THE SEQUOIA 805 



track and it will lead you to my camp in a big 

 hollow log on the side of a meadow two or three 

 miles from here. I must ride after some strayed 

 horses, but I '11 be back before night ; in the 

 mean time make yourself at home." He galloped 

 away to the northward, I returned to my own 

 camp, saddled Brownie, and by the middle of the 

 afternoon discovered his noble den in a fallen 

 Sequoia hollowed by fire — a spacious loghouse 

 of one log, carbon-lined, centuries old yet sweet 

 and fresh, weather proof, earthquake proof, 

 likely to outlast the most durable stone castle, 

 and commanding views of garden and grove 

 grander far than the richest king ever enjoyed. 

 Brownie found plenty of grass and I found 

 bread, which I ate with views from the big 

 round, ever-open door. Soon the good Samaritan 

 mountaineer came in, and I enjoyed a famous 

 rest listening to his observations on trees, ani- 

 mals, adventures, etc., while he was busily pre- 

 paring supper. In answer to inquiries concern- 

 ing the distribution of the Big Trees he gave 

 a good deal of particular information of the 

 forest we were in, and he had heard that the 

 species extended a long way south, he knew not 

 how far. I wandered about for several days 

 within a radius of six or seven miles of the camp, 

 surveying boundaries, measuring trees, and 

 climbing the highest points for general views. 

 From the south side of the divide I saw telling 



