The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-11-24
THE ISLANDS OF PYRAMID LAKE.
The Undisturbed Home of Waterfowl Two
Islands Alive with Rattlesnakes
Indians Dread Of Monsters
InhabitinR the Lake.

Abiding to the islands in Pyramid Lake,
Utah, the Territorial Enterprise Of Aug. 20
says that e gentleman who has visited Pyra.
mid Lake, aud explored several of its isl.
ands at the season Of laying and incubation
for the myriads Of gulls, ducks, pelicans,
and other waterfowl that swarm upon its
water, states that at that time the larger
islands are literally white with eggs. In
walking from the shore townrd the center Of
the island it is impossible to walk fifty feet
without stepping upon some Of the eggs, 80
! thIckly are they strewn over the ground.
! The fowls inhabitug the islands are des'
cribed as being exceedingly tame they
| hover aud ilutter upon the ground about the
! intruder upon their breeding ground, or cir
| Gle and stream about his head, and with but
| little show Of fear. This absence Of fear Of
man is doubtless to be attributed to the fact
that until lately that "ieathered biped, man,
! has never been seen by them upon their
islands. Owing to certain superstitious no.
| tons held by them in regard 70 the lake, the
| Indians have never, in the memory Of their
oldest chief, visited any of the islands.
Even were they not withheld by the fear Of
the monsters in the lake and upon the
islands, they have no boats or canoes, and
know Lothing even Of that rudest nautical
art--raft navigation. Among the islands of
the lake are two small rocky ones near to
| each other, aud at no great distance from
the shore Of the lake, that are remarkable
| from the fact that they are alive with rattle
snakes. Huge and lazy old patrlarchs Of
the island, with long strips Of rattIes upon
! their tails, bask in the shade Of almost every
stone, while younger and more active mem
bers of the tribe glide about in all direc.
tons, and the intruder upon these islands Of
snakes is often treated to a serenade by a
dozen sets of rattles Of various degrees Of
power and shades Of tone. Of course Meth
er whites nor Indians would care to tarry
long on these islands nor TO cultivate more
than passing acquaintance with their mu'
steal inhabitants. II is suspected that the
reason Of these two islands being so com.
pletely alive and crawling with snakes, is
that "A few having got on their shores by
some accident, and finding convenient den8
in the rocks, they have ever since fed and
fattened upon the eggs and uniedged young
Of the brooding waterfowl, and have gone
on increasing and multiplying with nothing
to decrease or disturb them. We have said
above that the Indians have superstitious
notions about the lake and islands. These
notions appear to take no more definite form
| than vague fear Of certain black monsters
which they say inhabjt It's waters, having
been driven into the lake by the united
exertions Of their people ages ago. because
! Of their destroying the groves Of nutpiues.
| They declare that they have frequently seen
! the backs Of these monster animals protrud.
ing above the level Of the water, far out in
| the lake. These stories are doubtless with
out the slightest foundation in fact. The
| Indians are not much to blame for these no.
tons, however, for by induging in them
they do not exhibit greater degree Of sup.
er5ution than Is displayed by the white race
in all countries. But short time since
there was published an account Of three OF
four monster serpents-a hundred feet long
and four feet in Misunderstanding been seer
dspOrtiug themselves in Ovens Lake
causing its waters to boil like n pot
These Ovens Lake monsters are vouchet
for by Col. Stevens, superintendent Of {
mining company at Lone Pine, by q part
Of Mcxcaus and by party of white men
Such stories have been told in all countries
and the sea has had its monster serpent evel
since the Chinese first discovered him, ages
and ages ago. The monster or monsters Of
Pyramid Lake, however, as described by tbs
Piutes, are not serpents they more nearl!
resemble the mysterious monster of The
Lake Kurcel Sartor, one of the western
Norwegian isles, which, at uncertain inter
walls, is said to arch its back above the lone
waters of the lake, and there remain lying
like an islet, till it pleased to sink again
drawing the waters from tho shores as
goes down and creating a commotion. Th
Piutes have several times tried to point GU
to white men prospecting in that vicinity
the Pyramid Lake monsters. We have neYe
met with any one who was able to see any
thing more than the swell on the lake, black
, ened by the shadow Of a passing cloud.