The "Old Maid," a stooping, broken topped, and forlorn looking spinster of the big tree family, is 261 feet in height, and 59 feet in circumference.

As a fit companion to the above, though at a respectful distance from it, stands the dejected-looking "Old Bachelor." This tree, as lonely and as solitary as the former, is one of the roughest, bark-rent

In size it rather has the advantage of the "Old Maid," being about 298 feet in height, and 60 feet in circumference.

Near to the "Old Bachelor" is the "Pioneer's Cabin," the top of which is broken off about 150 feet from the ground. This tree measures 33 feet in diameter; but as it is hollow, and uneven in its circumference, its average will not be quite equal to that.

The "Siamese Twins," as their name indicates, with one large stem at the ground, form a double tree about fortyone feet upwards. These are each 300 feet in height.

Near to them stands the "Guardian," a fine-looking old tree, 320 feet in height, by 81 feet in circumference.

The "Mother and Son" form another beautiful sight, as side by side they stand. The former is 315 feet in height, and the latter 302 feet. Unitedly, their circumference is 93 feet.

The "Horseback Ride" is an old, broken, and long prostrate trunk, 150 feet in length, hollow from one end to the other, and in which, to the distance of 72 | feet, a person can ride on horseback. At the narrowest place inside, this tree is 12 feet high,

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" is another fanciful name, given to a tree that is hollow, and in which twenty-five persons can be seated comfortably, (not, as a friend at our elbow suggests, in each others laps, perhaps!) This tree is 305 feet in height,

and 91 feet in circumference.

The "Pride of the Forest" is one of the most beautiful trees of this wonderful grove. It is well-shaped, straight, and sound; and, although not quite as large as some of the others, it is nevertheless a noble-looking member of the grove, 275 feet in height, and 60 feet in circumference.

The "Beauty of the Forest" is similar in shape to the above, and measures 307 feet in height, and 65 feet in circumfer

ence.

The "Two Guardsmen" stand by the roadside at the entrance of the "clearing," and near the cottage. They seem to be the sentinels of the valley. In height, these are 300 feet; and in circumference, one is 65 feet, and the other 69 feet.

Next, though last in being mentioned, not least in gracefulness and beauty, stand the "Three Sisters"-by some

Of those three trees in that stupendous grove
On which we gazed in wonder; three, alike
In height, bulk, form-symmetrical and tall.
Their stems, unsinuous, rise aloft towards Heaven,
Nature's baptismal blessing on the earth,
As if to gaze upon the dwelling place
Of Him who bade them grow as witnesses
Of His creative glory. And the three,

And pierce the font-like clouds that shower down

Alike protecting, shade the tender plants,
That nestle at their base :-like thee, dear Agnes.

Many of the largest of these trees have been deformed and otherwise injured, by the numerous and large fires that have swept with desolating fury over this forest, at different periods. But a small portion of decayed timber, of the Taxodium genus, can be seen. Like other varieties of the same species, it is less subject to decay, even when fallen and dead, than other woods.

Respecting the age of this grove there has been but one opinion among the best informed botanists, which is this—that each concentric circle is the growth of one year; and as nearly three thousand concentric circles can be counted in the stump of the fallen tree, it is correct to conclude that these trees are nearly three thousand years old. This," says the Gardener's Calendar, "may very well be true, if it does not grow above two inches in diameter in twenty years, which we believe to be the fact."

66

Could those magnificent and venerable forest giants of Calaveras county be gifted with a descriptive historical tongue, we could doubtless learn of many wonderful changes that have taken place in California within the last 3,000 years!

Until the fall of 1855, the grove we have just described was considered the only one to be found in the State, of the same variety; but, at the time alluded to, Mr. J. E. Clayton, while running the survey of a canal for Col. Fremont, discovered another grove of mammoth trees; and which, in 1857, were visited, and described in the following manner, by Colonel Warren, of the "California Farmer":

The first tree we measured was "Rambler," and measuring it three and a half feet from the ground, found it eighty feet in circumference; close at the ground, one hundred and two feet, and, carefully surveyed, two hundred and fifty feet high. Tree No. 2, nearly fifty feet in circumference. No. 3, (at the spring,) ninety feet, three and a half feet from the ground, one hundred and two at the ground, and three hundred feet high. Nos. 4 and 5 we call the sisters, measuring eighty-two and eightyseven feet in circumference, and two hundred and twenty-five feet high. Many of the trees had lost portions of their tops by the storms that had swept over them. After measuring the first five trees, we divided our company, two taking the southeast direction, and two with myself the northerly, and keeping record of each tree measured, which resulted as follows:

The whole number measured was

one hundred and fifty-five, and these comprise but about half the group, which we estimate cover about two to three

hundred acres, and lie in a triangular form. Some of the trees first meet your view in the vale of the mountain; thence rise south-easterly and north-westerly, till you find yourself gazing upon the neighboring points, some ten miles from you, whose tops are still covered with their winter snows. The following are the numbers and measurement of the trees,

1 tree, 102 feet in circumference; 1 tree 97 feet; 1 tree, 92 feet; 3 trees, each 76 feet; 1 tree, 72 feet; 3 trees, each 70 feet; 1 tree 68 feet; 1 tree, 66 feet; 1 tree, 63 feet; 3 trees, each 63 feet; 2 trees, each

60 feet; 1 tree, 59 feet; 1 tree, 58 feet; 3 trees, each 57 feet; 1 tree, 56 feet; 3 trees, each 55 feet; 2 trees, each 54 feet; 1 tree, 53 feet; 1 tree, 51 feet; 4 trees, each 50 feet; 6 trees, each 49 feet; trees, each

