The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-07-27
THE GEM OF THE sIERRAs.


Truckce is a thriving railroad town,
and the starting point for Lake Tahoe
called the "Gem of the Sierras." The
road from Truckee winds along Truckee
River up a canyon bearing the same
name. Ii Is fourteen miles long, and
a succession Of fine views the whole
length Of the road. The snow-clad 81
erras are on our right, and beautifully
timbered hills on each side of the river.
A few miles up the canyon a successful
fish farm is in operation, where tens of
thousands of trout can be seen in every
stage Of a trout's existence. As we
read Of the canyon. we find we are also
AZ the outlet, or head Of the Truckee
River, whose waters, like all the other
rivers of Nevada, are lost in sinks. None
Of them have an outlet into the ocean.
The view as we emerge from the can
yon is beautiful. The broad expansc Of
the majestic lake lies before us, encir-
cled on all sides by towering mountains.
Half Of the lake Is in Nevada, the other
half in California. II is 20 miles long
and from II TO Is miles wide, and has
been sounded to a depth of 1000 feet.
Its waters are a beautiful ultramarine,
and it may be called the purest water in
the world, containing by analysis only
4 per cent. Of impurities. Ii Is so light
and mobile as to be easily lashed into
foam, or Gained to a mirror-like nj
face. In the early morning it is like a
looking-glass, with surrounding objects
reflected in il with surprising accuracy.
Several steamers Of small tonnage are
used in navigating il. Its altitude i
about $500 feet, il is always cool and
pleasant in the hottest weather. The
lake never freezes, and never gives up
its dead. No person that was drowned
has been known 20 rise to the sur
face. Wood, a. soon a. il j. saturated.
sinks 70 the bottom. The water il a.
clear as a crystal, and huge rocks fifty
feet down are plainly d~iscerniblc. In
fact, il i a marvel and the very contrast
Of bur own Salt Lake: for that i 80
dense and sluggish as 10 offer great re-
s~istance 10 the human body, and every
thing else that will float.
The finest place on the lake 4 Emerald
Bay. Ben Holiday owns a beautiful
place at the head Of it-a very neat resi-
dence in a shady nook with the snow
clad SUBMITS Of the sierras for a back
ground, and a magnificent waterfall for
the middle distance. The foreground is
every thing an artist can desire. Near
BY Is the beautiful little islet called the
Emerald Isle, on which an old salt call
ed Sailor Dick built a home and a grave
where he intended 10 be buried should
he die on land, but | am credibly in
formed that he got on a drunken spree
and sunk, 10 rise no more, in the lake.
The property il now in charge Of anoth-
err seaman, called Sailor Jack. He may
properly be called the hermit Of Emer-
aid Bay, for there in the deep recesses
he lives without the society Of any other
human being, his only companions be-
ing three dogs and four cats. He Is in
deed q curiosity, but the soul Of good
nature. Old Dicks fate seems to have
set him thinking, for he i q total alb
stainer now. The story Of his CONVEX
sion Is worth being told. lie relates
that on one occasion. when crossing the
lake, a squat upset his small boat.
Down he went with It, he says, seven
feet. He swan 70 the surface and
grasped firmly his demijohn 81 whisky
IN one hand and the upset boat in the
other. He thought, Now this might
be my last drink, and AZ il Il cold | will
take 4 swallow He then took 4 look
at the favorite bottle and hesitatcd 10
throw away \ much good liquor, and
thinking il was cold thought he would
fr.v x=af au,.fhar anI thora ~ n o,lJ
dark night, with the prospect Of death
staring him In the face, he vowed 10 take
his last drink Of firc-water. This reso-
luton he has firmly kept.
a cascade Of surprising beauty Is seen
at the head d the bay. II i over 100
feet high. The towering masses Of rock
on each side make a beautiful setting for
this shower Of pearls.