The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-26
ROCK LAKE WONDERS.
Legends That Make 1t the Home of
MOnsterOus Sea Serpent.

Long before mankind ever heard of this
little earth and started its conquest from
sea monsters the area that is now dis
tinguished by the name of Palouse coun-
try had been subjected to violent upheavals
and radical changes in topography.
great inland sea rested here for many CEN
water Enriched the soil simultaneously
with leveling the sediment in the form of
a vast plain. Internal commissions wheth-
er from volcanic action or from shrink
age of the blanet consequent upon the
cooling process then going on-perhaps
both combined-raised the submerged plain
high and dry. with a steep decline to the
westward. The rushing flood cut the land
into ridges and ravines, high bluffs and
lonely rocks being scattered prOmiscuously
in living evidence of the revolution. The
surface thus presents a broken and pict-
uresque scene. Chief among the wonder
ful products of these prehistoric conVul-
sions and deluges is a canyon, over in
the northwestern part of Whitman coun-
". containing Rock lake, sheet of water
bordered by cliffs ascending perpendicu-
larry to nights of LOO TO $500 feet.
The canyon of Rock lake runs east to
west. 1t is a deep hole in a plateau of
solid rock. and the bottom has never been
sounded by man. The eastward extremity
falls abruptly from the bed Of a small
over second cascade 300 feet to the bot
tom Above the land rolls away in small
heaps OF stone and barren slopes for five
miles on either side. Down at the bottom
is valley, one by three miles in extent,
anu covered WITH the pTeIlleSt coat OF ITOp-
ical foliage to be found anywhere The
climate in this decllvity is as tropical and
delightful as that which gives Hawaii
envied fame all the world over. The tenn
perature seldom falls below so degrees
Fahrenheit and rarely goes above 80 de-
grees. The cold of winter is seemingly
unable to reach the level of the valley,
owing the internal warmth naturally be-
longing TO a hole so deep. The heat of
summer is tempered by the cooling infu-
ences of the lake adjoining. The west end
or this little garden of Eden jumps alb
ruptly over precipice 100 feet into Rock
twelve miles farther on, finds an outlet
through a narrow pasSageway between
hills. sloping sharply and soon breaking
into dismembered pyramids Of basalt rock.
above sea level. and the unfathomable
depth Of the water, clear crystal, con-
nected with wierd surroundings. affords
a theme for philosOphic meditation not
Alps.
An Indian legend Of this remarkable lake
makes II the home of a monstrous sea
serpent. The remnants of the red tribes
which used to frequent it's shores tell
their white neighbors that no Indian can
venture into the water. either for a bath
or pleasure trip in a canoe. without be-
ing. swallowed whole by the hideous reptile.
and to this day the aborigines look upon
Rock lake with the same apprehension
that an Old-time orthodox ponders over the
clares that an entire tribe was dashed to
destruction and eaten not many centuries
ago, all to satisfy the greed of this very
monster. At another time, during the out
band Of noble red men, in their efforts TO
escape the vigilance of Uncle Sans blue
coats tried to conceal themselves above
the lake in the little paradise but were
avows. and sent 70 eternlty.-Tacoma
Ledger.