Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-03-07

Wednesday October s5rd. 1895. We
spent a pleasant time at Ruatangata
with Brother Gong and family, by
whom we were treated with much kind.
ness. Brother Going and wife are Young
people, having tour nice little children.
they are also young in the Church, but
enjoy the spirit OF the Gospel. Martha
Runle, a young unmarried sister, stops
with them. At TO o'clock a. M, Elders
Gardner, Golf and myself eft Rua,an.
gata on horseback and rode nineteen
miles by way Of Kamo and Hikurangi
to a neighborhood known as Opuaw.
haaga, TO the residence Of Elder Thomas
Finlayson, president Of the Opuawhaaga
branch, who with his large and interest.
ing family, Is about TO cmigrate to the
land OF the Saints In fat.on America.
He had quite recently sold his farm at a
fair price, aud reioiced very much a, the
prospects OF gathering with the Saints
After spending a short time In pleasant
conversation with Brother Finlayson and
family, we took three.miIe walk into
the bush, pIoled by Elder Finlaysun to
see one Of the largest kauu trees in New
Zealand. It stands on the farm Of Mr
G.. Foden, formerly member OF the
church, and on the immediate borders
Of the great tuhIpuei forest. Its cifcum.
ference is about iofty.fye feet with a
gigantic stem Of nearly sixty feet below
the branches, and sevcnty.fvc TT for
lumber, exclusive Of the top. It is est.
mated that is top Is about $50 feet
above It's roots. As TO rs age, nobody
can guess it. one enthusiastic writer
who visited the tree six years ago, use,
the following language In describing IL.
AS one stands beneath this monarch OF
the forest, listening to the perpetual
sough OF the wind through lis gigantic
branches and reflects that It's lie history
goes back into the mystic unhistoric
past-thai q thousand years have seen Il
Us we now see it-that probably before
London or Rome was, Il burst into lie.
how all that is human is minmisedl SO
lar as can be seen. this magnificent tree
is still 10 is youth. and that is future
history u protected may be as lengthen.
ed as It's past, and that 1t will still con.
linue to live when present scenes shall
have passed away and are forgotten. -
We experienced considerable difficulty
in reaching this interesting specimen Of
natures production Not only was il
hard climbing but the road or path lead.
irg to Il was very mify and wet IN places
owing to the recent rains. ID also led
through thick undergtowth through
which we had to gtope our way with
care. We were quite tired when we re.
tuned TO Brother Finlayson's house
about shutdown. and after spending a
pleasant evening with the family, We
enjoyed a good nights rest
the kaun Is the finest tree in New
Zealand aud affords the most valuable
timber. II varies from eighty feet to one
hundred feet and upwards In height, with
a trunk from three feet to eight feet In
diameter; but specimens have been
measured with diameter OF fully
twenty-five feet. The bark Is smooth,
and OF a dark grey color. and falls away
~ large Hat flakes, and the handsome
globular cone IS nearly three inches In
diameter. The timber is OF the highest
value, and combines a larger number OF
good qualities In high degree OF per.
lection than any other pine timber In
general use. Many logs are beautifully
cluuded, Gathered, or notified, and are
highly valued for ornamental cabinet