156 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 



Swan Lake. 



From Swan lake to the Mission mountains westward the dis- 

 tance is perhaps not more than six miles. It lies in a direction north and 

 south, parallel with Flathead lake. It was evidently formed by the same 

 geological method, faulting, the western half of the uplift of the Swan 

 range falling after the upheaval, thus making the valley between the 

 Swan and mission ranges, in which Swan lake lies. 



From the laboratory at the outlet of Swan river to Swan lake is per- 

 haps eight miles. The road winds through the forests and along the 

 river, mostly through unfenced country, scarcely touched by the hand of 

 man. There are a few houses along the road, several more between the 

 road and the mountains to the west. The timJber close to the road is 

 mostly lodge pole pine, Pinus Murrayana, Engl., and Douglas spruce, 

 Pseudotsuga mucronata, Raf. Occasionally in the smaller timber there 

 rises the tall trunk of a monster tamarack or yellow pine, showing that 

 in days gone by a different forest growth covered the country. Towards 

 the Mission range there is considerable low and swampy land, apparently 

 the remains of a portion of the old lake before mentioned, where is to be 

 found an abundant growth of arbor-vitae, or white cedar. Thuja plicata, 

 Don. Some of the mountain spurs have a dense growth of young timber 

 of this species, so thick that the sun scarcely strikes the ground through 

 the foliage, and where underbrush and other vegetation are entirely want- 

 ing. In passing through such timber one is continually squeezing be- 

 tween small trunks, often no thicker than one's arm, breaking limbs to 

 make a passage, with nothing but dead leaves underfoot. It is impossible 

 to see out in any direction. One must follow the compass, not knowing 

 whether before there is a lake, a swamp, a steep slope, or open woods. 



Wlhile exploring a portion of this region we came upon some blazes on 

 the trees. At first these were supposed to be the marks of the survey- 

 ors. The compass showed them to be out of line with the directions 

 which surveyors would take, and the question then was as to what the 

 blazes would mean. It was decided to follow them up the mountain side, 

 through the dense timber. The way wandered much through the woods, 

 apparently taking an uncertain direction. They were certainly made by 

 some one who was undecided as to his bearings. They fianally led up the 

 mountain side to a tree well cut, barked almost around the trunk. From 

 indications it was decided that some hunter a few years before had killed 

 an animal at this spot, and had blazed his way out in order to be able to 

 return for his game. 



On this same trip, leaving the blazed trail before mentioned, we took 

 the direction of the compass southeast, washing to come out at a lake 

 reported to lie between the river and the Mission mountains, a little 

 north of Swan lake. The timber was very thick, and a view impossible. 

 Following down a ridge which we had been ascending for some time, we 

 came in sight of a small lake, covering but a few acres, lying in a pocket 

 between two steep slopes. As we descended to the lake shore a pair of 



