THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



[THIRD SERIES.] 

 No. 15. MARCH 1859. 



XIX. — On the Mammoth-tree of Upper California. 

 By Berthold Seemann, Ph.D., F.L.S. 



When, at the conclusion of the Mexican war, Upper California 

 was ceded to the United States of America, a report that the 

 newly transferred territory was teeming with gold suddenly 

 changed lonely forests into busy mining districts. Exploring 

 parties of adventurous immigrants spread over the face of the 

 whole country, and many a valley and creek never before trodden 

 by the foot of the white man was visited, in hopes of reaping 

 there an abundant harvest of the precious metal. Stories of most 

 wonderful discoveries soon filled every newspaper, some of which 

 proved utterly fictitious, while, again, others seemed to bear 

 out the old adage that '^ truth is stranger than fiction." But, 

 as often happens, fiction was in many instances implicitly be- 

 lieved in, whilst the sober truth was absolutely rejected. Among 

 the statements which shared the latter fate was that of an 

 adventurous Californian, who, penetrating into the recesses 

 of the Sierra Nevada, had met, near the head-waters of the 

 Stanislaus and San Antonio rivers, with a grove of trees rival- 

 ling, if not surpassing in height the highest buildings in the 

 universe. So little, indeed, was it believed, that even the name 

 of the discoverer is not known, unless we accept a Califor- 

 nian tradition which points to J. M. Wooster, and is so far 

 borne out by actual evidence, that there exists on one of the 

 trees, now termed " Hercules " by the people, the inscription of 

 "J. M. Wooster, Ju. 1850.'^ Soon afterwards this extraordinary 

 grove, which henceforward obtained the name of " the Mammoth- 

 tree Grove," from the vegetable giants being called the " Mam- 

 moth-trees," was visited repeatedly, and the accuracy of the 

 rejected statement was ascertained beyond a doubt. Strangers 

 Ann. ^ Ma^. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol. iii. 11 



