Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1899-08-12
Pyramid Lake, One of the Beauty
Marks of the Silver State.

aSHiS O0aSt 10 Jidtiliu LdhO, III iNO
vada. Ii lies about thirty miles north
east Of Reno, and about twenty north
the Central Pacific railroad at Wads
worth. says the Pacific Bee. The Lake
is forty miles in length by ten in
breadth-nearly twice as large as Lake
Tahoe. The Truckee river, which is
the outflow from Tahoe, discharges
into Pyramid. Tahoe is about 5000
feet above gea level, and Pyramid
about 1000.
Pyramid Lake derives its name
from the curious pyramidal form Of the
islands 1t contains. These are numer-
ons. and some of them are the nesting
places Of thousands OF pelicans. The
great flocks Of these birds. at times
circuling in the air high above the
water, present sight of much beauty.
Their white plumage glistens in the
sun like Furnished silver. One of these
islands is known as Rattlesnake Island,
and was at one time said to be alive
with snakes, but some years ago
party Of visitors, including the writer,
after diligent search on the island,
found no reptiles Of any sort.
Pyramid Lake is almost entirely sur
rounded by high mountains. 1t is
reached only by long ride or drive
through desert region. where sage
brush is almost the only vegetation.
From Reno the wagon road passes over
a succession Of level valleys and rocky
hills. the lake finally coming into view
through the outlet of a picturesque
pass in the mountains. 1t is a most
pleasing spectacle, as it lies sparkling in
the sun, its deep blue waters rivaling in
beauty and crystal purity those of Lake
Tahoe. The water of Pyramid is,
however, unfit to drink, being heavily
charged with borax and other alkaline
substances. This alkaline quality is
the result Of the evaporation that is
almost constantly going on. There is
but little rain at Pyramid, the annual
amounting to but few
inches, and the lake has no outlet
Like Tahoe 1t is Of great depth, and
the wator is cold at all seasons.
In spite of the alkaline nature of the
water, Pyramid Lake abounds in large
trout. which are of superior quality for
the table. They make fine sport for
the angler, as the fish average four or
five pounds in weight, and many speci-
mems are much larger. The trout are
of two kinds, the Truckee river trout
and also the silvery or lake trout Both
are caught by trolling from boat and
the fishing is commonly very good.
Pyramid Lake is part Of an Indian
reservation, and so the fishing is pro-
tected for the benefit Of the Indians.
There has long been a Government
agency on the reservation. Recently
a large building At the agency was dis.
troyed by fire. A good school has been
maintained, and the Indians have
made much progress in agriculture.
Irrigation is had by bitches taking
water from the Truckee. The Indians
are OF the Pah-Uue tribe and for
many years have been entirely peace
able. They were originally warlike,
and the stalwart physique Of the old
stock is preserved in their descend
ents.
Near the shore of the lake is cave
in which many human bones have been
found. There is tradition among the
Indians that band of Bannocks were
once starved to death in this cavern,
at time when the Bannocks we're at
war with the Pah-Utes. Many Indian
arrow-heads, Of kind unlike those
used by the Pah-Utes have been