The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-05-11
A Wonderful Lake.

We have more than once heard of the
wonderful properties of the waters OF
Deep Spring Valley lake, but, until the
present, not with sufficient of detail to
give the story full credence. Lieut..
Wotherspoon, company d, twelfth United
States infantry, in command of the re-
lief party for Capt. Joe's Indians, passed
several days last week in the valley, and
bears witness to the literal truth of the
remarkable phenomena. These are, that
at certain times the ducks, which visit
the lake in great numbers, become 20
loaded down with capitalization of
borax, salt, or some other substance, that
they are utterly unable to fly, and while
in this condition become an easy prey to
the Indians, who wade into the water
and pick them up in their hands. In
fact, this substance often collects upon
the birds bills in such weight as to ac-
tually drag their heads under and drown
them. As asserted by Mr.. Beasely and
family, who have lived near the lake for
years, the ducks are often loaded with
several pounds, weight of this substance
not less than ten pounds in some in
stances. During the first stages the
crystals are quite evenly disposed over
all the birds feathers above water, stick
ing them together as firmly as il glued.
Then it accumulates in punches of
strings, forming drags or RATS with which
the bird can swim but slowly, il at all;
and, il formed from the bill or head,
100 causes its death by drowning.
The capitalization always takes place
IN the night time, and entirely disap-
pears after a few hours exposure to the
.morningssun, or in the fresh water springs
on the border OF the lake. The condi-
tions necessary to produce the crystals in
this manner are no less remarkable. It
occurs during the spring months only,
and only on clear nights with a north
on cloudy nights or with
the wind from any other quarter than
the north. The lake, which is about a
mile and a quarter in length and, per-
haps, a mile in width, is not over three
feet in depth at the deepest. Strong
no matter from what direction,
it. waters to the bottom, giving
them a milky or yellowish cast. If this
fleet were produced by the desiccating
winds exclusively, it might afford
UNIV Siup w II ShuSC VI ihC CAtNSSlNt |
,rystallization at such times, but it is
lot; other winds stir the gases from the
quite as much or more than that.
During the l~ieutenant's stay in the
alley the wind one night was from the
orth, but the sky was overcast. As
,retold by Capt. Joe, no ducks we're +,
aught next morning. The following -,
light the wind was from the same point :
ut there were no clouds. On such oc. !,
asiens the Indians spend the entire a.,
light in singing and in their peculiar in !
antations, in full faith that they truly :
lspire an abundant harvest of ducks ia !
lie early morning. Their faith was fully :
allied on this occasion, for, before the y
ms rays had touched the acrid water, !,
apt. Joe and his band had caught -
ores of the hapless birds. :,
The principal supply of the lake is q
Dm two immense and bottomless pools Il,
a~rtesian waters located quite close TO \,
edge. The valley itself is entirely co
rounded by high mountains, its soil q.
d general characteristics being nothing ~,
usual to the country.-hyo (CaL) CO.
dependent. so'