16 THE TREES OF AMERICA. 



that they soon assemble a whole flock of their neighbors, who jom in the noise, 

 until it becomes absolutely deafening to human ears. The squirrel, in the mean 

 time, continues his thefts until his appetite is satisfied. 



But a greater foe to the carpentero and the noble redwood is the Digger In- 

 dian, who burns down the giant for the sake of the acorns stored in the cells of 

 the industrious bird. Some of these mighty monuments of antiquity have also 

 been destroyed by the cupidity of showmen and others ; " men," as an eminent 

 author says, " who would dig up the bones of their fathers, and expose them in 

 the market-place for sale, and dispose of their household gods, of their very souls, 

 even, for pence." The poor Digger has some excuse in his hunger and his 

 ignorance for destroying these venerable monuments of the past ; but what shaU. 

 we say of the civilized man who dares to imitate him, especially where he has 

 only the desire of gain to plead in excuse ? "Will not the people of California see 

 to it that no more of these " children of elder time," whose birth was coeval 

 with that of the Pyramids, be unnecessarily destroyed. Every pains should be 

 taken to preserve them. They are monuments of the past, as are the Pyramids, 

 and much more worthy of reverence and a pilgrimage. If, as says that vrriter 

 whose fame is our nation's honor, the love and reverence of trees is worthy of 

 liberal and free born men, will not the liberal and free born men of our sister 

 state guard the redwood from all wanton injury 1 Ere long, it seems to us that 

 thousands will journey to the golden land to look upon these trees, " its greatest 

 wonder." 



Three thousand years ago — " how strange the story ! " — these trees had their 

 birth; and, while the monuments of Egypt are crumbling into dust, the red- 

 wood lives on, every fibre of its wondrous structure as soimd as if it were des- 

 tined to endure while the world lasts. And who can say when it shall become 

 aged "? The ancient cedars of Lebanon have nearly all passed away ; the cedar 

 of California has but begun its wondrous existence. AVhen the Savior walked 

 the earth, these trees had already seen twelve centuries pass by in their noiseless 

 tread; and eighteen centuries more have glided away, and still they remain, 

 clothed with a robe of living green, which may sing to the passing bree^until 

 the "Final Day." 



