Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-14

1873, that a party consisting of Mr.. Samuel
2. Tate, formerly of Moberly, Mo-, your cor
respondent, and our good wives, started from
the city of Stockton to Calaverss, the county
of big trees. By the time the sun had
reached high meridian we arrived at the
little city of Milton, twenty-six miles from
Stockton, and the present terminus OF the
Stockton and Copperopoiis railroad. just
beyond this town we called a halt, fed our
horses and rested in the shade; took hasty
meal, not entirely emitting goats milk, and,
thus refreshed, we fastened on our journey.
We had now fully reached the foot of the
hills, and soon after entered
THE MOUNTAINS.
Passing over some ten miles OF mountains,
we came to the somewhat celebrated Salt
Spring valley. In these mountains the SHOWS
fall in considerable depths, and then, by the
warm sunshine of early spring and summer,
they are converted into water, which, by va
rious creeks and riynlets, is converted into
large reservoir in this valley, from which,
during the summer, it is conducted by bitches
for which Calaveras county is celebrated
over hills and around mountains to cheer
and refresh the psrched surfaces and dying
vegetation of distant valleys. For a great
distance over hill, dale and mountain we
ryiDg waters OF which, in those dusty regions,
looked refreshing. We had now reached
MURPHY's,
a mining town, distant from the big trees ff-
teen miles and about sixty miles from Stock
ton. Considerable mining was done here in
an early day. The surface of the valley and
the points OF the mountains had been liter
ally torn to pieces. We kept a sharp look
out for some of the shining ore, and several
times during the journey thought we had
made some grand discovery, and visions of
untold wealth foated before our too credu-
lous imsginations. But our hopes were soon
TO fade Here, in this little city of the
miner, or near it, doubtless, n SITS, in quiet
slumber, the ashes of many boy, who wan
dered in his early youth away from his
childhood's home to sleep his long, last sleep,
in this wild distant land, with only the fall
ing waters from the miners ditch to sing his
sad requiem. From Murphy's We hurried
forward to reach, thet night,
THE BIG TREES;
but We made slow progress, for it was what
the roadmen call a heavy upgrade almost
all the way. We several times felt that we
had reached the top, but were disappointed
to find we had only come to the foot of
still higher mountain, which we were doomed
to ascend. At last we touched "the highest
point of all His greatness" where we felt
instinctively impelled to stop and halloo.
Having attained the top we Travelled on the
mountain for a short distance, and then be-
gan slowly to descend. Expecting now soon
to see the big trees, we were all aglee to see
who should first make the discovery. But
suddenly the hotel at the trees appeared be-
fore us, Just beyond a little creek, and all
were disappointed, coming right upon the
trees before seeing them, and feeling that
they were not SO large n represented. But
having hastily arranged our affairs, and
strolling out among and around them, they
seemed to expand and become what they are,
GIANTS OF THE FOREST.
There are said to have been discovered,
up to this time, ten groves of those trees on
the western slope of the Sierra Nevada
mountains, numbering in each grove from
twenty to 1900 trees, varying from $50 to
$50 feet in height, and in circumference from
sixty to ITO feet. These trees are not pine,
but grow among them; they are not Califor-
mia redwood, nor are they the Atlantic Ststes
cedar, but the wood is sui eeneri, and the
growth much like all the trees named. In
The Cslaveras grove are the
''FATHER" AND MOTHER"
of the forest. The former is claimed to be
the largest tree ever discovered and 10 meas
ure $50 feet in length and ITO feet in cir
conference. This old man aud woman of
the forest have raised up and settled around
them large family, consisting of ninety
CuliuiTH NJ" llfluSi anu several are CeaQ
and have fallen.
The old father fell to the ground some years
since, but is yet there, huge monument of
the glory that has, in some measure, departed
The old mother still stands; outlived he~~
partner, but although standing, she is quite
dead. Among the oldest of these children
are an old bachelor" son and maiden"
daughter. This son is much more crooked
and less prepossessing than the younger
brothers, and this daughter is quite decayed,
but shows to have been "gearl" of good
size and comedy. There are also the "Siamese
Twins" and "the mother and son." This boy
is the grandson of the old people of whom l
have written. On these trees / noticed the
names of many of our most
INDUSTRIOUS STATESMEN
aud distinguished warriors. Among these
are "Washington," Lafayette" Jackson"
doubtless Andrew Union" and 'Uncie
Sam" These are grand old trees, as they
should be, to carry such names. Then we
come to "Webster" and "Clay," but wholly
failed to see the name of their no less illus
trious eonffere Calhoun, and if the passing
stranger truly said of Webster before burial,
"Ihat the world would be lonesome without
him" so would this grove seem without this
magnificent tree bearing his name. And
then came a large tree called "Oid Repnbli-
can'-radical / suppose, but l noticed he
had huge knot on him and was dead on
the top, correctly, in these respects, repre-
sentiDg the political party of that name.
Then we found "Uncle Toms Cabin" fine
tree in other respects, but with hollow at
the butt in which there was sufficient room
for several persons to stand. General Grant"
is a noted tree; large and thrifty, well
representing him for whom it is
named, who has grown large and
fat off the public service and at Long
Branch. L noticed also the names of Shsr-
man, Thomas and indeed many of the Fed
eral military commanders, but i looked in
vain for the names of Lee, Stonewall jack
son, JOHNSON, Beauregard, etc, and was led
to wonder why such fiue soil produced not
SUCH GREAT NAMES.
1 had heard there was dancing hall on
the stump of one of these trees. was curious
10 know whether this was true, and If so to
see it. l fastened to the spot, and sure
enough, there it was. The tree had been
bored down with augers. 1t was thus cut off
seven or eight feet from the ground, the
stump leveled, and making, for the most
part, the flo Or of the house. AS best could
estimate it, the stump, at that hight, was
about thirty feet in diameter, but nearer to
the ground its diameter was much greater.
A section, some fifteen or twenty feet, of the
butt of the tree is still near the stump, Ia
beled: ga chip off of the old block" This
grove stands in little valley in the noun
tains, 1915 feet above the Underwater, in
very rich, but rather sandy soil, through
which water seems to rise up near the surface
OF the earth. These trees are supposed to
be some 1000 years old-to have been stand
ing, in their freshness and youth, when the
Savior of the world was born; when he sat
at acob's well and talked to the woman of
SamaTia; and when the apostles were cent
forth to preach the gospel to every creature
When standing beneath their lofty boughs,
their venerable columns and "verdant roof"
thought they may have been Gas Bryant SO
beautifully says in that grand old poem
OF his)-
"GoDs FIRST TEMPLES"
The, gloves were Gods first temples; ere man
To hew the shaft and lay the architrave,
And spread the roof above them; ere he framed
The lofty vault to gather and roll back
I he sound of anthems; in the darkling wood
Amid the cool and silence he kuelt down
And offered to the Mightiest, solemn thanks
And supplicatien.
Father, thy hand
Hath reared these venerable columns, Thou
Didst weave the verdant roof. Thou didst look
Upon the naked earth, and forthwith rose
AL these fair ranks of trees. They in the sun,
Budded and shook their green leaves in the breez2
And shot toward Heaven.
''Gbe century liying crow.
Whose birth was in their tops, grew old and died
Among their branches; till at last, they stood,
And now they stand messy and tall and dark;
Communion with his Maker
BE it ours to mediate
In these calm shades, Thy milder majesty,