The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-19
TRE HERALD: DALLAS TEXAS MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1885,

II
'ower, though he was still hidden,
cached them for any length of time.
lave seen many forest effects Just after
moist snow-storm, but never have /
ooked upon such transformation
scene as these groves presented on this
memorable morning. Steve was very |
uneasy during the entire morning, and |
shortly after 8 o'clock announced his in |
tention of returning. There were two
pairs of snow-shoes in the cabin-one, a
long pair of narrow-boards, known as
the Norwegian snow-shoe, and another,
of the short beaver-tail pattern. Leav
ing the latter for me and urging me to
return with him, which / declined to do,
he took his departure, paying no atten-
ton. to roads or tracks, but taking
straight line through the woods down
kets. 1t seemed solitary enough when
he finally disappeared from view, but
plucking up heart and replenishing the
tire In the cabin fireplace, buckled on
my traps ana started forth on tour of
sightseeing, intending to visit some of
the most noted of these forest giants be-
fore departing, and also of getting up to
the Wawona tree. where the stages
drive through.
THE COMING OF THE WIND.
After walking possibly ten minutes,
gusts of wind began to eddy among the
great trunks and sent the light snow
flying about like flour. 1t was soon ap-
parent that the wind was going to rise
and perhaps blow gale--perhaps blow
all clear in short time. After wal
lowing manfully on for perhaps another
quarter of mile, there came dis
tant roar, mut1ied at first, but growing
louder by degrees. 1t seemed to come
| directly from the southeast and was the
herald OF the approaching wind. Fur
Their advance was out of the question,
and turning about to seek the cabin, |
had gone but few rods, and was in the
midst OF some OF the greatest of the gil
ants-"Columbus," the greatest of all
the trees in this grove, at the laft hand
and a little above, "Mariposa" to the
southwest, "Ohio" and "Grant" to the
north ''Haverford" and the "Satan's
Spear" farther to the northwestern
fact in the densest part of the woods,
containing the largest of these trees,
when the wind crossed the divide be-
tween this and the Fresno grove and
struck the top of the hill above the
columbus" and to the south of where
! stood. The roar had been steadily in
creasing, and now, as it struck through
the branches OF the great trees on this
divide, 1t was absolutely terrific. In an
instant 1t was upon me. One suddenly
cast from the deck of a. ship into the
seething deep during violent squall,
when the sea is driving Wilderness OF
white frSth, must have realized SEN
sation like this.
, IN THE wnRgp OE rt1t, Gnpp,T
Nothing could be seen. l was in the
midst OF driving, white something
which Kissed and roared. The air was
} mass of driving, rolling and racing
white. Crash succeeded crash. Occas.
lonally distant roaring report was
heard as some great pine or fir sue
cumbed to the blast and came to the
ground. My position was in the midst
OF an open space, with nothing but
smaller trees and bushes around, and
1t was safe from falling limbs and trees
unless some of the great sequoias them.
selves came tumbling down, and of this
there was no fear. After the first fury
OF the gale had blown away tho lightest
OF the snow it cleared little and a
wondrously beautiful sight presented
ITSELF From each of the big trees in
view the wind was driving "snow ban.
ners" from over their monstrous tops
The snow blew towards the northwest
i'll driving sheet, fiat, or nearly SO, on
the upper side and curling under and
blowing down the sides Of the
branches from the under side,
as smoke sometimes runs down the
stack of a ferry-boat on the bay in q
strong wind and hugs closely to it,
This was Of a dazzling white against
the leaden dull sky to the northwest and
| a linn ul,a 60, RI
feet from the top of the tree before If
commenced to break up; from the end,
of some of the lower and greater branch
es also banners of lesser size were
: sweeping through the air. There wa,
: no swaying up or down, or to the RICH
, or left. Steadily to the northwest the,
pointed, and from the tops of all tn,
giant trees in sight poured stream o
} these pendants through the sky. Til
tlrs and pines presented nothing of thi
! character The first were so dense il
foliage that the snow either blew OF
bodily at the first breaking of the squal
} or the tire came down or lost its tops
The pines, on the other hand
> they We're instantly cleared b,
l the first breath and afterward sent onl
: broken fragments of branches to til
!, ground, as did the frs. 1t now became
7 apparent that the blow was more thai
r acommnn squall and likely to endure
= tor some time, and | was determined /,
l seek the shelter of tine cabin as soon a
d possible. After some two ours OF hare
n work the haven was reached. Inside
L the wind was but little felt and soon fir
g was going and it was quite comfortable
Il AN OMNIBUS OUTLOOK.
l. The storm ragged m IRE and MGR
Z, hercely and / was beginning TO groN
K uneasy at the prospects of getting Oh
h before provision failed. Outside Il NJ
T. gan to snow afresh and knew this
d snow coming with gale was not
)i cheering sign. Gust succeed d gus
u but the roar of the wind was a di,
II pason so terrific that these sharpe
p squalls could only ba noted by ia
Or more violent swaying of the frs frol
pr time TO time. The big trees themselv,
stood as steady as churches, onl
the upper and lighter branches bondiu
al and swaying To the gale. OCCASIONAL
ii a cracking sound could be heard, an
n sometimes the eye would catch sight
5, a monster fir settling down slowly al
10 disappearing with crash among h
or brethren below us. The snow can
w thicker and faster and in flakes as b
ne as dime or quarter, and soon
II great DRIFT began to form from the roo
at of "Ohio', over to the base of "Grant
IS an occasional eddy would sweep ,
ne great masses of snow from Its TOP, al
&C. their teathery flakes would obscure ,
cd the view IN front for an instant, but Vt
he the DRIFT mounted higher and HIGH
zig and waxed wider. The gale seemed
ed have now reached its height and hlC
De. with fearful violence. The snow biz
y" in steady streams, like rapidly drivi
Fnl nd . lAf a.,N