GIGANTIC TREES OF CALIFORNIA. 115 



rode on horseback in the interior of this tree for a 

 distance of 200 feet, without any inconvenience. My 

 companions and myself have frequently entered this 

 tunnel, and progressed some 60 paces, but have been 

 arrested before reaching the end by means of wood 

 which had fallen from the ceiling. Near these over- 

 thrown giants others still are standing not inferior to 

 them in size, and of which the height astonishes the 

 beholder." 



In reading of a tree 450 feet high, and 30 feet in 

 diameter, we are struck with large figures, but we 

 must have some familiar object with which to com- 

 pare it before we can fully realize the magnitude of 

 such an object. If the tree above described was 

 placed in the chasm of the Niagara river at the 

 Suspension Bridge, it would stand 200 feet above 

 the top of the bridge. By the side of Trinity Steeple 

 in Broadway, New York, it would overtop it by 160 

 feet. It would be 230 feet higher than Bunker Hill 

 Monument, and 270 feet above the Washington Monu- 

 ment in Baltimore. If cut up for fuel, it would make 

 at least 2500 cords, or as much as would be yielded 

 by 60 acres of good woodland. If sawed into inch 

 boards, it would yield about 2,500,000 feet, and fur- 

 nish sufficient 3-inch plank for 25 miles of Plank- 

 road. This is quite enough for the product of one 

 little seed less in size than a grain of wheat. 



By counting the annual rings, it appears that some 

 of the oldest specimens have attained the age of 3000 

 years. If this computation be correct, and there is 

 probably no good reason to doubt it, they must cer- 



