Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-21
DISMAL-SWAMP LAKE
MARVELLOUS BODY or wATsR-lTs
ORIGIN A GREAT MYSTERY.
q spcrtsmsn's acknowledgements ana
Peculiar Features of . Celebrated
Locality.

communication VIII INC oue'ioc "oA'N
save by two or three narrow and shallow
bitches cut through the swamp years
AGO for floating out lumber and feeding
the canal, il is still within rifle shot OF
civilization and OF prosperous and
Iong-set,led community. II is only two
miles in an airline to good road leading
through fike and well cultivated estate
Of a thousand or more acres.
The lake cannot be seen from o dis
lance. The dense forest OF cypress and
iuniper trees. and the masses OF cane
and vines between obstruct the view,
and your first sight II the entire lake is
when Won are actually upon its waters.
It's broad expanse of amber colored
water flashes upon you upon emerging
in your boat from the forest at the
mouth OF one OF these little canals. APP
preaching the lake the last half mile of
the feeder the principal outlets
tunnel Of living green. The cypress
trees on either side meet overhead and
form a screen from the sun and as you
paddle your canoe from under this
bower the lakes sunlit waters suddenly
burst into sight, and inyoluntarily You
exclaim, Beautiful The contrasts like
coming from the darkest tunnel into the
full sunlight.
The lake is three miles in length and
from two 70 two and half miles IN
width. The average depth is estimated
ut fifteen feet. The color of the water
around the shores is light brown or
amber color, while in the centre the
water is almost as olaar rs crystal. 1t is
dyed by the juniper roots and berries OF
that tree. A glass of this water dipped
near the border resembles whiskey IN a
marked degree, and but for the lack
of odor might be mistaken for 1t.
THE LAKE is sHoRzLEss.
Ordinarily the lake can be said to have
no shore. az, being the reservoir from
which the Dismal-Swamp canal draws
it's supply of water, the water is allowed
TO accumulate until il reaches far back
among the surrounding trees. The out
let TO the canal being shallow the lum-
ber-laden boats from the lake could not
mass ont TO the canal were the water two
or three feet lower. The water also
keeps tho earth for many miles around
saturated and prevents fires, which, once
started in a dry season. would destroy
vast quantities of valuable timber.
This storing up Of the water has had
it's effect upon the appearance OF the
lake, and for hundred yards or more
around the shore are immense rugged
cypress trees, their roots deep down III
the bottom, their trunks lashed high by
the waves. Many such trees have been
sawed down above the water line, while
Others have been broken off below the
surface. These stumpy shores make
navigation dangerous, except to the skill
ed "lightermen. who pilot their hugo
fiat boats with heavy loads of lumber
across the lake and through the stumps
in perfect safety to the canal.
THE MYSTERY OF ITS ORIGIN.
A theory which has been advanced by
some writer's is that this lake was once
subterranean pool, and ages ago, during
some earthquake or like convulsion, the
grounds suddenly sank, carrying with it
all the wooded growth down to the bot
tom; since which time it has gradually
increased in size by the action Of the
waves on the mellow earth around. The
fact that cypress stumps are to be found
on the lake bottom a half mile from
shore, and sometimes when the water is
low appear above the surface, makes
such theory plausible. Others claim
that the origin of Lake Drummond is due
10 fire which burned deep down in the
peaty soil over this extensive area. There
are many treeless places in the Dismal
Swamp around this lake burned bare
during some extensive fire.
Unlike most inland lakes this remark
able pool Of water is not hemmed In by
hills or mountains, nor Is 1t bog.
Strange as il may seem, il is situated on
n hill-if q hill can be found in this fiat
country-and its waters are always try
ING to escape, Often il overflows and
svoops down upon the farms near the
canal. Strictly speaking, it is on a side
hill, and its waters when an overflow
takes place go in every direction except
west.
1t requires no topographer to ascer-
tain its correct altitude, for in going
from tidewater at Norfolk up the canal
10 the lake your boat is elevated through
four locks, the least rise of which is
three feet, and the greatest about twelve
feet.
At points around the shore may be
seen rudely-constructed wharves or
landings piled high with cords Of the
odorous juniper logs awaiting shipment
down the Feeder to the "big canal. "
These logs are brought out of the swamp
on tramways, the cars being hauled by
mules. The soft and yielding earth
makes il necessary TO put puncheons in
the pathway between the rails to insure
a safe footing. Tho truok.mules and
their colored drivers become much at
tached during their isolated life, and
many of the drivers have their mules SC
we'll trained that bride or halter il
dispensed with.
AROUND THE CANiP-FBEs.
Here at these landings the swampers
who are mostly all colored. have theil
camps, and at night when they come
down TO the lake shore to cook ant
sleep more contented or happy groul
cannot be found in the world. They like
this mode OF life, and the most indus
trious make fair wages.
Seated around the fires, which burr
cheerfully before tho open-front of the
log huts, the men beguile the hours be
fore bedtime exchanging stories Of al
ventures-probably of hsir-breadth es
capes from bears or other "varmints.
The musician of the party performs on
greasy banjo much to tho enjoyment o
all, and the young darkies dance jigs anC
s'break- downs" in manner that would
put to shame many OF their imitators OF
the minstrel stage.
The sportsman here can find game
both large and small. Fish are plenti
full in the lake. and as no wasteful net
are used there is little danger of the sup
~ decreasing.
In the fall and winter squirrels abound
among the gum-trees near the eastern
side Of the lake, and larger game, sucl