The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-06-05
BIC LAKE DISAPPEARING,
Largest Body Of Water in New
South Wales Drying Up.
DUE TO THE DROUGHT,
Past Vagaries Of One of the Most Re-
markable Inland Lakes of the
World.

The latest news about the great
drought in New. South Wales is that
Lake George, the largest body of water
in that state, is as Cry as a bone. No
man until now has seen the lake entirely
dry since 1919. tifty-four years ago. The
total drying up of Lake George is the
most striking illustration yet given of the
terrible drought conditions which still
prevail in the state of New South Wales.
The farm and pasture lands of Queens
land are also very thirsty, though not so
terribly parched as those of New South
Wales. Victoria is affected to less ex-
tent.
Lake George is often affected by vari-
atoms in the rainfall. The Sun has al
ready en- one occasion called attention to
it's vagaries, which for years were COM
mon topic in Australia. till people ceased
to wonder and conjecture.
Evaporation Only Outlet.
The lake has no outlet except evapora-
ton. For g series Of years the brooks
that tumble down the mountains which.
edge the lake may steadily contribute to
it larger quantity of water than is evap-
Grated from its surface.
Then the lake steadily rises. The wa
Ter pushes uortn anu sOuln uut!l LIE 1aAe
is twenty-one miles or more in length;
with width of seven or eight miles.
For another series of years the water
brought by the brooks may be steadily
smaller than the quantity %evapOrated.
Then the lake begins to fall. shrinking
in few years to half it's former dinan-
sion, this process going On sometimes till,
at rare intervals, Lake George entirely
disappears except for few water holes
H. ,k ofr TO, 1a11 IN Iolx
was in food during 1891. extending north
and south for twenty-cae HaNes, with &C.
depth Of twelve feet.
Twice in the last century thousands of
sleep and cattle were pastnred on Large
areas later covered with water. They
were the most numerous representatives
there of the larger forms aof sanimal life,
just as fish and water fewltwerei at later
times.
The cabins Of the stock paisers, 'or
squatters as they we've called, were ~scat-
tered over the meadows once. Vegetables
were raised and patches of wheat. $50
little was known of Lake George in those
days that the herders really had a feel
ing of security and permaaency; but" the
day came when the rising waters swished
around the cabins, drowned some"of the
stock and drove the squatters to the
highlands.
Everybody knows that the bed of hake
George offers very uncertain tenure to
settlers. Now that it has come into view
again probably NO attempt will he made
to utilize it on SO large a scale 4as was
done in the '30s and '40s of the hast CEN
tury. g. !" -
Once Almost Inaccessible.
The lake, which is about $50 miles
southwest of Sydney, near the south end
of the Blue mountains, was for many
years almost inaccessible samong the
wilds that hem it in, but now branch Of
the railroad between Sydney and Mel
bourne skirts its eastern shore Many
sportsmen ;alight at the .neighboring sta
ton for season of fishing or shooting :.
The incredible number Of ducks, swans,
pelicans and other waiter fowl, 1aakessthe
lake one OF the finest Shooting resorts
in New South Wales. At:an elevations of
|0ver 200 feet not many lakes outside OF
Africa and inner Asia are 10 fhiYh "a boye
the sea. 81 =@5 =ss e ,:5 0 EE,S.S .sSt ~
The lake lies at the lower end Of a
basin SO walled IN by mountains,and. hills
that the drainage into it has no chance
TO escape TO the sea. 1t was long before
this fact was discovered.
Eighteen years elapsed al ter. the white
settlers became acquainted with the lake
before its water entirely disappeared. In
1883 and 1889 the surface,of the lake bed
was dry and firm. Sfy ..s
The period between 1883 and 1851 was
The bed Of the driicd-np LAKE; parts 81
the bed afforded the .filf1est Of pasture
Tan tens 81 a,ousands ~ sores helms