A CRAWLING STONE

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 71, 17 December 1926, Page 17

A CRAWLING STONE

IN A WISCONSIN LAKE. There is a crawling stone in the lake region of northern Wisconsin (U.S.A.), in a. lake which bears its name. Crawling Stone Lake. This lake is near the Lac du Flambeau Indian reservation. Crawling Stone is a largo boulder which used to stand far out in the lake, but each year it moves in toward the shore, sometimes a few inches, sometimes several feet .says the "Christian Schnee Monitor"). An old Indian who has lived all his life in this part of the courtry, said that he himself had known *t to "crawl" as much as six feet in one season 1 The water of this beautiful lake is often crystal clear, and it is said that if one looks down into it at such a time he can see the path clearly defined which Crawling Stone has taken in its progress towards the shore. The explanation is that the ice. freezing sdlid during the long. cold, northern winter clasps the stone firmly in its grasp. With the coming of the spring the Ice begins to melt and expand toward shore carrying Crawling Stone with it. Many times natural phenomena, inexplicable to primitive man, have given rise to beautiful legends, which account in their own way for these wonders of nature. So in this case there is a legend among the Indians to explain Crawling Stone, which at one time, at least, was generally believed by them. According to this story the Great Spirit has called to Crawling Stone to come, and to this summons it. is leaving the lake and journeying honsfr