Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-06

A few years ago large raft form ID 10
that mouth Of the Truckee which find It's
way into Pyramid lake. This damned the
river for long distance, and the pressure
was so great on the old RATS in the Mud
lake branch that they were lifted from
their ancient beds, and the water found q
way undor them, where IL still runs,
though the drift IN the Pyramid branch
was long since removed by the Indians,
and the great body OF water again turned
into Pyramid lake. With what water Is
now finding its way into Mud lake, that
lake has much increased In SIZE III the pat
few wears. Ii Is not less than seven miles
longer than formerly and proportionately
broader. Were the RATS wholly removed,
the lake would undoubtedly soon ill up TO
the same level as Pyramid, or forty feet
higher than now. Mud lake Is not tue
dirty pond It's name would seem to imply.
Its waters are bright and clear.
On some maps Mud lake Is put down as
Winnimueca lake, In honor OF the late
Chief Of the Piutes. Mr.. Stiles and others
familiar with these lakes and their sur.
ropndings say that the three lakes were all
orce one lake, and the Indians have ira
djtion 10 the same effect. BY following the
most elevated Of the old watermarks in
The northward. II IL found that all this re-
zion was once connected with Honey lake,
Eagle lake, and other lakes in Larsen cOun-
ty, Cal, and also with Massacre lake and
The chain OF New Year lakes In Roop coIm-
Nv, New, which connect with Christmas,
Werner, sumner, Albert, and other lakes
in the southern part OF Oregon.
Southwark the ancient shore-line' traced
W on the bills show that the Pyramid Lake
region connected with the SINKS OF the
Humboldt. Carson, and Walker rivers, ana
with other lakes and marshes in that de
recti0n. These SbOre-lineS are also To DC
seen hundreds Of feet above places that are
now sandy deserts or dry salt and alkall
basins. Evidence is everywhere found
that the many scattered lakes OF the coun.
try are but the remains Of an ancient inland
sea which once covered all the Great Basin
region; and this is not a. far back In the
history Of the world but that the water
lines on the bills are so well preserved that
they can be seen at the distance OF miles.
The dry climate, however. has doubtless
tended to the preservation OF these ancient
shOre.lines.
Besides containing the ordinary trout,
salmon trout. silver trout, clubs, and
suckers, there IL found in Pyramid lake 4
fish the like Of which has never been seen
In any Other part Of the world. This Is
what is called by the Indians the "coo-ce-
waa." IL j. probably the uglicst fish ever
seen i'm fresh water. It has head one
third OF IFS whole length, with great,
droOplng sucker mouth. and Is covered
from end TO end with ugly, shaggy Inns
which form sort 81 name, so that the il'h
must be thoroughly tiimmed-sheared. aS
II Here-bciore being sent to market.
Also the heads must be cut of, as they
would disgust any one but an Indian.
When the trimming and decapitatiOn are
COMPLETED, what remains Of the fish tastes
like sturgeon. The "cOO.ec-wal" makes
is home at the bottom OF the deepest parts
OF the lake, and Is never seen except In the
season when il runs up the Truckee river
to spawn.
The coo-ee-waa 20 up the river in
schools Of tens OF thousands. They then
swim upon the surface Of the water. Ike
the porpOise. with great splashlnS and
plungIng. The whites FIRST saw these fish
i'm the spring Of 1860. at the time OF the
Plu,e war. A company Of volunteers was
encamped on the Truckce. In the night
their horses. which were picketcd ON The
hank Of the river. were stampCded. This
caused an alarm, and rushing out the sol
diers heard great padding and Sph>hing in
the river. In the darkness they sup
posed that large force OF In
dams were swimming the river 10
attack them, and they opened lire
into the water. They fired away Tor m
hour or two, seemingly without effect. -
the splashing and plunTnS continued.
The men were much mysntied, and though
they ceased firing they still believed the
noise 10 BE- caused by some device OF the
Indians. The next morning. however an-
other large school OF the fish passed the
camp. when the cause Of the alarm in tue
night was fully explained.
The noise made by large school OF the
coO-ec- WA can be beard three or four hun
bred yards. \ Specimen OF the coo.ee-waa
was sent 10 the elder AgaSNiZ shortly after
his return from Brazil. and he pronounced
il wholly new and unique.
The Pyramid Lake region has for ages and
ages been the fayorile haunt and home Of
the Piute Indians. They have many tradi-
tions concerning the fantastic rocks IN the
lake, it, finny inhabitants, and the caves
and canons OF the surrounding mountains;
also. of great earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions that cal>, the gOupd to spout
water to an immense height. They have u
tradition that the country was infested
many generations ago 10y huge ANIMALS that
tore down aud rooted up the trees OF tue
nui-plne orchards aud in other ways made
themselves obnoxious. These animals
were Of the size Of the elephant or maSto-
don. The Indians constantly made war
upon them. and finally the lat herd was
driven into Pyramid Lake and drowned.
TO this day, when there Is 4 heavy Storm,
and big black waves are seen rising ana
sinking out towards the centre OF the lake,
the PiutcS say it is the backs OF the great
beasts that were driven into the lake In the
oldcn time. I he many tracks ~ elephants
found in the StltC-pri,On stOnc-quaTry al
Carson city would seem 10 show that there
is some foundation for the tradition. Al
the same quarry are found the tracks Of
tigers, wolves, deer, large birds, and also
tracks supposed to be those OF = prehistoric
man shod in mocclslnS made OF untnncd
hide. All these track, are in one stratum.
under about twenty feet OK superincum-
bent rock.