The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-02
THE BIG TREES OF CALIFORNIA.

DEsChlfllOh BY THE kEYs Thus, STAR KING.
We find in a late number of the Boston Tran
script the most graphic account yet written of the
grove of mighty trees at Mariposa, California. We
quote the most striking passages
The flowers are plenteous along all the steadily
rising trail. Here and there we must pause before
fthe seductive sugar pines which looks full
Of melody that it seems as if the first breeze that
brushes it would make it break forth into Mo.
zartish song. 3
What if we should meet a grizzly on a fowery
bank under one of the graceful sugar pines While
were discussing this possibility, we came upon
fresh traces of very large one l was eager to
get glimpse of him, but the majority of the com
pany prayed that they might not see one OF the
shaggy monsters, and their prayer was answered.
There are two large groves OF the mammoth
visited is in Calayeras county. 1t contains hardly
third as many trees the Mariposa cluster which
we were in search Of in this letter, but is much
more easy of access 1t covers about as much space
as the Common, and good carriage road leads to
the heart of it. At the portal of the grove stand
pair of sentines, twenty-five feet apart, which are
sixty feet in circumference and three hundred feet
high. They are well named the "Two Guardsmeu."
What pity, for Dumas sake, that there is not one
more? Passing these warders, you drive up to a
hotel, and find the grounds trimmed up and the
trees named and labelled for guests. Some of
the labels are Of gilt letters marble, we are told,
and tasteielly inaid in the bark from six to
twenty feet above the ground. The "Hercules' in
this group is ninety three feet in circumference.
The California" seventy-three feet in circuit,
shoots up straight arrow three hundred and
ten feet. ''Unce Toms Cabin," is tree which has
been burnt out; it is eighty-three feet in circum
ference, and will lodge twenty persons. The
"Mother of the Forest is three hundred and |
twenty-seven feet high and nearly eighty feet in |
girth.
= One of these Calaveras trees, three
hundred feet high, was cut down few years ago, |
eight feet from the ground. Part Of the trunk is |
used as bowling alley, and the stump, twenty-five
feet in diameter, covered with canopy of green |
boughs. is now dancing saloon. To cut 1t down, |
pump augers used from either side, until the |
tree completely severed from the base. But so
nicely poised was it that it would not fall. Only |
by driving in large wedges with immense batter |
ing rams could its equilibrium be disturbed sufi- |
GENTLY to make it tOp-heavy. Five men were at
work twenty five days in this wreched drudgery Of
destruction.
The Mariposa grove stands as the Creator has ashs
toned it, unprolaned except by fire. which long be-
fore the advent of Saxon white men, had charred
the base of the larger portion of the stawart trees
We rode on for hour, climbing all the time till
we reached forest planted five thousand feet above
the sea. This, in New England, is the height of
Nit. Madison, where not shrub can grow.
Riding few rods, through ordinary ever
greens with dark stems, we at last catch glimpse
of strange color in the forest. 1t tree in the
distance, of light cinnamon hue. We ride near
er and nearer, seeing others of the complex
ion starting out in the most impressive contrast
with the Sombre columns OF the wilderness. We
are now in the grove of the Titans. The bark has
one OF them for first acquaintance, and soon dis
| mount at its root.
| | must confess that my own feelings, as first
| scanned it, and let the eye roam up its tawny pill
| lar, was of intense disappointment. But then
said to myself this is of the sriplings of the
Anak brood-ony small affair of some forty feet
| in girth. took out the measuring line, fastened
it to the trunk with knife, and walked around,
unwinding it as | went. The line was seventy five
feet long. l came to the end of the line before
completing the circuit Nine feet more were need
ed. / had dismounted before structure eighty
four feet in circumference and nearly three hun
cred feet high and should not have guessed that
it would measure more than fifteen feet through
1t did not look to me twice as large the Big Elm
on the Common, although that is only eighteen feet
in circumference, and this was twenty-eight in d-
ameter During the day had seen dozen sugar
pines which appeared to be far more lofty.
The next one we measured was 50 feet and
inches in girth; the third was 80 feet. There are
nearly three times as many Of the giant species in
the grove as in the Calaveras cluster. Divided into
two groups, there are $50 of them within space of
a mile and three-quarters. Colonel Warren, the
faithful and selfsacrifcing friend OF agricultural
interests in this State, proprietor and editor the
California Farmer, measured the principal trees of
one group on this RIDGE some three years ago, and
found one of lO2 feet, two of 100 feet of 81
of 90, one of ST. of so, two of H. three of 76,
and thus gradually diminishing till more than
hundred trees on his list that measured fifty
feet and upwards in circumference.
This crowd of majestic forms explains the disap-
scale is too immense. Half dozen of the largest
trees spaced half mile apart, and properly set off
by trees of six and eight feet in girth would shake
the most volatile mind with awe.
We ought to see the Fountain Tree" of the Ma
rip0sa grove, hundred and two feet in circuit,
rising near the Bunker Hill Monument, and bear
ing up a crown eighty feet above it, to feel the
marvel Of its bulk and vitality. Think of that
monument a living structure. Conceive it as
having grown from granite seed, whose outpour-
ing life absorbed from the earth and attracted from
the winds fine granite DUST to be slowly COM
pacted, by internal and unerriDg masonry, into
solid squares, OF its strength and its tapering
symmetry. work far more marvellous than this, |
has been wrought by each fragment of cone that
took root five thousand feet ridge OF the Sier-
ras, centuries ago, and is represented by an
organism of thirty feet diameter. Indeed, it is |
quite probable that there have been few trees in
both the MaripOsa and CalaveFas groves, which |
have built their sublime columns out Of the air,
through the energy OF single seed, in whose
trunk Bunker Hill monument could have been in
serted and hidden, while the stem would still spring
more than two hundred feet above its apex stone.
For the ruins Of one, now lie in the Marposa
grove, which was forty feet in diameter, and must
have lowered more than four hundred feet high.
RUNAWAY SLAvEs.-One night recently number
of runaway negroes from the border counties of
Mary land passed through York county, on their
way to freedom. The next day they were pursued
and captured in Adams county, and taken back to
their old quarters. No opposition made to
their return by the citizens of the village in which
they were captured On Sunday night three "chat-
tels passed through this city for the nOrth
and have doubt reached their destination by this
time. 1t is said that the fugitves remained here
two three hours, and were Hospitality entertain
ed. and furnished with material aid BY some of
their sympathzing coIored brethren.-Harrisburg
Telegraph.
ANOTHER HUGE GUN CAsT.-On Tuesday after
noon last, another monster cannon was cast at the
Fort Poit Iron Foundry, Pttsburg, which, though
smaller than the "Floyd' is still an immense cast
ing. The "Union," as the gun is named, has a
twelve inch bore, is the same exterior diameter as
the "Foyd," and six inches longer. 1t is expected
to throw ball six miles The whole quantity of
metal used in the ''run' 1904 pounds, and
the "Union,' when finished, will weigh twenty
five tons. The time occupied in filling the mould
was twenty-four minutes. The gun was cast on
the hollow principle, and is a perfect success.
THE INLAND CARRYING TRADE OF CHINA.-At
Canton an important concession has been obtained
from the Governor General. Permission has baen
given the Bo.peep, foreign steamer to run in
some of the inland waters, and trade with Kun
chook, village among the silk villages to the
west of Canton, and also to Shek-loong, a village
from whence sugar may be exported in large guam
titles, in the Tonkoon district This is the begin
pip NJ ho