Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-10-28
iAlAKe OF. INK.
4 Rsnsakpsls ehsnomeno. Among An.
a Volcanoes.

4. RsnokDAls Phenomenon Among Ar.
sonass Volcanoes.
Nearly oil Of the $500 Cocopah vol.
eanoes In Arizona are situated near tho
east end OF the volcanic area which they
occupy. Several large mounds. mi
living volcanoes, = now quiet. Be-
tween the hills Of lava, rock and debris
are . large number Of living, active vol.
Lake Of Ink. There run into It scores
Of streams Of clear mineral hot water,
others that are warm, and two that are
cold. The lake, one-fourth OF q mile in
length and o%ne-eighth In width, lies like
q gem set in these hills or these ancient
volcanoes. The black, ink-like water
which fills the lake comes up to within
three or four inches Of the level Of it's
shores. The temperature eGr the edge
IL about ITO degrees, gradually growing
warmer as you get down in 1t. and az
you approach the center of the lake, Oh
the surface, 1t Is about 156 degrees, and
at q depth of $50 feet 1t is ZIG degrees.
Near the shore on the east, south and
west sides the water is only four to six
feet in depth for twenty fect or more in
to the lake, where the shelf breaks off
perpcndicularly, and there no bottom
ua6 otcI Uecu ASuuus III Uuc tOuCu tIl0
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 it does not coll
or the skin Of those who battle in it.
Under o glass the coloring matter
seems to be Il 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 bitter. 10 the bather the sen
sation on entering the water is grand.
cxhilarating TO q wonderful degree, so
much SO that q bath Of ten or fifteen
minutes makes one feel as IL he were
under the influence OF the very best
brandy. Millions Of bubbles, formed by
escaping gases. keep the surface Of the
LAKE agitated at all times, till 1t rolls,
hollis and foams as If ready to break
over its banks and escape, and again
only in myriads of sparkling globules,
glittering in the sunlight. Whenever the
follows. and the sight of its maddened
waters is we'll worth seeing.
from time immemorial these waters
W been used by the different tribes Of
Indians, far md wide, at war and in
peace. as the great all-hcaling remedy,
following u bath in the hot mud OF the
%reaceable volcanoes, for all fevers,
rheumatism, scrofula and vcnereal dis
rases. They take the invalid and bury
him, all but his ears. eyes, lose and
mouth. in the hot volcanic mud for from
twenty to thirty minutes. then carry
him covered with mud on a blanket the
litty or q hundred feet 10 the edge OF the
lake and put him into the water, hold
Ing his head above it, for from ten to
fifteen minutes. Then, rolling him in
his blanket, they carry him a few feet
away to a shade which they have pro-
vided and lay him on the hot, sulphur
BUS sand or rock, and there lot him
sweat. They repeat this in the alter
noon. At night they remove him TO a
spot not SO warm and let him sleep, and,
II possible. where he can breathe the
gases or vapors of the ncighboring vol
canoes. The cures wrought are per-
iectiy wonderful, and could not be be-
lieved If not A few white men
have been there and tried the remedies.
and thus far without q single failure.