The Portland daily press., 1867-10-07
Miscellany.
The Walled Lakes.


A correspondent of the Chicago Journal
writing from Des Moines, Iowa, says:
saw not long since an innuendo in Chi
cago paper chat the walled lake of this State
was probably myth. 1t is not only fact,
but two facts There is one in Wright coun-
ty and one in Sac County. They are indeed
wonderful, and the former is almost ineom-
prehensible. III. G. Ripley furnishes the fol-
lowing description of the one in Sac County:
He says it is situated in the North part of
township SO, range SO, and South part of
township 81, range 80. Its greatest length is
about five miles, and from one-half to two
miles in width. 1t is abeautiful sheet of clear
water, with nice, gravelly bottom.
AT the northeast end OF the lake there
commences beautiful gravel bank, gradual
iy sloping into the water, and con-
tlnues around by the North side for about
one quarter OF a mile. The wall then
commences, the banks become very
steep, and average from three to six feet IN
heignt. The lake gets wider, and as it wild
ems Inc walls are heavier, and at its greatest
Wluth the walls are very thick, containing
great boulders. About one mile and fourth
rom the east end OF the lake, up the north
BANK, there is a le7ee. from two to five feet
M helght across low piece of ground, resenl-
bling very much the levees on the Lower
mississippi River, with this exception; next
to the water is stone. The levee gradually
ascends to the top, dirt being thrown on the
stone, and person can ride round on the
the top of it in safety.
Further West, along the shore, there is a
slough over one hundred yards in width, and
the levee across 1t here is from five to eight
Ieet IN height. The lake, short distance
west OF this, begins to grow narrow, the
walls cease to be SO thick as to contain
such great stone, and as you approach the
west end stone is not SO frequently seen in
the banks. At the West end of the
lake slough comes in from the BOYER
me lake then makes quite circle round to
tne ooath, anu forms most beautiful PENN
sula of nearly two hundred acres of high. roll
ing, excellent prairie land, and approaches so
near the main waters of the lake as to leave
room barely wide enough for wagon to pass.
a settler has put a pair of bars across the
lsthmus, and in this manner has obtained
pasture OF two hundred acres securely fenced
all around. The wall commences on The east
sue OF the Boyer slough, and continues around
the south side oil the lake to the northeast
corner, and levees are thrown up at all low
places. The levee is SO complete that per-
son can walk almost entirely around the lake
ON it. - WV '''''e
AT several places on the south side. on high
ground, embellishments were thrown IN as
though they intended to form breastwnrEs
Aney MAKE spiendld places for person to
Walk up from behind unseen to shoot ducks
and geese on the lake. don't know whether
they were built for that purpose or not: but
think the design was splendid, and it is fine
fun to lay behind them and shoot AQUATIC
BIRDS as they swim in the lake or light in it.
Inc Ievee in many places is built of stone,
gravel, and dirt, all combined--in other places
OF stone covered from the North or South side
with dirt, the real rich black soil. 1t in fact
real curiosity, and the more you look at it
the more you wonder who did it. How came
tnose great, large stones, of two or more tons
IN weight in the banks, and in MANY places
lying upon top of the smaller stone. Who
maoe such perfect and complete levees all
around the lake in the low placesp The walls
resemble very much the cobble-srone fences
seen around farms in Pennsylyan Western
New York, Michigan, and Indiana 1t is a
splendid place for fishing, and abounds in the
very finest quality OF. fish in great abundance.