THE MOST MARVELOUS LAKE IN AMERICA 
By Miriam Cocke. 
The Pond-lily; With Petals, Snow-white, and Heart of Gold. 
I N 1811 there occurred within 
our own country, an earth¬ 
quake that the modern world 
knows little about. This was in 
the west Tennessee-East Arkan¬ 
sas division; and for days the 
few inhabitants of that region 
were kept in a state of abject 
terror. The earthquake changed 
the face of the earth, sunk for¬ 
ests, upheaved swamps, uprooted 
•trees, formed lakes, and even 
for a time, obstructed the course 
•of the Mississippi River. Among 
the largest, most celebrated lakes 
formed is Reelfoot Lake, which 
now, with Reelfoot Creek, forms 
the western boundary of Obion 
County, Tennessee. It extends 
from a point just north of the 
Kentucky line, south to a point about seven 
miles north of Dyer County. Its length is 
•about eighteen miles and it varies in width 
from three-quarters of a mile to three miles. 
Its origin is due to the filling up of the 
■channel of Reelfoot Creek during the con- 
tion of the lake, abundantly confirm this 
view; as, upon examination, their roots are 
often found to be from ten to thirty feet 
below the surface of the water. 
Most of the people who live upon its 
shore are of the more primitive sort; and 
in these waters, tons of which 
are annually caught and shipped 
to nearby markets, with thou¬ 
sands of ducks and geese. This 
game attracts sportsmen from 
Tennessee and adjoining states, 
who annually assemble here to 
enjoy the sport of hunting and 
fishing. There is probably no 
county in Tennessee more dense¬ 
ly timbered than Obion; and no¬ 
where in the state are found 
such mammoth trees, either in 
height or point of size. The 
principal growths are poplar, oak, 
gum, maple, ash, hickory, walnut 
and beech; and along the creek 
banks in great numbers are to 
be found cypress and cotton¬ 
wood. The prevailing under¬ 
growth is cane ; 
QUEBEC’S NEW GAME LAW. 
The Province of Quebec, in which so 
many American sportsmen hunt and fish, 
and hold membership in clubs, has enacted 
Every Year Countless Wild-fowl Visit This Lake, Much to the 
Sportsman’s Delight. 
Cypress “Knees,” in the More Shallow Part of Reelfoot Lake. 
vulsions caused by the earthquake previous¬ 
ly mentioned. 
This dammed up the water that before 
had flowed without obstruction into the 
Mississippi. 
After the earthquake had dammed this 
«p, it overflowed a large area and formed 
the lake as now we find it. 
At the same time, the old area of Reel¬ 
foot Creek was stopped up, it is believed 
that the area now covered by the lake sunk 
several feet, and that this depression grad¬ 
ually filled with water which was thus pre¬ 
vented from continuing its way to the rivtr. 
To those who have studied the 
question, this theory seems most 
reasonable; for it is an indisput¬ 
able fact that the bed of the lake 
is, in some places, not less than 
twenty or even thirty feet be¬ 
low the level of the surrounding 
country. Besides, the trunks of 
•dead trees which even now 
stand thickly over a great por- 
the accommodations for visitors are none 
of the best: else Reelfoot Lake might de¬ 
velop into quite a resort, especially for 
hunters and fishermen. For the lake is the 
favorite resort of wild fowl of every kind 
and description, especially in the fall and 
winter when they may be seen in countless 
numbers. Every year a few swans come 
here. Fish of every kind are to be found 
: ■ ■ i 
Where Once a Dry Land Forest Stood. 
a new game law, or rather has consolidated 
the game laws, with some important 
changes. 
The law was passed finally during the last 
week in December, and the copy before 
Forest and Stream is said to be subject to 
one or two slight alterations. The principal 
change in the law is that the Province ap¬ 
parently abolishes the zone division aqd 
makes the law apply to both alike. This 
throws forward the open season on big 
game in Ottawa, Pontiac and Temiskimang 
counties from October I to September i. 
The sale of birch and spruce partridge is 
prohibited until October i, 1920. 
This stops market hunting. The 
prohibition against taking beaver 
is lifted. The copy in hand 
seems to grant this right now, 
but a press statement is to the 
effect that protection is operat¬ 
ive until November, 1917. A ten 
days’ period of hunting red deer 
(Continued on page 87.) 