48 feet; 2 trees, each 47 feet; 3 trees, each 46 feet; 2 trees, each 45 feet; tree, 44 feet; 2 trees, each 43 feet; 2 trees, each 42 ft: 1 tree, 40 ft; 1 tree, 35 ft; 2 trees, each 36 ft; 2 trees, each 32 ft; 1 tree, 28 ft; 2 trees, each 100 feet; 1 tree, 82 feet; tree, 80 feet; 2 trees, each 77 feet; 1 tree, 76 feet; 3 trees, each 75 feet; 1 tree, 64 feet; 4 trees, each 65 feet; 2 trees, each 63 feet; 1 tree, 61 feet; 10 trees, each 60 feet; down to 52 feet; 3 trees, each 59 feet; 1 tree each from 58 trees, each 51 feet; 6 trees, each 50 feet; 1 tree, 49 feet: 1 tree, 47 feet; 1 tree, 46 feet; 2 trees, each 45 feet; 1 tree, 43 feet; 7 trees, each 44 feet; 4 trees, each 42 feet; 3 trees, each 41 feet; trees, each 40 feet,

Some of these were in groups of three, four, and even five, seeming to spring from the seeds of one cone.

Several of these glorious trees we have, in association with our friend, named. The one near the spring we call the Fountain Tree, as it is used as the source of the refreshment. Two trees measuring ninety and ninety-seven feet in circumference, were named the Two Friends.

The

groups

of trees which we measured

consisted of many of peculiar beauty and interest. One of those which measured one hundred feet in circumference, was of exceeding gigantic propertions, and towering up three hundred feet, and yet a portion of its top, where it apparently measured ten feet in diameter, had been swept off by storms. While we were measuring this tree, a large eagle came and perched upon it, emblematical of the grandeur of this forest as well as that of our country. The cones that lay in masses beneath this tree were twelve and

Not

eighteen inches long, [!]and some of them longer. Near by it stood a smaller tree that seemed a child to it, yet it measured forty-seven feet in circumference. far from it was a group of four splendid trees, 250 feet high, which we named the Four Pillars, each over fifty feet in circumference. Two gigantic trees, measuring seventy-five and seventy-seven feet, were named Washington and Lafayette; these were noble trees. Another group of these we called The Graces, from their peculiar beauty. One mighty tree that had fallen by fire and burned out, and into which we walked for a long distance, there he had made his nest, and it exciwe found to be the abode of the grizzly; ted the nerves to enter so dark an abode. Yet it was a fitting place for a grizzly.

Another tree, measuring eighty feet, and standing aloof, was called the Lone Giant; It went heavenward some three hundred feet. Another monster tree that had fallen and been burned out hollow has been recently tried, by a party of our friends, just riding, as they fashionably do in the saddle, through the tunnel of the tree. These friends rode through this tree, a distance of 153 feet, and the same feat can be done now. The tree has been long fallen, and measured, ere its bark was gone, and its sides charred, over a hundred feet in circumference, and probably 350 feet in height.

The mightiest tree that has yet been found, now lies upon the ground, and fallen as it lies, it is a wonder still; it is charred, and time has stripped it of its heavy bark, and yet as we measured it across the butt of the tree as it lay upturned, it measured thirty-three feet with out its bark, and there can be no question that in its vigor, with its bark on and upright, it measured forty feet in diameter, or one hundred and twenty feet in circumference. Only about one hundred and fifty feet of the trunk remains, yet the cavity where it fell, is still a large hollow beyond the portion burned off; and upon pacing it, measuring from the root 120 paces, and estimating the branches, this tree must have been four hun

dred feet high. This tree we believe to be the largest tree yet discovered, and this forest we claim as the Parent Forest of the World.

No description we can give could convey to our readers the wonder and awe with which one is impressed, when standing beneath these giant trees; a feeling creeps upon you of inexpressible reverence for these trees, and one does not wish to speak aloud, but rather be silent and think. Man here feels his own nothingness, and his soul, unbidden, breaths that hymn-"Be thou O God exalted high,”— and praise rises from the heart to the lips spontaneously. No one, it seems to us, can enter this grove and not acknowledge the Deity and do him reverence. Would we had time and space to speak more of this wonderful Forest. We do not wish to take aught from our Calaveras friends, but if they will go and see this, they will cheerfully yield the palm, both in size and numbers.

MONUMENT TO THE UNKNOWN DEAD.

BY CALVIN B. McDONALD.

The American stone-cutter has en

graved many illustrious names on pillars uplifted by national gratitude. The builders have built none too high; nor have they wrought unworthily in rearing magnificent structures for the apotheosis of heroes who look haughtily down from the heights of fame on aspiring palace and humble cottage. Let every stone that lifts the statue of WASHINGTON a cubic nearer the clouds be blessed by all the United People; and let every sand-grain that may fall from his monuments be reverently carried to a holy place in the great temple of Liberty, by pilgrims who come up in succeeding centuries to behold the stupendous pillar reared by sons of the hero's compatriots.

But, reverencing the world-renowned, let not the nation be unmindful of the brave men whose names and fame were buried in the soldier's shallow grave. The monument of their works aspires before the reverent gaze of nations, like a frosted promontory in the sun; their flesh may have been the banquet of turbulent wolves or clamorous crows. Their bones may have been jostled by the plow-share of advancing pioneers; their histories

of Mendocino.

N. P. WILLIS.