The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-01-15
THELAKE WITHOUT BOTTOM
A WONDERFUL SHEET OF WATER HIGH
UP AMONG MOUNTAINS.

Pyramid lake is nearly forty miles II
length by about fifteen TO twenty IL
width. 1t is but 1000 feet above tn
level of the sea, while Lake Tahoe i
6.216 feet above the lc7cl Of the sea
The Lake contains many islands, sev
eral of which, near the middle of th'
lake, rise to the height Of some hun
dreds of feet, and are pyramidal in foru
and light gray in color. One tall sp're
scen far down to the northward, where
the lake seems shorclcss, is perfectly
white. a large island, probably the
largest in the lake, contains six square
miles of comparatively level ground
and is covered with vegetation. Upon
this island a number Of goats were
turned loose some years since, and they
have increased at a wonderful rate, sc
that they may now be seen feeding upon
every hill. They need no care, winter
or summer. and are about as wild as the
goats found by Robinson Crusoe on the
island of Juan Fernandez. The lake
is of immense depth; it is said that neal
the centre 600 fatkoms Of line failed tc
find bottom. The waters OF the lake
are brackish, except Immediately
about the poin: where the waters OF the
Truckee river flow into it.
Owing to the brackishness of its wa
ters. to great depth, or to both depth
and brackishness. the lake never freezes
Although the lake is generally very
rough, owing to its being exposed to
sweeping westerly winds, the Piute In
dians fearlessly navigate it in all dlrec-
tions and almost at all times on their
tule raft. These RATS are often moth
Ing more than a single bundle ot tules,
but when the raft is intended to accom-
modate more than ono person, two or
three bundles are lashed together and
drawn into the shape ofa clumsy boat.
Near shore they generally pole these
craft about, but they frequently hoist
a sail made of blanket ard fearlessiy
steer away So far out upon tho lake that
only their sail remains visible. These
tulc boats very closely resemble the
catamarans used BY the natives OF some
of the islands Of the South Pacific.
They are so buoyant that it is impossl-
BILE to sink them. Far out in the lake
among the islands they set their long
lines, strung full of hooks. These they
visit on RATS. aud sometimes bring in
not less than 800 pounds Of trout at one
trip. The trout are sold at ten cents
per pound at the lake, therefore it will
readily be seen that fishing is q profit
able business.
At the north or lower end of the lake
are dozen or more islands Of rock of
peculiar and picturesque form. These
are of solid rock, and are from 300 to
400 feet in height. Alta distance they
look like monster mushrooms or eggs
standing on stems-such eggs as might
have been produced by the roc, that
bird of ancien. times, one wing Of which,
according to Ibn-El.Wardec. was 10, 900
Eathoms long
1t is impossible to climb these rocks,
as, while their stems form perpendicular
walls, it is beyond the power Of man to
ascend those parts where they begin to
swell out into domes Mr.. Stiles says
he has sounded the lake at the base OF
these fantastic islands, and, with the
longest line at his command, was unable
to fad bottom.
One of the largest of these islands,
the tall white one seen from toward the
head of the lake, is not wholly pcrpen,
dicular on all sides. On one of its sides
there is q deep slope which it is thought
might be scaled in some way. A story
is current at the lake that John q. Fire.
mont, the great pathfinder, found path
to the top of this rock. 1t is believed
that he left his field glasses and some
other instruments Of value on the sum-
NIT of the rock, AMI many attempts have
been made TO climb it in order to secure
these articles.
The last attempt to scale the pyramid
was by sailor, who usca long rope
throwing it upward till it caught upon
a projecting point Of rock. then draw
Ing himself up and then throwing ms
rope to a rock above. He reached q
height of $50 feet, when he was unable
to fiud any more projections over which
to throw his rope, and came near never
reaching level ground alive. lie was
obliged to descend in the same way as
he effected the ascent, and when he got
down he was completely exhausted; his
hands were bleeding aud he was scratch
ed from head to foot. The fishermen
have now concluded that the only way
in which the field glasses and Other
plunder can be secured Is by attaching
"A line to rock and then firing it over
the .op of the pyramid from a mortar
One Of the small rocky islands Of the
lake is alive with ruttlcsnakes. 1t is
supposed that the iir-t OF the stock was
waited to the island on ralt Of tulcs or
drift wood. Doc. Wood, who has Wis
tied the island, says there is millions
in it." The reptiles have their homes
among the rocks and live on the egg,
and young OF Waterfowl, and upon the
dead fish that are cast ashore on the
island. Mr.. Wood says that the stories
that have been told of the snakes rush.
ing in body, Kissing and rattling, tc