Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-25
HENRY,s LAKE.
A wonderful Sheet Of watsr--rhs FLOATING
Inland.

Island.
A correspondent Of the San Francisco
Call, writing from North Fork Snake
River, /. t., says: zone Of the wonders
Of our great country is Henry's lake, on
the summit OF the Rocky mountains, near
the line between Idaho and Montana, on
the Targee's Pass trail 1t is destined to
be popular summer resort, aud the soil
and climate are not unfayorable TO the
prospect Of permanent settlement. The
lake is five miles wide and ten miles long
II Is the source Of the north fork OF Snake
River. Like basin overlooking, the
clear water ripples over bar that forms
the brim--a bar Of crumbled crystalline
quArtz---in a gurgiing stefan that nows
peacefully through waving grass for hall
male and then plungos into q canyon
whore 1t is lashed into foam and leaps
over precipices on its way down from that
continental divide as 1t grows to be
great river. After journey OF 100 miles
over rocEy heights and through mountain
defles, we re lched the lake. Men ana
horses we're tired and hungry. Inc mlu
beauty of the smooth water, level
meadows and shaded parks, all smiling
with the evening sunlight, was happy
L.
with wild howers, birds were singing In
the trees, swans were swimming ON the
lake. Before us was the winter range OF
the antelope, the deer and elk. A party
of trappeIs who spent one winter there,
say the elk came down like HERDS OF cattle
and destroyed their hay, They were
compelled TO drive great droves OF elk
away to save any grass or other feed Tor
their pa k-horses.
One OF the wonders Of Henry's lake is
the floating island. When we camped at
night a lovely island was within stones
throw of us. We decided TO explore II In
the morning. The snft green carpet, tho
droopiug willows and stiff little pines, so
near the shining surface oi the COO blue
water. llled US with a desire TO rest In
their shade. When morning came the
island was gone. Five miles away we
could see the little trees waving In the
wind that had waited them TO the oppo-
site side of the lake. The wind changed
however. and the mysterious island 'me
on its daily orbit and rested, while all
nature was hushed, that lovely afternoon,
near where We had first seen is. We pad
Piled raft OF logs to it's border. 1t was
circular in shape and 800 feet la diameter.
The outer edge was tough swRrdi ana
so thin thatlt gave down under the weight
OF a man and let him into the water boot
top deep. A few feet from the edge IL
would support the weight OF a horse The
floating mass we found to be mat OF
grass roots overspread with thin layer
OF decayeu vegetable matter. The small
trees had taken root ia that blanket OF
mould. They rocked and swayed from
side 10 side as we walked around them
AS VIC approached the island a large num-
Der OF swans were seen 10 swim away.
There seemed To be two kinds-Whlte ana
gray. Their cultural calls could be heard
five miles. In the wake OF some that evil
IDENTITY were filing the Office OF mother, as
they floated maj sstIcaly away, were lul-
lowing the cygnets, fluffy ana round llke
buncnes OF tpw Ia the grass near US was
a swan Auttering and crying as she
stretched out her long neck and spread
out her broad white wings. She splashed
into the water when we were twenty-five
feet distant aud disappeared. Wben we
next saw her abe was lar out on the lake
swimming with three or four very small
yonng ones close behind Sue had
managed To get them out Of the nest and
into the water, and they had followed her.
They mere not one day old, In the nest
from which they had been hurried were
1--we eggs not vet hatched. Two white,
soft, fat bills had just broken through
the hard shell. The fat man OF the party
contracted TO complete the Matching pro-
cess in the bosom ot his shirt and we car
red the two eggs to camp. Our incuoa-
tor was success, and on the following
morning he drew forth from the recesses
OF his baggy ,nnel shirt two long heads
and long necks, with small down-covered
bodies attached.
Another curiosity near the lake Is what
is called MouGe springs From the NOUN
OF cave in the SIDE Ot bluff bursts forth
river OF considerable size. The spark
ling water, after seething and roaring
under the weight OF great pressure or
other hidden forces, spreads out over
rocky bed of glistening quartz, forty feet
wide, and leaps from ledge to ledge down
the pIecipitous heights. Thousands OF
mountain trout are continually trying to
stem that tumbling current, They can
be seen fiouncing In the air from morning
TIL night In their effort to gain the under
ground river, after following the tumul-
tuuus Snake to the summit OF the great
watershed of the continent. Indians
catch and pack away from that place tons
OF trout every year. When we visited the
fishing ground hungry nomadic tribe OF
dusky natives, after weary days OF travel,
were arranging camp and looking happy
over the prospect OF sumptuous meal.
They were TO feast on fish that were yet
uucaught.
After lighting the log Ares the fishermen
repaired To the foot OF the steep incline by
the rushing outlet Of the subterranean
river. Each man cut slender rod and
shaped the end Of IL TO tlt loosely the hol-
low end OF bucks.horn spear tip A
strong cord attached the tip to the rod or
matt of the spear. A muscular brave
would step forward, brawny bare arm
would raise the simple implement aboee
his head, where It would balance for a
second, aud then like an arrow 1t would
be hurled into tho water with sure aim;
a trout would fash ms specified sides In
the sun, the blood would how In red
cloud down the stream, apd fine lsh
would be landed on the green sward
The buckhorn Tip would pass thr ugh the
body end slip from the hait "a II was
pulled back The cord fast, ming the tip
to the rod would hold the fsh, let him