Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-04-05
SINKING LAKES.
Curious Legend of One in
 Tennessee.
Anything Thrown Into the waters oR Stone Lake Becomea Pstrinsd-A Negro FIshermAn'S RemarkA-
 bl0 Fate.

The inhabitants or that part or west Tennessee known as the 'tearthquake belt" are considerably exercised over the gradual sinking of the lakes formed by the earthquake of 1911. The water level is descending without any appar- ent cause, although the streams that empty into some of the lakes are not affected This is taken by the Pitts burgh Dispatch to be evidence that the soil at the bottom of these sheets of water is becoming seamy from seismic action beneath, thus allowing the water to escape into unknown basins below. The effects of the unexplained phenomenon are most apparent in Stone lake, beautiful body of water situated in Lauderdale county. Thelake is about mile long and half mile wide and has an average depth ot twen- ty feet, but so clear is 1t that the small- est objects can be seen on the bottom. A more inviting Paace for the angler could not be found anywhere, but, strange to say, while the other waters in that regions are. alive with fish, no living thing has ever been. seen in Stone lake, and the people of the vicin- ity contend that the water is certain death to any creature that drinks it.
 
 swarm in the adjoining ponds and bay canny water is that anything cast into it quickly petrifies; hence the name it bears. And thereby hangs tale, which. incredible as it may sound, is neverthe- less devoutly believed by the simple in- habitants of the locality. It goes back to seventy years ago, when the. country kINS9 N, &,~~w~ North Carolina. ...
 Tradition goes that on a hot summer day, after his task was finished, an old and trusted slave of one of the pioneers got leave to go fishing, and taking his tackle and bait set out for the lake, which he had remarked as likely place for bass. Arriving there he walked out on a log that projected from the bank and cast his bait. When night came on he had not returned home, and his absence at roll call was noted. The master, however, paid but little attention to the circumstance, thinking that old Isom had probably gone on a lark to some neighboring farm. But when Isom failed to show up next morning old Capt. Bullard became un- easy and went out in search of him. He could learn nothing of the missing slave from the neighbors. Then he organized party and beat the woods to find him. Strange to say, he had not remembered giving Isom leave to go fishing. Toward sundown Q fox hound | with the party struck 8 trail and fol | lowed it to the bank of the lake. The hunters went after, and arriving at the lake saw Isom sitting on the log with pole extended and apparently fishing. in deep meditation. He proved deaf to the vociferous calls of his master. The hound sprang on the log and ran up to the motionless form, sniffed at it and flew back to the bank, bowling with fright Then the old captain dismount- ed and charged on the log, whip in hand, to chastise the truant. He brought his whip down on the motion less figure with resounding whack. Still Isom sat still. The old captain caught him by the shoulder. He grasped not flesh and blood, but stone.
 The fisherman, his line and pole were petrified! The log on which he sat was also solid. When the captain and his followers had recovered from their fright they made their way home and told their story. Next day a large party of the neighbors went out and found ii to be true. They discovered by dropping things into the lake the marvellous eff
 feet of the water. The stone log wal once giant hickory. Nuts that haG fallen from it were petrifled on the bot
 tom It was thought that Isom must
 have slipped and fallen into the lake
 with his pole, and the water on his clothes and tackles took effect when ht regainedhis perch and began fishing, The extraordinary figure is still intact and there is movement on foot tG transport it, with section of the log
 to the worlds fair.