The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-05-17
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 ID, 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, VIII ch visit
the lake in great numbers, become so
loaded down with crystallization 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
mot less than ten pounds in some in
stances. During the first stages the
CRYSTALS are quite evenly disposed over
ali 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, II at all
and, if formed from the bill or head,
soon causes its death by drowning.
The crystalllatiOn always takes place
in the night time, and entirely disap-
pears after few hours exposure to the
morning sun, or in the fresh water springs
on the border OF the lake. The condl-
tons necessary to produce the crystals IN
this manner are no less remarkable. 1t
occurs during the spring months oniy'
and only on clear nights with Il north
wind-never on cloudy nights or with
the wind from any other quarter than
! the north. The lake, which Is about
mile and quarter in length and, per
haps, n mile in width, il not over three
feet in depth at the deepest, strong
winds, no matter from what direction,
aritate il, waters to the bottom, giving
them milky or yelowish cast. II this
effect were produced by the desiccatiug
north winds exclusively, it might afford
some clue to the cause of the excessive
crystallization at such times, but it is
not: other winds stir the gases from the
bottom quite as much or more than that.
During the lieutenants stay in the
valley the wind one night was from the
north, but the sky was overcast. AH
foretold by Capt. Joe, no ducks were
caught next morning. The following
night the wind was from the same point
but there were no clouds. On such oc-
casions the Indians spend the entire
night in singing and in their peculiar in
carnations, in iull faith that they trnly
! inspire an abundant harvest OF ducks III
the early morning. Their faith was nlly
realized on this occasion, for, before the
suns rays had touched the acrid water,
Capt. Joe aud his band had caught
scores of the hapless birds.
The principal supply OF the laSe seois
from two immense and oottomles, PoVl,
or artesian waters located quite eiose iU -
;ts edge. The valley itself Is en.'t.;I ;, pn;I
surrounded by high ., mounhsa;,n' hs;ns r"tbinr
and general characteristics being rp'ps "rIs
"nusnal TO the country'-i"yo (o"H'
Iadtpendenf.