The Holbrook news., 1911-05-26
~ NE L.ANE c0llYZRY

read history of people which dwelt
 in the midst of this primeval forest
 ages ago.
 At Lake Amatitlan we find our selves on a much visited lake. The borders of this lovely body of water, lying only IS miles to the south of Guatemala City, are the playgrounds of the capital. Situated at an alti- tude of nearly 2,000 feet above the level of the sea, 12 miles long and 3 miles wide, 1t is very deep and gives has its outlet in the Pacific ocean, IF miles south of the port of San Jose, where it is 12 miles wide.
 A curious phenomenon, which is a yearly occurrence, generally during the month of March, is an eruption which takes place at the bottom of the lake, and great quantities of sul- phur rise to the surface of the water. This, for a time, is the death knen of the fish.
 In the boiling springs which abound is done the laundry work of the city, the women taking advantage of this water heated by nature and ever ready for use. Groups of dark-skinned Indian women, in their gayly colored native costumes. kneeling by the deep blue waters amidst the piles of snowy linen, present a most attractive and fascinating picture. There is also novelty about picnic, when eggs can be cooked without trouble by merely dropping them into one of Mother Ma ture's overlooking pots
 It has been my good fortune to see many lakes in different parts of the world, but never have seen one more exquisitely beautiful than the curious crater lake of Atitlan, incompatible for grandeur of scenery and perfec- tion of climate. In the very heart of the mountains we find this lake, 30 miles in length and 10 miles in breadth. Although many streams emp ty their waters into it, there is no visible outlet and it's depth is un- known, no soundings having been made with a line of more than 300 fathoms No fish live in it's icy wa ters, and here and there upon it's sur face mineral springs bubble up from it's unfathomable depths.
 It is impossible to describe the charm and witchery of this country, bathed in moonlight, the scenery at each step becoming more impressive We forded rushing, tumbling noun tain streams, looking like cascades of silver, and we rode through silent In- dian villages, where the inhabitants were sleeping in front of their strange little bamboo huts. The only sound to break the silence was the plaintive call of the whippoorwill. Words are inadequate to portray the scene which was before us. The great expanse of water lay like molten silver in the moonlight, the mountains, solemn and awe-inspiring, standing in serried ranks like giant sentinels to guard this treasure A soft, pearly mist hung over all, but not so dense as to hide the perfect outline of the three great volcanoes-the two Atitlans and San Pedro. These stupendous giants rise to the height of nearly 12,000 feet and fall in one unbroken sweep to the waters edge.
 The filmy veil of mist which is characteristic of this region during the greater part of the year occasion ally melts away, and as we stood on this spot, speeches. before the won der of this panorama, 1t seemed for our benefit alone to have crept silent ly away in the night and earth and sky and water were perfectly revealed, outlying each other in deepest tones of blue. But even as we gazed soft clouds formed in the valleys below and crept stealthily up, writhing and twisting like great white snakes, un- til once more they had encircled the mountains like giant serpents whose power even the great hills could not withstand. Nature seemed to say that we had looked already too long upon her secret treasures, and softly but swiftly she again drew around them the gauzy mantle in which. except at rare intervals, she keeps them wrapped.
 -l0RRn