FOSSIL FORESTS. 259 



already mentioned, were prostrate and lying in 

 one dii'ection— -from north to south. The forest 

 was, I believe, discovered in 1867. To the credit 

 of one " Charlie " Evans, a Swede, is due its ex- 

 cavation and disclosure, though whether he was 

 the actual discoverer of it, I am unable to say. 

 However, he became an early possessor of the 

 forest by obtaining a grant of the land from 

 Government^ — before it was known that there 

 were any petrified trees underground ; and now 

 he is complete master of the situation. ... In his 

 cabin he had many fine polished pieces of petrified 

 roots of the trees, as well as some splendid agatized 

 specimens,-^all obtained from this forest.' 



It is easy to note the results of metamorphosis 

 as indicated by the changed form assumed by the 

 same chemical substances after the lapse of time, 

 and it is comparatively easy to ascertain that the 

 beautiful principle of crystallization is the agent 

 employed in many of the changes ; but who can 

 understand the mystery which enshrouds the 

 ' motive force ' in all these marvellous processes ? 



s 2 



