The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-12
Lake Of F,rA

A correspondent Of the New York
Tunes. writing from Waterloo. an ex-
tensive estate in Nassau. describes 4
curious body Of water TO be seen there.
The lake IS nearly one thousand feet
long and two hundred or three hundred
I feet wide. Il IS an artificial lake. the
former proprietor having built it TO
store green turtles in. The plan was
to buy the turtles alive and put them
in the lake and let them increase in
size and numbers, when they would al
wsys be ready 20 be caught and eaten.
Millions of fish could be kept in the
lake at the same time. and thus the oc-
cupant Of Waterloo would always have
good dinner waiting him in the yard.
The lakes bed is cut out Of the solid
rock. and is only \ few hundred feet
from the ocean. Il Is connected with
the ses by \ small canal also cut
through the rock; and when the gate
in this canal Is left open the tide rises
and falls in the lake.
1t was one of the darkest nights I
ever saw. We went into the boat-house
and pushed out = heavy row boat L
took the oars and we pushed OF The
=
had not been any unusual phospho-
rescence on the surface Of the water
more than is often seen on tropical
seas; but as soon as the oars stirred il
up they seemed to be dipped in melted
gold. There was actually FIRE there. l
was compelled to think. While l was
wondering At il. n fish. startled BY our
splatter. darted across the pond near,
the surface. and In his trail was left =
streak Of yellow fire. Then We saw at
different places on the surface little va
pory clouds Of fire flashing and darting
around like the northern lights.
''lf you have \ newspaper in your
pocket. p" said my companion. put il
on your lap and splash the water with
both oars TO see whether You can get
enough light TO read BY. d"
l did so. and was able 10 read the
heading and all the large lines without
difficulty. ! took an oar then and
splashed the water. aud wherever n
drop fell back into the lake was n round
spot of fire. There was something
startling in seeing so much fire about.
and | had not the faintest notion where
We were. had gone out upon an un-
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no idea how large or how deep il was.
nor where the current-if there was
any-might carry us.
''f you pull hard aud watch the bow
and stern of the boat you will see some
thing curious"
Il did so, and was well repaid for
the excrtion. When a boat moves fast
there is always a cutting of the water
at the bow, and little eddy left Just
behind the stern. That cutwater and
that eddy were of flaming fire. More
fish darted about leaving fiery trails.
Indeed, wherever the water was agi-
tated it turned apparently into Ere.
When the agitation ceased the fire dis
appeared, except that there was always
little sparkling upon the surface. We
spiashed. and rowed. and watched.
One OF the most curious effects was TO
throw something from the boat 10 n
distant part of the lake and sec the fire
splash. A fountain put in the center Of
the lake would be n fountain Of fire.
We measured the depth with an oar
and found it to be four or five feet Il
is mentioned as curious circumstance
that the water in the lake can be
changed as often as desired without
destroying its phosphorosconce. Va
rious analyses of the water have been
made, but without any great results.