The sun., 1882-08-20
THE WONDERs or INYO COUNTY
Tho Strange and Lonely Valley OF Owens
Wiver-The Dead Sea OF California.

From the san Frdncsco Chronicle.
In lnyo County, stretching from the east
ern line southward toward the Molave desert.
les the Owens Lake country-a transverse val
Icy region lying between II loft spur of the Sier
ras and the lnyo range. Through its heart
flows Owens River. from its source IN the Sier-
rnS n distance of nearly $50 miles to lose itself
~ last N the waters OF Owens Lake. The river
sage brush--u fresh water stream winding its
tortuous way through miles of alkaline plain
and stretches of desert sand No line of waving
ilows like great canal, having but few fea-
tures OF n living stream. Its waters
ple IN, the sun. II is. indeed n desert
river. h@wing through a desert land. The
2W%ns ,ials lake county, Il yaSt volcanic basin
mighty upheaval are visible on every hand
lhn marks ol volcanic action are exceedingly
smoke, and the presence Of force is SO evident
that ono would bo hut little stHrtiedto SEQ some
near summit blaze with ilamc. The lnyo range
extending along the "nstern borders Of the val
Icy more than IL hundred miles. and plunging
ut last into the arid plains Of nevada is re-
OF slate and porphyry. its masses Of granite and
Its minerals. painted in the most vivid colors
by chemical action.
These mountains are the most ancient OH the
coast Ages before the Sierras were uph"aNc ed
this range was standing. Extinct cratrrs are
found here, quiet now but once giving to tho
country daily bnptlsms of ashes and fire. There
can be but little doubt that this lake region
was the centre of the hrlcest volcanic action
nrnt Thousands of square miles are burnt
shattered and buried under volcanic ashes
variety OF minerals. distributed over II wide
territory, and found in veins and deposits or
soWn broadcast over the general face o. the
country. From its peculiar situation, Owens
Lake, By many students of this region. is
thought to occupy the crater of the chief vol
eano mat; through past ages, blnzed and
burned The remembrance of time when
this country was on fire still fingers in the
traditions of the Indians who now live in
lt,Ia.
Of the valley. between the Surra. the Coso, and
the lnyo ranges occupying II basin fully
eighteen miles in lcngth by twelve in width.
1t is sheet Of water as wonderful and mys-
t"rious rs the lands that surround it. Its
shore line is whtened by deposits Of alkaline
salt Stretching around it like II band is II
wide belt. lett white and barren ny the rcceding
waters and presenting II most dcsolatc shore
Ii gives no nourishment To vegetable life Not
II tree or flower buds or blooms within its dead
sea influence. There it lies. shadowpd by the
lnity peaks Of the Sierras rising just along its
Unlike the sweet-watered Tahoe-a Jewel. full
pl ,lsht and color-this lake wallows in its
bed. Shiny worms crawl along its banks.
and its breezes d.iluse an oppressive
stencil, mystery seems ever to brood over
the lake. 1t has its strange moods often for
days lYlng still and dead. then suddenly NOV
Ing, rs if by Will of its own. 1t has also its
phases phHs"s Of Of terror terror for when swept by storms it
foam Its action has always been exceedingly
strange. for although fed by Owens River,
\
gallons, and with no known outlet. it has stead
lily reccded. until it is at present more shallow
2y 9,t al ieast zen ieet than was ten years ago.
Ihls process OF rise and fall-for it has been
known TO rise as stcadily-occurs in decades
though the rise and fall of each decade brings
It's waters to lower level. and suggests finally
lts complete absorption, rs there are marked
evidences that 1t ancienty occupied wider
must have operated 10 cause this phenomenon
The region of the lake is historic ground. it
having been tho scene of tragedy occurring
during The Indian outbreak of 1862 when the
tribes then dwelling in this section rose in
arms against the invasion OF their domain.
i ne massacre OF Il number OF whites reused tho
settlers to fury and determined them. by Il
severe DoW. 10 prevent future hOstilltieS. OBJ
ttalninE t the assistance of a few soldiers from
NIX vengeance ON the murdercrs OF their asso-
ci"tes and friends. On "A summer day. after
series Of strategic moves on both sides. the
warriors Of the tribe We're brought to bay
at point between the Sierras and the western
shore OF the lake. with no chance OF retreat
steadily pressed to the shores of the
lake, where they made q stand for life.
Finally ireuzied by the deadly fire poured upon
them. and hoping for no quarter at the hands
Of their iniurated pursuers with a common
lake and were all drowned after frantic efforts
10 swim beyond the aim OF the deadly rifles.
The sun Of that clear day set upon broken
trhe. its braves floating dead upon the waters
OF the lake, Two alone of that fighting band.
te Hover OF their tribe. escaped 70 tell the tale
for months the bleaching bones. strewng the
shore ana shining i'll the sun. remained as
grim reminders Of that evcntful day.
This region was in after years the scene OF n
second and more awful tragedy. 1t came with
tie spasm and shock Of the great earthquake
OF 1873 which had for its centre this Immediate
region. Human language has no phases of
horror to describe tho agony of that supreme
hour Of peril. that night when amid deop dark
ness the valley rose and fell in mighty biluws
and thu mountain ranges rceled like drunken
men. The waters Of the lake rushed from their
bed in u sol Id mass far into the valley. The
river was shaken from its course and its nf-
frighted waters refused to flow while the fall
ing dwellings oi Lone Pine crushed under their
ruins twenty-thrcc human lives.