man,
moth trees, which will ever make the place
classical in the future history Of California
there is much to interest and amuse the low
ers OF rural mountain scenery. The eleva-
tion being nearly $500 feet above the level
of the sea, the air is always fresh, cool and
inrigorating. Through the valley there is a
never failing stream of water, gracefully
meandering among the trees and the earth
unlike the parched plains below, is always
moist and covered with green vegetation all
the summer. There are luxurient groves of
young frs. cedars dogwood and hazel, with a
few scattering yew trees (of which the Ind
ans make bows,) forming together cooling
shade under which the traveller may sport
and muse, protected from the burning rays of
the MONDAY sun. The stately sugar pines,
towering from two to three hundred feet to-
wards the clouds, like the aspens, present
gracefulness Of form, and poetry of motion,
while rocking their boughs in the breeze,
that none can look upon except with interest
and delight. Through all the Grove the pro-
prletor, at great expense, has cut fine walks
and drives, thus enabling those who } not to
wish to enjoy the manly sport of climbing
logs and leaping brooks and ditcbes, to enjoy
the beautiful scenery upon horseback or qui-
etly riding in their carriages.
A short walk to little eminence to tho
right of the hotel gives view which is grand
beyond description. To the east are the
peaks OF the Sierras glistenirg in the eternal
SHOWS OF winter. Hundreds of feet below
the Stanslaus, swelled by the melting SHOWS
OF the mountains, rolls rapidly through its
winding chanuel to the great "Father of Wa.
ters.' While to the south and west are the
parched and burning plains of the great Sac.
ramento and San joaquin valleys.