Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1877 — The Dead Sea of America. [ARTICLE]

The Dead Sea of America.

There are no fishes in the Great Salt Lake. The only living thing beneath its waters is a worm about a quarter of an inch long. This worm showß up beautifully under the lens of a microscope. When a storm arises, the worms are driven ashore by the thousands and devoured by the black gulls. We found a pure stream pouring into the lake. It was filled with dhubs and shiners. The fish became frightened, and were driven down the brook into the briny lake. The instant they touched Jts Jpkters they came to the surface, belly upward, and died without a gasp. The water is remarkably buoyant. Eggs and potatoes float on it like corks. Mr. Hood and myself stripped and went in swimming. I dived into the lake from a long pier, which had been built for a small steamboat that formerly plied upon the waters. The sensation was novel. The water was so salty that my eyes and ears began to smart, but so buoyant, that I found no difficulty in floating, even when the air was exhausted In my lungs. As I struck out for the beach I felt as light as a feather. In spite of ail that I could 'do my head would fly out of the water. The lightness of the water and surging of the waves forced my feet from under me. A person who could not swim might be easily drowned in fire feet of water. His head* would go down like a lump of lead, while his feet would fly up like a pair ot ducks. The Water is as clear as Seneca Lake—so clear that the bottom could be seen at the depth of twenty feet. When we reached the shore and crawled out upon the sand in file light of the sun, our bodies were thickly covered with salt We were compelled to go to the small stream from which we had driven the chubs and shiners, and wash off in fresh water before we could put on our clothes. Our hair was filled with grains of salt that could not be washed out. The Mormons occasionally visit the Iske in droves for the purpose of bathing. Many say their health is improved by leaving the salt upon their bodies and dressing without wiping themselves.—AT. V ——— tL . J • \W~rQJrfwwG*

A warren in Bcribner has an article on the subject, V How to Keep the Boys on the Pam.” He evidently means well, bat he doesn’t touch the point. To keep the boys on the farm, the farm should be well paved, and lighted with gas, and have a band-stand, and billiard-tables, and its own bar and race-coarse. We hope oar farmers are just as anxious as they appear to keep their boys on the farm, but they don't seem to take any definite actio*. —ikmburf Hew.