The Dickinson press., 1899-05-13
NATURES BEAUTY SPOT,
Devils Lakes Many Attractions IN
the Way of Picturesque OBJ
jects Of Interest.

In the heart Of North Dakota 10 .
picturesque inland sea, a miniature
ocean Of salt water. Devils Lake, or
"Minnewaukan," as 1t is called by the
Indians, is a beautiful body Of water
extending in a nOrthwestcrly and
s~outhcasterly direction for about thir-
ty miles. Its outline, however, is very
irregular, and a line through its center
between the extremes covers q dis
lance of nearly sixty miles. The shore,
Is broken by numerous indcntations'
and projections, forming arms and
bays from a few rods to n dozen miles
in length, giving n beach line Of nearly
800 miles around the lake. Devils Lake
at its widest point Is about ten miles in
width. Thus we have picturesque,
bays, narrow straits, wide, gravelly-
beaches, foaming surf and a broad J.
panSe of water whose waves at times
have all the grandeur of the old ocean.
At other times the surface of the lake
Is like a mirror, without a ripple on its'
surface. At some points the shores
are steep and rocky; again, they receds
In bluffs rising gradually to 4 height OF
several hundred feet. while at other
points we find low-lying meadows e1-
tending for miles from the borders %
the lake.
Devils Lake is elevated 1900 feet
above the level Of the sea. Its water
varies In depth from a few feet to ever
100 and its surface covers an area q
about 100 square miles. There are No
islands In 1t, although some Of its nu-
merous %peninsulas are known as ISL
ands, and undoubtedly were such ut an
earlier period. The lake has receded
several feet since 1t was first discov-
cred by white people. With varying
climatic influences it may again reach
q higher stage. That the lake formerly
covered a larger area is evident from
the fact that the low-lying lands in the
vicinity have al the appearances Of .
former lake bed. Devils Lake was onc0
connected with Stump Lake, some Dis
lance to the east Of it's eastern extrenr
ity.
Devils Lake has no visible outlet, but
its surplus water probably finds IT'D
way through subterranean passages in
the geological strata to the basins Of
the Cheyenne, James and Red River
Valleys, possibly to again reach the
surface through artesian wells.
The water of the lake is clear as cryD-
tai, and is strongly impregnated WITH
sulphite and carbonate Of soda, lime,
magnesium, iron and soda, very MUCK
resembling the water Of the ocean.
For bathing, its equal cannot be found
in any other interior body Of water in
the country.
For beauty of scenery Devils Lake
surpasses many of the famed lakes of
the East, and few, indeed, are the bod
les Of water in this or any other coun-
try which offer so many attractions in
the way Of picturesque objects Of inter-
est. The clear North Dakota skies, the
surpassingly-beautiful sunset effects,
the ~ever-changing beauty of verdurs
along its shores, the salt sea water, the
convenience of access, the abundance
of wild game and other features make
Devils Lake one Of natures beauty
spots, which will in time come to bs
appreciated by hundreds Of thousands
of pleasure and rest-seekers.
Have a thought Of the flies and in
sects which will torment the horses the
coming summer, and see if you are not
ingenious enough to make screen door.
for your stable while the days of leis-
ure are at your command nov