Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1884-10-09
LAKE MYSTERIES.
a Subterranean RiNr Between Su-
perior and Ontario.

1hls was the cheerful remark made
by resident of Ithica, who has n
taste for geological research, and who
has indulsed it during the lust few
years in Investigating the bottom OF
Cayuga Lake.
"Froln all that l have been s.ble to
discover" said he, "the bottom OF ca
yuga Lake is u series of large open
ings and cavities, many of them re-
sembling the craters of extinct volca-
noes. Some of these are 100 feet in
diameter, and arc all surrounded by
raised rims, like the sides of milk
pan. These cra!ers, Us [ believe they
are, lie ut different depths, or, rather,
are of different heights. Their depth
| have never been able to sound, al
though l have lowered many hundred
feet of plumb line into them. They
are undoubtedly fathomlcss, and have
become rcccptacles of Tie bodies Of
the hundreds Of persons who are
known to have been drowned in the
lake during the last half century, and
of the undouhtcd thousands OF per-
sons killed in the fierce battles that
were frequently wnged on The shores
of the lake between hostile tribes of
the original people years before the
white MIN appeared on this cont
nent.
ut was on Cayuga Lake that the
wretch Ruloff lowered the bodies OF
bis wife and child, enclosed in Il chest,
after he had murdered them, twenty
years ago. Tho weeks tllat wore
spent in dragging for the chest was
time thrown away, for it had sunk in
to the mouth of one OF those dead vol
canoes, and, if it is not sinking yet, is
no doubt floating about in the bottom
less depths where in ages past fire and
smoke and ashes were the dominant
clements.
"Within forty years between 200
and 300 persons hare been drowned
in Cayuga Lake, to recover the re
mains of whom The graphing iron
and drug have been used Industrious
ly, but in vain. Ii it were possible
for one to make the rounds of this
lakes crater-ike bed, he would be-
yond doubt encounter hideous char
ncl-houses beyond number cayclns
where thousands of grinning sLcle-
tons have found thor own scpuichrc,
subterranean catacombs without end.
Water taken from depth OF 300 feet
in Cayuga Lake-which must have
been from one of these cayities-is
strongly charged with sulphurettod
hydrogen, nitrogen, carbonic acid, and
the carbonates OF lime, potash, soda
aud magnesia.
.Cayuga Lake has also Il mystali-
ous tidal motion. X is irregular in
its occurrence, but very decided. The
phenomenon has been known to APP
pear twice year, and then two years
or more have elapsed between it's per-
iods. The water frequently reccdes
fifty feet. ,l'he ebb il gradual, but
the flood tide comes in with consider
able force and rap;dity. This pho
nomenon is also noticed in Seneca
Lake which is divided from Cayuga
by tho high Seneca county hills. The
surface of Seneca Lake sixty fcct
above that Of Cayuga Lake, but [ be-
]ioye it's bed is OF the same rcmarka-
bio character. Seneca Lake rises and
falls as much rs three feet duriug the
time of its tidal connection, which is
also irregular in its periods.
II believe there is Il subterranean
river running from Lake Superior
Though Lake Huron, under Lake
Erie, and cmptying into Lake On
turio There is no other way in which
to explain certain mysteries connected
with our great lakes. I'horeis Il con-
tinuolls fall from Lake Superior to
Ontario, and all the outlet that the
upper lake; have that is known is the
comparatively insignificant Detroit
river. That stream never can Gaze
for all the great pressure and volume
from above, and the theory Of IN un
lerground river such as / mentioned
seems to be most reasonable. All the
St. Lawrence fishes are taken in every
one of The lakes but Lake Eric, Why?
Because they follow the course of the
subterranean stream, passing 300 feet
beneath the bottom OF Lake Eric, and
enter the waters Of the upper lakes.
The great lakes above Lake Erie have
an occasional hux and rctluX OF their
waters, corresponding with the ocean
tides save in regularity,
''Ihe sllbteyunean river, according
to my theory. becomes occasionally
obatluctel by great oost'.elp3 that are
moving down from the