The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-08-07

on the occasion of our arrival, an(
as clear as crystal. Arriving late
in the evening by stage, we resolve
to gain a clear conception of this
treasure in the early morning.
Just as the day dawn blends with
the moonlight of the night, we reach
our vantage point overlooking the
lake. moonlight sheen, like hal
lowed light, lies over the bosom OF
the lake with the sides in timbered
shadow
"A gentle wind now causes the
ripples to tighten up the shadows
from the timber fringes of the lake.
Moonlight wanes, dawn brightens
and the mountains enveloping
clouds bend downward, as it were,
to kiss the lake in parting, and
quickly disappear. Atop the noun
tain stands the king of day, and his
cleaning rays redden sky clouds,
enriching mountain, forest and lake
with bright. glowing light.
Killarney, Como or Geneva have
no more beautiful setting than has
Payette lake. Most appropriately
have the people of this region term.
ed 1t The Gem of the Mountains
This body of water is twenty miles
in circumference, wooded to the very
waters edge, as far as the eye can
discern
AS il to enhance its comeliness,
and give better place for its ad-
mfrers to take pictures of its sur
passing beauty most effectively, ma
ture has crowded the hills in upon
the lake, at its central portion, al
most cutting 1t in two. These mar
rows consist of rugged rocks and
reveal some mighty commissions in
the aeOns of the past The evidence
of this struggle is further borne out
by the fact that here the lake has
almost abyssmal depth. Instead of
the waters showing crystal clear,
they are black, and soundings to the
depth of two thousand feet reveal no
bottom. They are like the 'Gitchee
Ounce Waters described in Hia-
watha. People who have known the
lake intimately for many years say
that rolling surf, as of the sea, |
beats its shore line all through the |
night. Only deep lakes and the sea
have this phenomenon. From the
narrows we may look either way and
find the lake symetrical in it's cylin-
drfcalness. Thus, we come to speak
OF the narrows' as the bow which
nature has made to enhance the
beauty of our mountain gem.
AS we stand at the highest point
OF rocks, several hundred feet above
the lake, looking toward a beyond
sylvan beach, we see picture in the
water, which beggars description.
THE breeze has stilled. In the
waters surface, now as smooth and
clear as glass, we can see mirrored
the comely mountain, to our right,
and every tree which adorns its
sides, stands out so clearly, we can
not but rejoice at the striking beauty
Of the picture.
"Payette Lakes sunsets rival any
hing classic Europe can reveal. The
sun drops behind the mountain to
The west, fully an hour before it sets.
As 1t goes down, the stranger says
% himself, 'Humph! that's no sun
yet, 1t has not single element of
beauty; the sun just sinks from
7iew.
THAT is true indeed, for it is not
ret the, sunset, be patient, wait
1T was the month of June when ,
he writer made his first visit to ,
'ayette. Shortly after eight O'Clock I
he sun fell below the horizon of |
he lakes environment, but it was t
fter nine, before it sank below the {
rue horizon and the sunset hues '
'egan to redden the west. From I
light pink, through rosy bushes on d
he sky and lake, to deepened GRIM @
name that will indicate what it is S
lied the western heavens, tinted O
ne surface of the lake, touched up p
he eastern mountain tops and thrill n
I'D one with their magnificent col c
ring. Then the shadows OF the mir
ored mountain, just under the sun 1
et glow, stood out In the western
lost portion Of the lakes bowl, as
eep purple silhouette. surprisingly
A
The rich sEr' Of sky and