The Nevada Democrat., 1862-08-16
NUMBER 653

Another Salt Lake aud n Sea Serpent.
The Carson City Age relates the follow.
ing interesting story:
Our fellow.tOwnsman, Dow IIuntsman.
VINO mas been out on the American Desert,
between The Carson aud Humboldt rivers.
looking up cattle, has furnished us with u
lew items IN regard 10 new Salt Lake on
the aforesaid deseet that bids fair to eclipse
that one possessed 10y our Mormon brethern
further east On the American Desert,
about sixty miles from this city, and some
four miles from the Carson river, and about
one mile from the old emigrant road cross.
ing that desert. there is u small laks of ex.
tremely salt water; said TO be almost If not
quite third salter than The water 10 the
famous Salt Lake in MormOndOm. Persons
who have visited both lakes pronounce il
so. This lake is In basin OF the desert.
aud The surface of II is probably two hun.
dred feet lower than The level of the desert.
There appears to have been natural banks
10 il higher than the desert. and the drifting
of the sand has made them still higher. The
lake is some three miles in circumference.
aud has been founded 10 the depth Of fifteen
hundred feet without finding any bottom.
The persons who sounded il had only fifteen
hundred feet Oi line, aud therefore were
unable to go further and ascertain its true
depth. There IL no vegetation surrounding
The Lake except few rushes and willows
that grow near segeral springs adjacent aud
lowing iut0 II. One of these is tine spTing
OF sul phnr water, and the others are said ID
be cool and excellent fresh water. At pre-
sent there is a road running by the lake.
and many Of the emgranls stop there TO
avail themselves of the pure fresh water To
be obtained from the springs.
II this lake has not some subterranean
communication with the ocean, there is u
chance for some scientific gentleman to dis
play his talents by giving us satisfactory
reason why II has tide that et bs aud nowe.
We are positively assured that during "a
hOuIs the water ia II rises aud falls two
feet. IL what we have heard is correct,
some of the enterprsing scientific men of
the Pacific Coast bad better visit that local.
ity and give US some reliable information
in reference to the lake. But the most re-
markable story is yet 10 be told. They have
a sea se:p pent there which lie hard to eclipse
A few days ago some men encamped on the
banks, near one ~ the springs, had slaugh-
tered sheep and left il lying on the bank
During the time they were there the mon-
ster serpent made his appearance, attracted
doubtless by the dead sheep. He did not
emerge entirely from The water. but came
out 10 where il was very shallow, and Was
then frightened off at the appearance of the
men, who are supposed 10 have been ~
badly frightened as was the snake. They
did not see his full length. hut assert that
they saw as much as sixty feet Of him, and
believe that be was. from appearances, OF
least one hundred and fifty feet in length,
aud larger around the body than any me-
dium sized man. The Indians In that VII
cinity corrGboraie The story Of the large
serpent, and assert that he has frequently
frightened them away from The lake. The
ducks and geese visit The lake and lay their
eggs in parts Of it where they can make
nests in the rushcs. The Indians have been
in the habit Of building small boats from
the tules and going in aud getting The eggs.
While thus engaged. they say the serpent
has several times made his appearance and
driven them Off Efforts will be made 10
capture the old fellow, aud If they prove
successful we shall then have an Opportu.
nifty TO give a better account of him.