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northwestern entrance, springing from a group of rocks in the very jaws
of the ravine, and throwing its graceful body, at an angle of nearly
forty-five degrees, far out into the sunshine of the amphitheatre. About
thirty yards east of this tree stood, however, the pride of the valley,
and beyond all question the most magnificent tree I have ever seen,
unless, perhaps, among the cypresses of the Itchiatuckanee. It was a
triple--stemmed tulip-tree--the Liriodendron Tulipiferum--one of the
natural order of magnolias. Its three trunks separated from the parent
at about three feet from the soil, and diverging very slightly and
gradually, were not more than four feet apart at the point where the
largest stem shot out into foliage: this was at an elevation of about
eighty feet. The whole height of the principal division was one hundred
and twenty feet. Nothing can surpass in beauty the form, or the glossy,
vivid green of the leaves of the tulip-tree. In the present instance
they were fully eight inches wide; but their glory was altogether
eclipsed by the gorgeous splendor of the profuse blossoms. Conceive,
closely congregated, a million of the largest and most resplendent
tulips! Only thus can the reader get any idea of the picture I would
convey. And then the stately grace of the clean, delicately--granulated
columnar stems, the largest four feet in diameter, at twenty from the
ground. The innumerable blossoms, mingling with those of other trees
scarcely less beautiful, although infinitely less majestic, filled the
valley with more than Arabian perfumes.
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