The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-27

first time began to rise in the lake, there
was great curiosity to see whether the
island would be submerged or rise with the
water 1t took about forty eight hours for
the water in the lake TO rise to the top OF
the dam, and it was then discovered that
the island presented exactly the same ap-
pearsnce that 1t did when the water was
six feet lower.
There is no part of the island that has
ever been more than two or three feet above
the surface of the water. Therefore If it
did not float when the lake was raised six
feet by this new dam, it would have been
entirely submerged.
Since the water was raised this great
mass of land has floated about more readily
than it previously did, writes correspond
ent to the Boston Globe. Portions of 1t con-
tanning from one TO three acres have been
broken away from the main island and go
swimming around independently. There,
are four such pieces. Three Of them are
close together, and already fifty or sixty
rods to the northeast of the main island.
Sometimes they are five or SIX r0dS
apart. Then again they will be all
In a cluster, the smaller ones floating
around faster than the larger ones, as the
wind carries them more easily.
SHIFTED BY THE WIND.
The great main island, which contains
over 100 acres. moves about slowly. The
prevailing winds are from the south and
west, and after it has blown hard for day
or two the main island is found to have
changed its position several rods. Some
times it will be near the east shore, and
then again 1t moves over toward the west.
1t never has come nearer than quarter OF
a mile of the north shore.
There is a small forest of tamarack trees
growing upon this remarkable island. Some
OF them are more than twenty-five feet high.
They are in thrifty condition, and are OF
large size at the butt Smaller trees of the
same kind are rapidly growing up beside
them. The wonder is how the roots OF
these trees are nourished. The lake is sit
uated in marshy surroundings on the south
west side and it is supposed that there is
vegetable matter enough in the water to
keep the trees III healthy condition.
Cranberry bushes grow in great III Xurl-
ance. In some places they are so very thick
that it is difficult to pass through them, and
the berries, which are of the wild sort, are
gathered i'll large quantities by the natives
that live about the island.
Alder bushes and a great variety OF ma
tive weeds grow OH all parts OF the Island.
The surface is sp0ngy, and IN many places
soft, but there are other parts OF 1t where 1t
il comparatively solid.
There is no difficulty in getting upon the
island, although III some places persons
who visit it have to be careful that they do
not sink through ii.
A Globe representative who recently Wis
tied it in company with Frank Crosier, the
photographer Of Readsboro, had several in
teresting interviews with some of the older
residents Of Nottingham. who have lived
near Sadawga Lake all their lives.
One of the first men interviewed was
Judge Hosea u. Ballou. native of the
town, and who was formerly Judge of
bn Ninlbau, (founty f'nurt Ha IL
more than so years of age, and is an eX-
ceedingly interesting and intelligent man.
lie is of large stature, his lace somewhat re-
sembling that of Daniel Webster. Judge
Ballou lives at the new village Of Sadawga,
and when lie was asked about the floating
island lie said:
This floating island, as you call it, is
known to the people about here as the
swimming land. have known it for con-
slderabiy more than halt century, and
have watched it with deep interest. When
the dam was raised last year l was curious
to see whether it would be submerged, or
would rise with the water. l thought per-
haps it had become attached to the shore,
and that the roots of tine tamarack trees
might have grown down into the mud, and
become So firmly attached that it would not
rise. But rs the lake was raised the island
came up with it. and has just the same APP
pearance now that it had fifty years ago,
only it is larger"
GROWING LARGER.
"Then you have noticed that the island
has increased in size during the fifty or
more years that you have known it, have
you, Judge?
'Oh, yes, it is much larger now than it
was when | was a boy. / should say it
then covered something like fifty acres and
the tamarack trees on it were small. The
boys used to 90 out on 1t and gather Gran
berries and fish through it for bullheads."
" How many acres do you think 1t con-
tains now, Judge?"
81 don't know that anybody has measured
it lately, but | should say that it contained
over a hundred acres and had about doubled
in size during the last fifty years.
=" | noticed as Mr.. Crozier and l drove
around on the east side OF 1t that there were
smaller islands which seemed to be broken
off from it and were swimming about indie
pendently. Do you know when they We're
detached from the main island"
No, | cannot tell you exactly when. l
know sometimes when there has been an
exceedingly strong wind from the west or
south for several days that parts have been
broken off from the island. think the last
piece broke off about ten years ago. pre-
sumo you noticed that one of the smaller
islands containing about two acres had
quite forest u tamarack trees upon 1t.
My impression is that the trees so caught
the wind, acting something like sails, that
this smaller island was torn away from
the other part OF it by the force of the
wind"
through it. What do you mean by that?"
'' | mean." said the Judge with smile,
that when l was boy used to 60 on the
island in the daytime and catch what are
called up here bull pouts, known usually as
bullheads, through the island. You know
it is difficult to catch this kind of fish in the
daytime. Fishermen say you can only catch
them in the night"
" Tell me, Judge, how you caught them
in the daytime"
"Well, we would go out on the island,
taking along with us a long, sharp scythe.
When we came somewhere near the center
of the island, we took the scythe and pierced
it through the surface, which is composed of
sort of vegetable mold, and cut hole
about two feet in diameter. Then we would
drop line through and catch bull pouts at
pretty rapid rate"
CATCHING BULLHEADs.
what is your theory about these fish
biting down under the island when they
could not be caught in the clear water of
the lakeY'
81 suppose the reason was that forty or
fifty rods from the edge of the island twas
dark beneath, so that they would bite the
same as they would in the night We found
they would bite better on cloudy day than
they would on clear day."
allow deep was the water under the
island where you caught these fsh?"
Before the dam was raised it was five or
six feet. ! suppose now it must be ten or
twelve"
Zone important question, Judge, wish
to ask you, and that is whether you have
ever noticed that the main island changed
its position ?"
"Oh yes, it certainly changes in position.
For several years. however. before the dam
was raised, it did not seem to change much,
but since the dam was built | notice that
when there is a strong wind its floats down
nearer the outlet of the lake than it for
merly aid"
'.Do you know how large Sadawga Lake
is?"
81 do not exactly. think, however, that
it is a mile or more long, and perhaps
three-quarters of mile wide in the widest
place. OF course, when the dam was raised