Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-02-18
Natural Wonders in Texas,

l have in my time been in many of the
most remarkable places in the world.
and now have turned up, rs | think, in
that which is the most remarkable of all.
Sour lake is circular pool of an acre or
two IN extent, located in a depression of
the most elevated piece of land in a wide
scope OF country. 1t rises above the con-
tlguous territory as an island in the sea
rises above the water. Now conceive a
depression in the centre of our island,
fllled with bubbling, boiling pond, as
round as well, surrounded by a dense
forest. and we have Sour lake and its
topography.
On the edges Of the lake or pool are
located most of the wells, five or six feet
in depth, with plank curbing. Some of
these are in vigorous state of ebulltion,
while others have very little of it. This
ebullition is nothing but currents of gas
escaping from the bowels of the earth.
This is made apparent by Il common ex-
pertinent here. Take common fruit can
open at one end and a small hole bored in
the other. lmmerse half of it in the
water where the ebulLion is going on,
and then touch a lighted match to the
hole. Instantly u brilliant flame pops up,
which will burn unless blown out by the
wind as long as you choose to hold the can
in position. There are Jets of gas issuing
out of the ground all about the pool, SO
that with your fruit cans and milk cans
you may have flames without one. You
may even set fire to the pools, or apparent
ly do so, by applying a match to the
surface where it is bubbling or boiling,
but these flames speedily 20 out.
Soma of thaca xuallc thrn ~, -
ish and backish oil, which collects on the
surface and may be skinned like cream.
This smel is very strongly of tar or naptha,
but at short distance is pleasant to the
nostrils. The water on which this sub
stance collects tastes precisely us the
substance smells. He who drinks of it
gets his whole body considerably infected
with the smell. This substance is gathered
here, and the people readily buy it at
dollar quart. They say it cures sores,
cuts and burns. 1t is intlammable and
burns with Il great smoke. 1t is, suppose,
liquid carbon.
Others of the wells are rs sour as crab
apples, and these invariably send up
strong odor of sulphur. They bubble and
boil considerably. and have whitish
appearance, rs if pulverized chalk had
been stirred up in them; this is white
sulphur. They have slight taste of the
fluid of carbon. These are said to act
powerfully upon the liver. and several
have told me no case of dyspepsia could
long withstand them. Then there is
another well that is strongly impregnated
with iron. Its waters are distinctly marked
from the others in appearance, being
exceedingly soft and limpid.
Then there is another well or pool,
which, if what is said of it be true is, If
not the most remarkable. vet certainly
destined to be the most renowned of ali.
They call it " Youth and Beauty" 1t
deposits II peculiar sort of sediment on the
bottom, which, as they say, has the
remarkable faculty Of beautifying the skin
and removing freckles. | am told that
this deposit is 50 much in demand that it
is not always easy to keep supply of it
during the winter season.
The site here is really n glorious one for
watering place; great prairie to the
south filled with fragrance and wild flow
ers, and a great forest in every other
direction, penetrated with labyrinthine
walks; oaks, magnolias, myrtles, hollics,
oeeches and naples and gums, and vines
without end. How easy would it be to
| light all this extensive ground into blaze
of glory at night, by utilizing the gas that
pours in torrents out of the earth.-Ldbe
Soar Letter 10 GaiueSton NeWS.