A THOUSAND-YEAR PINE 



the twentieth, shows that at the age 

 of twenty he sustained an injury 

 which resulted in a severe curvature of 

 the spine, and that for some years he 

 was somewhat stooped. I was unable 

 to make out from his diary whether 

 this injury was the result of a tree or 

 some object falling upon him and pin- 

 ning him down, or whether his back 

 had been overweighted and bent by 

 wet, clinging snow. As I could find no 

 scars or bruises, I think that snow 

 must have been the cause of the in- 

 jury. However, after a few years he 

 straightened up with youthful vitality 

 and seemed to outgrow and forget the 

 experience. 



A century of tranquil life followed, 

 and during these years the rapid 

 growth tells of good seasons as well as 



17 



