The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-01-21
THE LAKE OF DEATH.

Mono Lake lies ten, miles southwest
of the dividing line between Califor-
MIA and Nevada, is about fourteen miles
long and nine wide. 1t has never
been sounded, but q trial is said to
have been made with q line three hum
dred feet long falling to, reach the bot
tom. BY chemical analysis q gallon
Of the water weighing eight pounds
was found to contain ] 200 grainsrof
solid matter, consisting principally. Of
chloride OF. sodium, carbonate Of soda,
sulphate of soda, borax, and silecia.w=77
These substances render the water so
acrid and naVseating that it is unfit
for drinking or even bathing. Leath-
er Immersed in it is soon destroyed by
its corrosive properties, and no ami
NAL, not even a fish or frog, can ex-
ist in the water for more than q short
time. The only thing able. to live
within or upon the waters of this lake
is speeiessef f1y,, which springs ffom
lafp8 bred in its bosom, after an an
ephemeral life, dies ana, collecting on
the surface is drifted ito the shore
where the remains collect in vast quan- guam!
titles. are fed upon by the ducks or
gathered by the Indians, with whom
they are "a staple article of food
Nesting under the eastern watershed
of the Sierra Mono Lake receives sew
eral considerable tributaries ;;Fahd al
though destitute of any outlet, such
is the iaridityi, Of the, satmO sphere that
it is always keptlati nearlyIa Huniform
leveldbylthe profess ofieVap6ration.EA
So;denseo andi sluggish Tis the water
rendered through Il .supersaturation
with various, salts and other foreign
matters, that onlyithe strongest winds
raise q ripple, ION its surface mas the
Sierra ;'in this neighberhoo bod reaches
nearly its greatest altitude, the sceRe-
ry;about Mono Lake is varied and ma
iestic, some parts Of it being at, the
same time marked; l;llk by al . most cheerful
and desolate aspect. The, bitter and
fatal waters of this lake render it lit
orally ,a'dead sea and its surroundings
wild, gloomy and forebodingg-zare
suggestive of sterility and DEATH
The decomposing action Of the water
is shown by its effect upon. the bodies
Of a company of Indians, twenty or
thirty in number, who, while seeking
to escape from their white pursuers,
took refuge In the lake, where they
were shot by their enemies who left
them in the water. IN the course of a
few weeks not a vestige of their bod
les was to he seen, even their bones
having been deeomposed in this pow
erful solvent! Mineral cufiosities
abound in the neighborhoeda Of Mono
Lake, among which are enuu1berless
depesiGens in the shape of tiny pine
trees.1nF51 % Hid 8hf .osIe | sysa
sIl4s S-T77 = T7TTTT vi 70 82Bsliw
REMARKABLE sET.afifu 4so
Old Farmer Gruff wasone morning
tugging away with his might and main
at a ibarrelalof apples, (which he was
endeavoring to get up the cellal, stairs,
and calling at tho top of his lungs for
one of his boys to lend a,helping hand,
but in vain. .sstr
o. When he had, p after, an infinite
amount of sweating and putting, ac-
complished the task, and just when
they'wefe most needed, of course, the
boys made their, appearance. baa .3.1it
bTs Where have you been, and what
have you been about, I'd liketo know,
that you couldn't hear my CALI an
quired the farmer in an angry tone,
and addressing the eldestu.gssa .1Ik
alsi iOut,in the shop, settin the; saw,S
replied the yegthsdmsla risd7g3 ~
sand youDick 2"'o9 ,sia-H .-lst5iE
lHHOut in the barn settin the ihen.RYsui
-tf"sE And you, sirlnsi3 uAlu gsE ItgL 4st
Cup in the granny'siroom settinI| the
elock.5ilHIoser f91af.i rrooK M
And youyoung man ?'iIj 10 7aaod
-of'Upin the galrBt sotting the tlap.P
11sHAnd now master Fred, where were
you, and what weres syou settinr ~
asked the old farmer to Ibis. youngest
progeny, the aspcrity fofrhis temper
being Il somewhatisoft by this
amusing category of answers. Come
lets heaf,2ia51l sEa suohgiiienI iHsiu
m",On the doorstep settin q still, ,'aEer
piled the young hopeful, seriously.l OF
"Alremarkable set, Ifmnst confess, "
added the amused, sire, dispensing the
group with wave of his handsii tfl