Ancient Giants 145 



ing I was ready for my expedition. So, all 

 aboard, I committed myself to Him who hears 

 "the ravens' clamorous cry," and drifted with 

 the tide up the center of the bayou. With scull 

 in hand, I guided my boat and with my eyes 

 drank in the beauty of the scene. It was a lovely 

 morning cool and refreshing, the air laden with 

 the spicy fragrance of evergreens that lined the 

 elevated bench inshore. The delicious aroma of 

 spring flowers delighted the senses, while acres 

 of water lilies with kidney shaped leaves and 

 white and yellow flowers rested in graceful atti- 

 tudes upon the water. Along the shore line were 

 dense masses of moss; while serried ranks of 

 rushes and long grass cast waving shadows 

 athwart the sluggish stream. Behind on the 

 solid earth the stately redwood, poplars, mag- 

 nolia, figs and many other trees, cast their 

 shadows across the bayou. These splendid 

 forms 



Of God's first temple reared, 



Whose lofty trunks, like soldiers file 

 As if their God they feared. 



There they stand in solemn grandeur. Near 

 the shore was a thick growth of underwood, 

 while inland clear spaces were visible owing to 

 the fact that the close crowned heads of the 

 forest prevented the rays of the sun from pass- 

 ing through them to the ground below, and noth- 



