Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-01-16
CALIFORNIA IN RETROSPECT.


will say, that while the chilling blasts
of Vermont winter are upon US, it
will be good time to return in imag-
ination to the s'land of sunshine and
flowers" Although left you in the
teeth of what Californians call their
equinoctial gale, yet in such wealth
of verdure and bloom as to render the
prospect still pleasing.
From Monterey we went northward
to Santa Cruz, a pretty sea coast city
of about eight thousand inhabitants.
This city is styled the Newport of the
Pacific coast, as it is favorite sum-
mer resort for wealthy Californians.
It occupies a pleasant site near the
head of the crescent shaped bay
of Monterey. We took drive
along the shore which skirts the bay,
where some curious natural bridges
are formed out of the solid rock by
the action of the waves. But our
pleasure of this was good deal mar
red by the force and velocity of the
wind, for feared we might be sud-
|
We encountered one thing here as
disagreeable as we meet with in
Vermont winter, and that was in one
place for some distance, the roadway
was as completely obliterated by sand
drifts as ours ever are by snow drifts.
Starting from Santa Cruz northward
by the narrow gauge railway, through
striking and picturesque scenes, dis
tance of five miles to the grove of
mammoth redwoods or sequoias. AL
though there are some in the Maripo-
sa and Caleveras groves which ex-
ceed these in size, yet I found it be-
yond my conception to be able to
picture, in imagination, trees from 40
to 65 feet in circumference and from
25O to 800 feet high. Here we are
sheltered from the wind and the sun
shone in, shedding warmth and ra-
dance upon this remarkable scene.
Since my first visit to Niagara I have
come across nothing in nature which
so moved me or brought me SO close
to Him who wrought this marvellous
WOIks anu W1UlI IAO10IO11Od CD OCOO0
in awe and reverence before these
monarchs of the wood. And the fa
miliar lines of Bryant's Forest Hymn
seemed an appropriate outlet to my
surcharged thoughts:
"The groves we've Gods first temple. Ere
man learned
To hew the shaft, and lay the Architrave
formed
The lofty vault, to gather and roll back
The sound of anthems in the darkling wood,
Amid the cool and silence, he knelt down
And offered to the Mightiest, solemn thanks
And supplication. Let me- then, at least
Here in the shadow of this aged wood
Offer one hymn-thrice happy if it find
Acceptance in his ear,''
Many of the largest trees are pla-
carded with the names of distinguish
ed men, such as Grant, Sherman,
Harrison, Webster, etc. A fitting
monument to the great, and a lasting
one too, for some of these trees are
already estimated to be more than a
thousand years old. The tree bear
ing the name of Gen. Fremont has
hollow at it's base, making room
about 14x16 feet. Here Gen. Fremont |
and party encamped for about six
weeks while on an exploring expedi
tion. The hollow was also occupied |
by trapper and his family and here |
children were born to them. They |
cut holes Through for windows, and |
had cook stove set up, giving it the
appearance of home. Many of the
largest trees stand alone but some are
in groups. There is one group of
three, called the three sisters, all large
trees; another called the Y. M. @. A.
group and is composed of nine large
trees and ten smaller ones, the CEN
trail one being 300 feet high, all grow
ing from one solid mass of roots. APP
ropos of the big trees, recently read
of a dinner party given in London by
William Waldorf Astor, where 27 per-
sons were seated at table made from
a single cross section of one of the
California Redwoods. By so doing he
won a wager of $25, 900, made with
Gen. Owen Williams. The English
man could not be made to believe
that the California trees grew to such
enormous size as Mr.. Astor asserted,
and thus it happened that the wager
was made. At great expense Mr.. AS
tor had a section of gigantic tree
sent to him from California.
From the big trees we went on to
San Jose. Nearing this city we pass
through the interesting town Of Los