The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-01-12
San Marcos, Texas.

But the attraction of the place, so far
as its natural features are concerned, is
the San Marcos lake and river. The
water OF the lake is, if possible, more
transparent than dew drop. It's depth
varies from fifteen to forty feet, and yet,
wherever there is no vegetation to OBJ.
struct the view, you can see the bottom
with the mostdistinctness. The source
Of these waters is another wonder. I'm
agine river q hundred feet wide, and
five feet deep, bursting forth, like a gi.
gantic spring, from the base of noun
tain, and you have an idea of the source
of the San Marcos. The temperature Of
the lake is almost uniform, the annual
variation being only about one degree,
the average being about seventy two
degrees. The Summer sun beats upon it,
but it keeps its Winter GOODNESS. The
winds of Winter howl about it, but it
refuses to part with its Summer caloric.
In Summer it is delightfully."- cool for
bathing. In mid winter cattle stand in
it for hours to keep warm. Another
curious fact connected with the stream is,
that it always rises foot and half in
the very dryest season of the year-the
early Summer. This, with its uniform
temperature. is regarded as proof that
it is fed through a vast subterranean
aquedect by the SHOWS on scme far off
mountain summit.
| But the most marvellous part of the
story remains to be told. This pertains
to.the vegetation that finds habitat in
these crystal waters. 1 had read of this
before coming here; but the half Of its
weird aud unique beauty was never told
by tongue or pen.S 1t is one of those
things that must be seen to be appreci-
ated. In the water you find growing,
5with:a genuinely tropical exuberance, a
vast variety Of plants, grasses, vines,
moses, water lilies, crosses, ferns, ivies,
etc. Over large part Of the lake the
surface is completely covered with
strange looking specimens of vegetation,
which Il have never seen elsewhere,
called in common parlance "bonnets."
They are not rooted in the soil, but
simply float upon the surface of the
water, and draw their sustenance from
it. They are SO abundant that boats
cannot go through them. This, however,
is but one, and about the least interest.
ing one, of q vast multitude of aquatic
plants that here challenge your attention.
These are rooted in the rocks that form
the bed of. the lake. So luxuriantly do
they grow, that although the lake is
from fifteen to forty feet, they often reach
the surface. In other places their tops
are only short distance below the sur.
face. To see these, you must get in a
boat. You can tell very little about
them from the shore. The best time for
making observations is when the sun is
almost overhead-say, from ten to two
o'clock. As your boat glides over the
CLASSY surface, you look down into the
aqueous depths, and you behold a variety
of vegetable forms and colors that is
marvellous. Every change of position
brings change of scenery. And not
only the forms of the plants, but their
groupings, are various and beautiful.
Certain localities have had names given
them. One remarkable group is called
"The Peri's Palace" The plants here
formed an arch of large proportions,
which requires no great stretch of fancy
to liken il to the entrance to some antique
palace. What furniture adorns the
chambers of this weird palace in the
waters no mortal knows, for no one las
bad the temerity to cross its threshold.
Another locality hears the less pleasing
name, "The Devils Cave"
And not vegetation alone, but also
animated life is here. It's delightful to
watch the graceful movements Of the
tinny tribes that sport continuously in
these crystal depths. You can spend
hours gazing into these waters without
growing weary.
So far as my reading goes, this stream
is unique among earth's water courses.
A tropical river gushing forth in tenn
perate, maintaining, in all seasons, 8
uniform temperature, and displaying such
marvellous wealth of tropical vegetation
-if its like exists on this terfaqueous
globe, I have yet to hear of it. -NeO
Or2enns Christian Adu0cnie.