Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-17

parent. The immense masses of
snow common to these mountain heights
accumulates thousands OF tons weight
in their branches and brings them low.
But, while few have fallen down, the
army of stalwarts, sugar pine and
sequoid, still uprear their proud heads
into almost the empyrean of the ceru-
lean heavens. When one gets into the
veritable region of the Big Trees one
strikes all kinds of romantic nomencla-
ture. The "Three Sisters" the "Three
Brothers." and other fanciful conceits
are encountered. One sequoian giant
is named "Sam Bowles, latter the editor
OF the Springfield Republican, who was
one of the first newspaper men to call
attention to these exquisite mar
wells of nature. Between the up
per and the lower grove, all en-
braced in the limits of the five-hour
trip, one encounters sequoia giants
consecrated to George Washington,
Abraham Lincoln and other notable
Americans. This group of sylvan gods
is undoubtedly august. We have in the
recesses of these noble mountains sort
of Druidical Walhalla, which would JUS
tify the worship OF the modern agnostic.
Before concluding our notice OF the Big
Trees, which have been individualized
by being dedicated to public men, poets
and journalists, should state that a
good-sized sequoia, standing in front of
the cabin which is located at the descent
from the upper grove, has been in
scribed with the name of Markham.
THE GRIZZLY GIANT.
have not cared to go into the nomen-
clature of these noble trees, some of
which are labeled Maryland and Vir-
ginia, and others Massachusetts and
Princeton, and what not. But l cannot
forbear giving some special attention to
the Grizzly Giant" This is the "boss"
tree OF the Mariposa Grove. When the
stage reached him halt was called, and
all the visitors poured out pell nell,
some OF the ladies with tape measures
in their hands. l have my own meth
ods of measurement, and / drew out my
watch and walked very rapidly around
the tree. 1t took me thirty-five sec
onds. then walked the time at
the same pace in a straight line, and
my count made the circumference OF the
tree about one hundred and seven feet.
There is no doubt of the accuracy of the
official measurement, which is thirty
three feet in diameter and ninety-nine
feet in circumference. When the reader
realizes that these trees attain height
of three hundred and thirty-eight feet,
in some instances, he can realize the
majesty and significance of the Druid
temple in which we walked-a temple
most emphatically not built with hands,
and whose pillared aisles, capped by the
empyrean, and fragrant with the incense
of balsamic pines and frs and sequoias
giganteas, seemed indeed fitting places
in which to attest and worship divine
omnipotence. The marvel of it all
is that these trees throng thickly
together, and are interlaced by
the graceful and heaven-aspiring
sugar pines and frs. In fact, hundreds
OF the giants are found in single acre.
From what depths and through what
ages they have drawn their nutriment,
growth and beauty and awe-inspiring
majesty have not been informed, and |
therefore, in the language of Jim Blaine,
on a recent occasion, feel inclined to
"saw wood and say nothing"
Loaded with Impressions of sublimity
appropriate to the occasion, ate good
fish breakfast at the Wawona hotel and
got down to every day life as fast as the
excellent service OF the Yosemite stage
and Turnpike company admitted OF.
The trip should occupy ten days at least
and could only give it five, to my in
finite regret. But am inclined to think
| got there all the same. j. d. L.