BOTANICAL INFOEMATION. 



109 



The scaffolding by which the bark was reached and taken off is also 

 seen in the view. This tree was stripped of its bark to the height of 

 120 feet, in the spring of 1854, by Mr. George Gale, requiring the 

 labour of five men ninety days ; during this time a person fell from the 

 staging 100 feet, but fortunately escaped with a broken limb. The 

 tree is still green and flourishing, showing no signs of decay. 



" 8. We are now amidst the ' Family Group,' and standing near the 

 uprooted base of the ' Father of the Forest;' the scene is grand and 

 beautiful beyond description ; the venerable ' Father' has long since 

 bowed his head in the dust, yet how stupendous even in his ruin ! he 

 measures 112 feet in circumference at the base, and can be traced 300 

 feet, where the trunk was broken by falling against another tree ; it 

 here measures 18 feet in diameter, and according to the average taper of 

 the other trees, this venerable giant must have been 450 feet in height 

 when standing. A hollow chamber, or burnt cavity, extends tlu-ough 

 the trunk 200 feet, large enough for a person to ride through; near 

 its base a never-failing spring of water is found ; walking upon the 

 trunk, and looking from its uprooted base, the mind can scarcely con- 

 ceive its prodigious dimensions ! while on either hand tower his giant 

 sons and daughters, forming the most impressive scene in the forest. 



" 9. Passing onward, we reach the ' Husband and Wife,' leaning 

 affectionately toward one another ; they are each 60 feet in circum- 

 ference and 250 feet in height. 



" 10. * Hercules,' one of the most gigantic trees in the whole forest, 

 stands leaning in our path; this tree, like many others, has been 

 burned at the base; it is 325 feet high and is 97 feet in circumference. 

 This specimen would make 72,500 feet of lumber: upon the burnt 

 space near the base is the inscription 'J. M. Wooster, Ju. 1850,' sup- 

 posed to have been made by the discoverer of the grove. 



" 11. The 'Hermit,' standing solitary and alone, is next observed; 

 this tree, straight and well-proportioned, measures 320 feet high and 



60 feet in circumference. 



" 12. Still returning towards the hotel by the lower trail, we pass 

 the 'Mother and Son,' which together measure 93 feet m circum- 

 ference ; the ' Mother' is 320, the ' Son ' a hopeful youth of 300 feet^ 



" 13. The « Siamese Twins and Guardian' form the "^^^ Sro"p ; the 

 'Twins' have one trunk at the base, separating at the height of 40 

 feet, each measuring 300 feet high; the ' Guardian is 80 feet in cir- 

 cumference and is 325 feet high. 



