Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-08-10
Silver Lake Correspondence.
SILVER LAKE, Amador Co., ]
july 9th. 1857

SlLN61h LANE, hlDuuOT SD.,
July 9th. 1867.
EDITOR CHRONICLE Before leaving the
Hill was requested by several to post them
in regard to the proper route by which to
reach this place. and what was necessary to
bring, etc. With your permission will do
SO through the columns of the CHRONICLE.
AS regards the route, there are two-one BY
way of Volcano, and the other ria Fiddle
town. Both these roads, however converge
into one. How the Volcano road is, 1 can
not say but the other is a s.hard road to
travel for twelve miles from Fiddletown.
The road is all the way up hill until you
reach Tragedy Springs, three miles from
here, where you commence coming down
/ hill. One or two people coming here would
do well to go to Volcano and take the stage
from there, which leaves every Tuesday
morning regularly, (and oftener if they have
a load) making the trip through in one day.
Fare Sc. When they reach here they will
find good hotel, where they can obtain
board and lodging for $l2 per week. Large
parties intending to stop for some time,
should hire light wagon, and bring with
them the necessary camp equipage, cooking
utensils, etc. There are quite a number of
parties camped along the margin of the Lake
at the present time, and many others are on
the way. Should any of your folks at the
Hill wish to spend the hot weather pleasant
ly, they cannot do better than visit Silver
Lake.
The lake is a beautiful sheet of water, clear
as crystal, and is two miles long and one
wide. Standing on the shore and watching
the waves roll in, they resemble huge rollers
of clear glass. Across the lake is waterfall
said to be very beautiful, but 1 have not yet
seen it. On the other side of the lake is a
huge bluff, very near a mile high, which is
perpendicular-so much so, indeed, that a
squirrel can find no foothold on it. The
lake is full of trout, which bite eagerly, and
no man thinks of fishing tor an hour without
getting from forty to fifty. One man yes
terday caught over 800 in few hours. The
climate here is delightful, just about warm
enough to be comfortable in the day time,
and cold enough in the evening to want to
60 to bed early. Should you so desire, it
would afford me great pleasure to bring or
sen6 you a few bottles of ''mountain air. -
I cannot close this without mentioning one
and the only-pest. 1t is a small insect
called a gnat. They do not bother people
much, but they are a little too much for the
poor horses. They bite them all to pieces.
saw horse this morning completely raw
from being bitten by them. l have been
furnished with the following description of
them by medical gentleman, who subjected
one to an examination by the aid of power
full microscope: They are constructed with
pair of nippers on each side, and pair
each on the head and tail when they light
on horse they fatten out and get firm
hold with their nippers; then they have a
jackscrew under their belly which they
commence working up, and keep raising
until the flesh inclosed in their nippers
comes out. You may see by that, that they
are a horrible nuisance. That description,
however, will not do to swear by; it was
given to me by a man of truth and veracity,
but if it is not true one, it is the fault of
NoBoDY.