The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-09-10
LAKE, INK.


n veaennSs I'm -
Nesriy m oR fhe I, ,0D0 Cocoah vol
eanoes 81 A11scna sxe oltuated reak tlae
east and 81 the volcanic area hich they
occupy, Several largo nnounds, once
living yo1canoes, are now quiets Be-
twsen the hilla ok lsvA, rock and debris
are ) large number of living, actiye vol
cancek From the sides Cf the hill, 20
to 900 feet above the eurToundine w.
tsrs, come forth most beautiful sptings
of clear, WARM watar, Some 50 Dour,
Others 20 sweet, % bitter 1xd 10 strong1y
alkaline that no living teing or animal
can drinksik These waters course down
tho hillEdes, laying cost of white,
pink, purple, blue Or green, made By the
mineral salts they ccnt6in, upon everY-
thing with which they come IA contact.
IN the midst of tI1ese hills u the Lake
Of Ink. There run into Il scores of
streams OF clear mineral hot wAter,
others that are warm and tWo thAt are
cold. The Lake, one-f fourth 81 = mia III
length and one ghth 81 width, lies Hle
. gam set IN these hillsor these ancient
volcanoes. Tho black, inklike winter
which dlls the lake comes mp to within
three or four inches of the level 81 its
shores. The tenapefature near the ed6e
b about 110 degs., gradually growing
warmer - you get down IN Il, and -
you approach tho center Of the Lake, On
the surface, It ID about 156a adegs. and ct
q depth Of $50 fset Il u 216 degs.
Near the shore on the east. south and
west sides the water is only four TO six
feet in depth for twenty feet or more
into the lake, where the shelf breaks OF
perpendicularly, and there no bottom has
ever been found. TO the touch the
water feels smooth and oily. The ashes
and oil which cover the lake when its
waters are quiet are from one-half an
INCH to an inch thick. The water of the
lake is Jet black, though 1t does not
color the skin Of those who bathe In 1t.
Under glass the coloring matter
seems to be q minute black substance
held in suspension by the water, which
adheres to white cloth immersed In the
lake. To the taste the water is warm.
salt and hitter. To the bather the sem
sation on entering the water is grand,
exhilarating TO wonderful degree, 30
much 90 that q bath Of ten or fifteen
minutes makes one feel as If he were
under the influence OF the very best
brandy. Millions of bubbles, formed
by escaping gases, keep the surface of
the lake agifated at all times, till il
rolls, boils and foams = 10 ready to
break over It's banks ana escape, md
again only IN myriads OF sparkling
globnles, glittering ID the sunlight.
Whenever the volcanoes rage viii angez
| the lake follows, and the sight Of Ii
maddened waters is well worth seeing.
From time iMmemOrial these watArl
have been used by the different tribes oi
Indians, far and wide, at war and II
peace, as the great ~ healing remedy,
following q bath IN the hot nud of tlse
peaceahle Solcsnl
rheumatism, scrofu1s md Se11 j 2.s
eases They take the invalid and bury
him, all but his ears, eyes and mouth
In the hot volcanic mud for from TWEEN.
ty to thirty minutes, then carry him
covered with mud on 3 blanket the o
or 100 feet to the edge Of the Lake and
put him into tho water, holding his hed
above it, for from fifteen to twenty min.
II - -. - ~. ,RN