The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-11-17
AN OVERLAND JOURNEY.
xxx
California---The Big Trees.
STEAMBOAT CoRNELIA ON THE
SAN JOAQUIN, Aug. Is SO.

SAN JOAQUIN, Aug. Is SO.
On reaching Clarks rancho. on the
South Fork of the Merced, at l03 p. IN
of Friday, we were go happy as to NEE
the Rev o c. Wheeler, Secretary of The
State Agricultural Society. and his asso
ciates on the Visiting Committee of tha
Sosiety, now on tour of observation
through various regions of the State
We had agreed at Sacramento to make
the trip to the Posenite together, but
some mishap bad detained them fourteen
miles back of Bear Valley during the
night of Wednesday last; and when al
length they reached Mariposas, my par.
ty had been some hours on our way while
not horse or mule could be hired till
next morning, to replace their jaded uags
whose immediate proceedings on SO rough
trip was out OF the question. So they
halted. perforce, ill next morning, and
were only goiog uP to the Yosemite when
we were coming down, as aforesaid.
But they had just returned to Clark 1
from tie Big Trees of Mariposas, having
visited those Of Calaveras two or three
days before The general Impression
seems TO be that the Gala erss trees are
the larger and finer; but Mr.. " heeler,
having just visited each, was very deci.
ded 10 his pr, ference for those of Marlpo-
sas, aud understood all his associates to
concur in this verdict. They found the
Calaverss trees in far better condition. 10
the charge Of keeper. aud approached
By road over which light carriage
mag readily be driven up to the very
trees themselves. These are no light ad :
YaUtages, bat they assured Us on the 9TH
er hand, that the Mariposas trees are con-
siderably more rumerous (some $50 to
81, }, and really iar,er and finer speci-
mems OF their kind Mr. Wheeler found
BY careful measurement the diameter of
oDe OF these trees 100 feet above the
ground to te twenty feet, while its frst
limb, whieb put OF at that hight. had a
diameter of six feet Ju,t think Of twi ic
six feet through at tha; elevation He
obtained tht Sc results by measuring the
trees shadow, which | need hardly re-
mark was PROBABLY narrower than the
tree itself. lie had several tape lire
mea>urem ents Of Mariposas trees over
one hundred feet in circumference; but
one of the Calaveras trees is claimed to
be, think, nearly one-fourth larger than
this.-No u U4a.ter-those Of either County
are big enough
We went up to the Mariposas Trees
early next morning. The trail crosses a
meadow of mos, luzuriant wild grass,
then strikes eastward up the hills, and
rises almost steadily, but in the main not
steeply, for fre Giies, when it enters and
ends in a slight depression or valley. near
y Oh the top OF this particular mountain,
where the BIZ Trees haze been quietly
nestled for dare not say how many thou
-and years. That thy we're OF very sub
-tentia size when David danced before
the Ark, when Solomon lad the fouuda
tons OF the Temple, when Theseus ruled
in Athens, when Eoeas fed from the
burning wreck of vanqui-hei Troy, " ben
Sesostris led bis victorious Egyptians iu-
to the heart OF Asia, have no manner of
doubt.
The big Trees of course, do not stand
alone | aPpreheud that they could not
50 -taOd at present. in view of the very
moderate depth at which they are anchor
cd TO the earth. Had they stood on an un-
sheltered tnountsin-top, or even an ex-
posed hillside. they would have doubt.
less been prOstrated-ss | presume thou.
sands like them were prostrsted, by the
hurricanes of centuries bofore Cbrist's ad
vent Bot the locality of these, though
probably $500 feet atoye the South
Merccd. and soDe 1890 above the scs,
is sheltered sud tranquil. though several
Of these trees have nsniiestly fallen with.
in the present century. Unquestionahly.
they arc past their prime. though to none
more than to them is applicable the com.
pliucntary characterization of ga green
old age"
Let me try to give as clear an idea of
these forest mastodons as can though |
know that will be but poor one:
In measuring trees, it is so easy to ex-
aggerate By running your line around the
roots rather than the real body, that
place little dependence on the reported
aud aud recorded measurements Of par.
ties under no obligations to preserve
judicial iWpartialty. But | believe a
fair measurement Of the largest trees
standing in this grove would make them
not less than one hundred 10 circu nfer-
ence, and over thirty in diameter, at
blight of six feet from their respective ba-
ses, and that several of them have an al.
titude of more than three hundred feet
| believe the Que that vas last uprooted
measures little over three hundred.
But these relies OF more bounteous
and magnificent would seem destined to
speedy extinction I deem them generally
enfeebled By age and the raekiug and
wrenching of their roots By the blasts that
sweep through their tops These nalign
influences they might withstand for ages,
however. we're il not for the damage they
have already sustained, and are in dan