On October 30, 1833, Captain Walker and his men got their first look at the giant
sequoia trees, calling them "incredibly large, of some redwood type. Some measured 16-18 fathoms around the trunk." The men had passed through the stands of the great sequoia, probably in present Merced Grove. They were the first white man to ever see sequoias of that size.
In this area they also found white water rapids and beautiful deep eddies of clear water coming into the San Joaquin Valley, Captain Joe's men were beginning to enjoy a bit a paradise and were the first group of white men to ever see these views.
Next time...An Astronomy Lesson
