(Rocfy> (mountain TUonbetrfanb 



high, was sound to the core, and had lived 

 through two thousand one hundred and seventy- 

 one years. Its existence began in the year 271 

 B.C. After more than five centuries of life, in 

 a.d. 245 it was in the pathway of a forest fire 

 from which it received a bad burn on the lower 

 trunk. It was one hundred and five years be- 

 fore this burn was fully covered with tissue and 

 bark. 



Following this fire came the peaceful pro- 

 cession of twelve centuries. Eleven hundred 

 and ninety-six times the golden poppies came 

 to glorify the green hills of spring, while the 

 songs of mating birds filled woods and meadows. 

 More than a thousand times the aspens ripened 

 and scattered their golden leaves, while this 

 serene evergreen grew and towered more and 

 more noble through the centuries. 



Elsewhere the forests were dim with smoke, 

 and on the Sierra during these centuries the 

 heroic "big trees" received many a scar from 

 fire. But not until 1441 did fire again try this 

 veteran. Soon after this burn was healed there 

 came a third fire. This was less injurious than 



132 



