, 1896-03-25
A HAUNTED LAKE.
The Most Deso1ate and Uncanny Pool
in the World.


Texas that Is well worthy the atten-
ton of the ghost-seeker. The name it,
SELF, "Espantoso," meaning "frightful,"
Is to some extent suggestive Of its I'M
earthly properties. 1t is a body Of wa
ter some three-quarters of a mile wide
and a dozen miles long, lying dark and
still in the shadows of an almost i'm
penetrable forest in the bottoms OF the
Nueces river, in Dimmitt county. so
miles from the railroad. Today it is
one of the Ionesomest spots on the
earth, and certainly one of the uncan>
niest.
1t is very deep; so deep that in many
places no procurable line has Eve
reached the bottom. Hence, the rumor
says there is no bottom at all. Its
shores are absolutely uninhabited. and
the bo,dest wayfarer hesitates to tarry
neal its ill-omened waters even in the
broad light Of day.
1t swarms with fish, and immense
alligators dwell there. Fierce. wild
animals Stink unmolested through the
tangled growth along the banks. AT
night the owls boot and the long
drawn, high. p~laintive wall of the
hungry panther form a fit accompani-
ment to the ghostly revels of %unquiet
spirits.
That some inexplicable happening
takes place on these lonely waters on
certain nights is beyond question. The
evil repute has existed for more than a
century-such sights have been seen
and sounds heard by those bold enough
to attempt investigation, that efforts
in that line have entirely ceased; the
lake is stunned, and further inquiry
must be made by strangers, for no one
knowing the place can be bribed or
forced to stay there after nightfall.
The lake was the scene of a tragedy
over 100 years ago, and from that day
to the present it has borne an unhal-
lowed reputation. In those old days
there was a road that skirted it's lower
end. The road was the single highway
SoAlhSSNih6 SlSAiSo Wall NV -
settlements and the Spanish outposts
along the San Antonio river, and fur
ther east, in what is now Texas.
The lake was a we'll known and IA
water there, good grass and abundant
shade: a welcome rest spot for those
coming from the south over the hot,
sandy cactus-covered uplands. Near
the close of a September day long ago.
a large wagon train stopped to camp
for the night. Within the wagons
were sacks Of silver coin for the pay,
ment Of troops in the frontier garrl-
mounted escort, numerous enough to
put at rest all fear of danger. The
whole party laid down to rest and
slept that night, u~nsuspicious. careless
and negligent. But a deadly peril was
lurking near at hand. eager-eyed,
bloodthirsty and ever watchful of an
opportunity.
SAvAGES ON THE TRAIL.
M tLS way iiohl IN INlo anu Ullt
trail Of the crawling wagons had been
followed by bandits-thieves, rene
gades and murderers they were, cruel
as tigers, brave as grizzlies. Every
move had been noted, every camping
place watched. every sign of careless
confidence eagerly scrutinized by keen
eyes that shone with the ill-repressed
light OF anticipated plumber.
On this September night, when the
whole camp was resting, the sentinels
nodding. rel as they stood in the
dark shadows OF the trees, the robbers
made their attack; a fierce yell, a rat
thing volley and a savage rush. The
startled escort sprang up, grasping
their o~ld-fashioned escopetas, ana
made what resistance they could.
There was close desperate fighting all
around, and a confusion Understandable.
The commandant realized that the
fight would soon go against him. so
exhorting his men to stand to the last.
he gathered the teamsters about him
and together they took the sacks of sill.
yer from the wagons and threw them
over into the bottomless depths of the
lake.
There was barely time, for all resist
ance was soon overcome. the survivors
begging for mercy and the human
wolves in complete possession. But
the silver was beyond them, out of
their reach. and all their trouble and
pains proftless. Mad at the thought of
being baked, the outlaws took the sur
vivors, the comandant, the teamsters,
the soldiers. bound them hand and
foot, tied heavy stones to them and
tossed them. living, one by one, over
into the dark water. OF all who had
laid down to rest in the evening. not
one was alive In the morning. Pools
OF blood, trampled grass, a lf-burned
wagons. the ashes Of expired fires.
marked the spot, and that was all.
Deep down in the still cool water lay
the bright silver, and on the surface a
swtri here and there told of the alliga-
toss fighting over their hideous feast.
Nxactiy n year later to the very
day snothsr party camped at the lake.
TAsy wsrs trooper, returning to easy
service in Mexico. after q season Of
knslinsss, haEtship and danger on the
A~--KH ma ----l