The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-09
LAKus SINKING IN TENNESSEE.
Curious Legend of one Which Petri'
fes Anything thrown Into 1t.
From the Pitfs5lW0 Dispatch.

AE5 anything 4uEOWh 4ALO L.
From, the Pitts5,vg Dispatch
The inhabitants Of that part OF West
! Tennessee known as the earthquake belt"
are considerably exercised over the gradual
sinking Of the lakes formed by the earth
! quake Of 1911. The water level is descend
ing without any apparent cause, although
the streams that empty into some OF the
lakes are not affected. This Ii taken to tie
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 be-
| low. The effects or the unexplained phe-
nomenon are mos apparent III Stone
lake, beautiful body Of water situated IN
Lauderdale county. The lake Is about
mile long and half mile wide ami
has an average depth OF twenty feet, but so
clear is IL that the smallest objects can be
seen on the bottom. A more inviting place
for the angler could not be found anywhere,
but, strange to say, while the other waters
IL that region are alive with fish, no living
thing has ever been seen in Stoae lake, and
the people Of the vicinity contend that the
water IL certain death to any creature that
drinks it. The wild fowls avoid 1t, though
they swarm in the adjoining ponds and
bsyous. Another popularity OF the un-
canny water is that anything cast into it
quickly petrifies; hence the name 1t bears.
And thereby hangs tale, which, incredible
as 1t may sound, is nevertheless devoutly
believed by the simple inhabitants of the
locality. 1t goes back to seventy years ago,
when the country was first settled by emf
grants from North Carolina.
Tradition goes that on hot summer day,
after his task was flushed, an old and
trusted slave of one OF the pioneers got
leave to 60 fishing, and taking his tackle
and bait set out for the lake, which he had
remarked as a likely place for bass. Ar
irving there he walkei 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 atten-
ton to the circumstance, thinking
that old lsom had probably gone
on lark to some Deighboring
farm. But when Isom failed to show
up next morning old Capt. Billiard became
uneasy and went out in search of him.
He could learn nothing of the missing slave
from the nelghbors. Then he organized
a party and beat the woods TO find
him. Strange to say, be had not Temem-
bered giving lsom leave TO go fishing. To-
ward shutdown fox hound with the party
struck a trail aud followed it to the bank of
the lake. The hunters went after, and ar
irving at the lake saw Isom sitting on the log
with pole extended and apparently fishing,
vociferous calls Of his master. The hound
sprRng on the log and ran up to the mo-
tionless form, shifted at it and flew back to
the bank, bowling with fright. Then the old
captain dismounted and charged out on the
log, whip in hand, to chastise the truant.
He brought his whip down on the motion
less figure with a resembling whack.
Still lsom sat still. The old captain
| caught him by the shoulder. He grasped
not flesh and blood, but stone. The
fisherman, his line and pole we're petriAedl
The log on which he sat was also solid.
When the captain and his followers had re-
| covered from their fright they made their
way home and told the story. Next DAY
large party of the neighbours went out and
| found it to be true They discovered by
| dropping things into the lake the marvellous
effect of the water. The stone log was once
giant hickory. Nuts that had fallen from
il were seen petrihed on the bottom. IGwas
| thought that Isom must have slipped and
| fallen into the lake with his pole, as the
water on his clothes and tackle took effect
when he regained his perch and began fish
| ing.
The extraordinary figure is still intact
and there is a movement on foot to trans
port it, with a section Of the log, to the
worlds fair.