236 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA 



in the more accessible sections of the forest along 

 side of bridle-paths that cross the range. Sequoia 

 seeds at first brought from twenty to thirty dollars 

 per pound, and therefore were eagerly sought after. 

 Some of the smaller fruitful trees were cut down in 

 the groves not protected by government, especially 

 those of Fresno and King's River. Most of the Se 

 quoias, however, are of so gigantic a size that the 

 seedsmen have to look for the greater portion of 

 their supplies to the Douglas, who soon learns he is 

 no match for these freebooters. He is wise enough, 

 however, to cease working the instant he perceives 

 them, and never fails to embrace every opportunity 

 to recover his burs whenever they happen to be 

 stored in any place accessible to him, and the busy 

 seedsman often finds on returning to camp that 

 the little Douglas has exhaustively spoiled the 

 spoiler. I know one seed-gatherer who, whenever 

 he robs the squirrels, scatters wheat or barley be 

 neath the trees as conscience-money. 



The want of appreciable life remarked by so 

 many travelers in the Sierra forests is never felt 

 at this time of year. Banish all the humming in 

 sects and the birds and quadrupeds, leaving only 

 Sir Douglas, and the most solitary of our so-called 

 solitudes would still throb with ardent life. But 

 if you should go impatiently even into the most 

 populous of the groves on purpose to meet him, 

 and walk about looking up among the branches, 

 you would see very little of him. But lie down at 

 the foot of one of the trees and straightway he will 

 come. For, in the midst of the ordinary forest 

 sounds, the falling of burs, piping of quails, the 



