146 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 



ROST LAKE. (MUD LAKE.) 



This is a small lake, elliptical in outline, lying between Echo lake 

 and Swan river. It is but a few miles from either of the preceding, and 

 about three miles from the base of the Swan range. This range rises 

 abruptly from the plain, as does the Mission mountains, and was elevated 

 in a similar manner. It may be seen by reference to Plate XXXVII, the 

 small lake in the center of the illustration. Plate XLIV shows a general 

 view of the lake from the outlet. 



The lake is a little over a mile in length from north to south, its 

 width being about two-thirds its length. It is densely timbered with fir, 

 spruce, white and yellow pine, birch, cottonwood, and alder on all sides, 

 with small meadows here and there. Between the lake and the mount- 

 ains is a gradually sloping plain, with dense forest, crossed by a few 

 small streams whose sources are in the gulches on the mountain sides. 

 The upper end of the lake is very marshy, much of it swampy, with 

 sphagnum bogs and many small rivulets whose waters reach the lake 

 through tortuous channels. West of the lake the forest extends with 

 gradual slope to the low hills along Flathead lake and river. The forest 

 near Rost lake is damp and swampy for the greater portion of the year. 

 So soft is the soil that the few settlers have been obliged to corduroy 

 the winding road cut through the lodge poles for a distance of nearly a 

 mile. Most of the country about this and Echo lake supports a densa 

 undergrowth of thimble berry bushes. 



The lake itself is shallow, with deep mud bottom. In most places 

 the water is but a few feet deep, in no place was it discovered to be 

 more than eight or ten feet. In the shallow water a long oar could be 

 pushed down full length in the mud. As a result of this surface of shal- 

 low water the sun's rays in summer warm up the waters more than in 

 any river or pond of the region, and the animal life and vegetation is 

 correspondingly rich and varied. 



In early September, 1902, the waters of the lake were remarkably 

 shallow. The passage up and down the lake was made several times in 

 the canvas boat, carrying two men. With this load the boat was usually 

 stirring up the mud in the bottom, although the water was perfectly clear. 

 In many places it was almost impossible to row. A few spots were found' 

 where the water was three or four feet deep. In landing at the upper 

 end the boat was dragged by the oars through mud to a hummock of 

 grass. We were then obliged to carefully pick the way out by stepping 

 from hummock to hummock. A misstep on one occasion resulted in a 

 sudden drop to the waist before the hands could be thrown out. It was 

 only by quick and active movement that I regained the solid? ground. 



Immediately around the waters of the lake the growth of native 

 grass is ranR. Where it is possible the residents cut this for winter hay. 



In 1902, a row boat could land only in a few places, so gradually does 

 the water deepen, and so deep is the mud. The vegetation is encroach- 

 ing on the lake very fast. Rushes, water lilies, potamogetons, and other 

 hydrophytic forms grow even in the middle of the lake. As a consequence, 

 although there are several small creeks bringing water into the lake there 

 is no perceptible current across it. 



