234 ELDORADO 



ing the bottom of the lake at eighty feet clearly visible ; 

 at one-half mile from shore the color changes to a 

 deeper green, about a mile from shore it suddenly 

 changes to an almost indigo-blue ; the lines of these 

 three shades or colors are as distinctly drawn as if 

 painted. For many years it was supposed that this 

 lake was bottomless, but later soundings, established 

 its greatest depth to be about fifteen hundred feet. It 

 was first named Lake "Bigler," but in 1859 William 

 PL Knight, who at this time occupies the chair of 

 President of the Southern California Academy of 

 Science, upon arriving at the lake after many months' 

 travel across mountain, plain and desert, as a ''pioneer 

 pilgrim," saw its "setting"^ and beauties as described 

 above, and feeling the inspiration that comes to all 

 beholders that possess the divine element of poetry or 

 the love of the grand in nature, and learning that 

 "Tahoe" was the aboriginal name given to it by the 

 Indians, who, for countless centuries had camped upon 

 its shores and fished in its clear waters, conceived the 

 idea that the aboriginal name would be most appro- 

 priate to go into history rather than that of a little 

 known statesman. Mr. Knight afterwards secured 

 the enactment of a law by the Legislature of Califor- 

 nia changing the name to "Tahoe," and it was ap- 

 proved by the Land Office at Washington. 



Another beautiful sheet of water is "Mirror Lake," 

 in the Yosemite Valley. Its beaut3% fascination and 

 grandeur of its surroundings are unsurpassed in the 

 world. It is formed by the waters flowing down from 

 Lake Teu-il-ya to join the Merced River, and covers 

 an area of about eight acres. 



