The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-03-20
A Bathing Pond.

At the bathing place in Salt Lake
City, steps lead down from the pier to
the water, but woe to the bold and uu.
wary diver who ventures to take a head
er. He will think he has struck paving
stone and swallowed combined sulphur
and salt mine, for in his astonishment at
the conclusion he will be pretty sure to
open his mouth. The density of the
water is so great that to dive into it is
simply impossible. The greater the
force with which one strikes it, the great
er the rebound. There is some danger,
too, of slipping into the water face down.
ward, and not being able to turn over,
even where the depth is not greater than
two or three feet, fer the resistance of
the water is so powerful that only very
strong person can force foot through it
to the ground.
During one of my visits l saw a lady
just about to step into the water miss her
footing and fall face forward. She
struggled violently for several seconds,
but her friends, who we're unacquainted
with the peculiar properties of the Sals
Lake water, did not suppose she was in
peril. An alarm was, however, raised
from the pier, and she was lifted to her
feet. But for this timely help she would
certainly have been drowned in less thar
two feet of water. It seems almost i'm
possible that any liquid can be so in.
tensely salt as this. The swallowing of
very small quantity produces violent
vomiting, the action of the salt being
aggravated by several other alkalies held
in solution. The proportion of salt
alone is over twenty per cent-somewhat
greater than that of the Dead Sea-and,
even in the rough way of making salt
common in this region, namely, flooding
meadows and awaiting the results of
evaporation, gallon of salt is obtained
for every FIVE gallons of water.
To those who cannot swim. and who
hsye been duly warned of the dangers
to be avoided, bathing in Salt Lake is
particularly delightful. AS one lies upon
the water sense of lightness seems to
pervade the frame. One appears to be
half floating, half flying, for only very
small portion Of the body will sink into
the water. and only the exercise of great
muscular strength can keep the limbs
upon the surface of the water. The ex-
hilaration produced by this novel feeling
of lightness is very remarkable. 1t
seems to give the limbs absolute rest as
they float in the air, upheld by no con-
scious volition or expenditure of physi-
cal force. But to the swimmer the ba-
thing is by no means so enjoyable. The
resistance of the water is so great that to
force way through it requires great
effort. I saw strong swimmer, WHO had
gone out about 100 yards from Inc end
Of the pier, obliged to call for boat, as
be was too exhausted to make his way
back. On coming out it is necessary to
sponge the body with fresh water, as the
salt forms complete scale armor. One
man of our party. who forgot to use
fresh water on his head, speedily had his
black hair changed to very light gray.
Salt Lake is about 100 miles long and
its greatest width is so miles. The aver
age depth is 40 feet and soundings have
nowhere reached beyond 80 feet. The
bottom is hard white S ID, with very
gradually shelving shore, and so far as
is known no form of animal or vegetable
life exists in the water, which is wonder.
fully clear, the white sand being easily
visible where the depth is over twenty feet.