The Dillon tribune., 1881-05-14

tourist is conscious Of Nature that has
| closed accounts with Life and Time. The
redwoods and seq~oias according to Dr.
Gray, reac:,dd California from Europe, by
the way Of Japan, previous to the glacial
period, and if this petritaction occurred be.
fore that epoch the time denoted is almost
appalling. In addition to the redwoods,
here and there madrone is found. The
limb Of an oak is also preserved. One Of
the redwoods is supposed to have been
hacked with an AK, and il this theory BIZ
true, then man was in California before the
birth OF St. Helena, and at that date used
cutting tools. Who were our ancestor.
and how did they live' cannot, however,
by the hacking OF a tree be explained.
THE SHATTERED TRUNKS.
The trees were destroyed by some mighty
commotion in the earth's surface, and ii ON
tile absence Of marks Of splitting II is the
opinion Of scientists that they we're shatter.
! cd citer petritactiun nd taken place.
Some are only partially retrifed, while
others are badly charred. Pieces Of gum,
cling;ng like excresenccs to the bark, have
even been transformed by the al.inbic chill
and blocks of charcoal me als, turned to
, stone. From ST Helena as center the
volcanic product came. The distance from
the forest to the summit, by way Of the
wagon road and TRAIL is seventeen miles,
but on an ar line the distance is not halt
SO great. Each zone Of fossil trees" So, s
Il distinguished scientist, ''regis,ers Il period
; Of rest followed bv one Of dcst, uc,ion.
Buried under lava ash the trees might soon
rctrify. The only condition required would
l,e tia: TIE tuaa be rcrmcattd by thermal
, water s,ch water would dissolve the silica
from the tuia and rretipitate it into the
trees Wood is sil:c.ti.d only by thermal
w;.t.r imprcsnated with silica Whether
! or rot this BE- the tree explanation OF the
pc,rit..cti. II, it is conceded that the fires Of
st. Helena furnished the power fer the
t,ansiorna:i n Of the wood into stone, 1ust
as the touch OF NJ .:ss WAS >ufi;rnt TO trans.
form everything into geld.
AMys1ERy OF THE PAST.
Several Of the trunks are divided into
sections ofa'n.o>t equal length, but whc.h-
er b, human hand no tnS has yet dared to
affirm. "Nh:t weak, YOU not give" says
tn, Tor, ITO know the story Of this nccro.
mantle lace: Did amy &, . that ever wept
in human :, ,npathy b, hold the tran>torma-
ton: Lid mortal music ever ring amid
the column. d ;r. hes Of this wood: Who
| sang, what tongue, what themc:" The
forest is yet only partially uncartlcd. The
Old >cNto,i is dead. ard no s,rorg ha,,6 has
yet snct erdcd HIM. Money. energy and
etf.rt are the three things ne. d!'ul. \ geo.
logical center in the tu,vr. will succeed tie
chaos Of the pres. nj, and the dead mlles
Of God viii shine rcsllcnd. nj with new
meaning and glory. just us tie t.wn q,
oi Por,ita nov l>.> ard t:o.ri>l.s en- the
lava beneath, which ll.rcu.a,,v TIN is Luricd
just Us cotton fields ovcr:op Pompeii, and
gardens are made over the site of ancient
Troy, 50 a new growth Of lr,.>l. chrparral,
ma,,z,niti and ,crub-oak has sprung up On
TIN. soil beneath which, u Part Of the pctri-
cd tur,s, is vet buried, and who >lall say
that IN Iii nj ages the >ar.e conditions
may not occur again: Two SOLITARY pines
excel all the other trees in height and
grandeur. The enc has lMshy top and
has been named the "Hrtth.r.' while the
lesser tree, mere slender and inclined TO the
! Otl,,r. Is the "SiSttr,"
| ANl;E%GS or TIE EARTH.
They are old trees; rrob.h'y centuries
have PASSED since the seed Which rrs~luct 4.
ed then, first took root in the soil; Lut old
as they are. their lives are but Il >uyle link
in the chain Of years which have PASSED
since the ghost ike formations at their
roots took birth. AID which time and the
elements scc,n powerl,ss to crumhlc and
DESTROY. Tn. chemi>al grows so tl.irkl, in
the G .l'sr!,ood that al travel Ivy man
ANA tnu~t 10 oh>:rnct>d Leave the trail Il
short distance and II wilderness j. pe,,ctrat.
, ed mere teri; IL than that CT tic pine trees
OF the Sierra. Save the lit !c lc,,>c owned
ard occ, pi,a ~ the .,H rtii:n oi The place.
no: !, single l,ali:at:on is ar, Mlnrc in
sight. Like the cnslnrted ra::;c, Of Ara
hian story wh;rh WAS struck will, maly-
SIS @; nn'hlcs s'mr III. stcr:o'. f.re has
here changed every thing into NC. \
creek has worn its way thrsu. the tuta
just Outside the gate AID il, m,k> are
). Urged with s,.th trees - tie wi',cw. the
lowing n.;.r2Snita aud the l",rc'. The 81
lcEcc OF The scene j. sometimes oppressive
Not the eh:rr sta ,ri> k,tcr Tie s.n. Of Il
bird l. heard. Ctm,!r..ly c"circl.d j..
mountains nd forming Il Eaiur.l :mlhi-
t!,t...,r. \a,,,. has laced tbs c.,n>try OF
tho Pa. nc ;r :: rare setting. Like - nag
MT, ;l'' ht'. >;.i.s ;t'rart to themselves
all the w.u.th of cohr with witch tn, So
nora skies are endowed. aud 4, .un>.,
Their. j.: presented Il ranWama OF .or. or>
effects and ',illi; lit ersr.c,i>c. la awo'd
the Fortified l'nrc.t is! ,:,rc field hr tn.
art;.: TIE scientist and the man oi'l!,c ~or.d
! 1t is "A vn.un,c. written hv The Clements
themselves. rrr!ttr wi'u facts and tail oi
un,xa,nrl>d illustrations. San iru'ci'to