106 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



iu a circle ai'oiiiid us, and tlieii away over the plains. Here also 1 saw 

 nnnibers of antelope, but they wx're too wild to approach. 



On September ;50 we forded the San Joaquin at Beals' Indian Farm, 

 where we caught salmon and other fish, which appeared in great quan- 

 tities. Some live or six miles up the river we saw some whooping cranes, 

 a few ducks, heard a mocking bird, and saw antelope. I shot a duck and 

 a hare. 



On October o and 4 we passed over rolling land, running due north 

 to the Fourth Standard and passing Kings River Slough. On thesi; 

 days Ave saw great numbers of antelope and wild horses and also a silver 

 grey fox — the first one I had seen this side of the Rockies. At Kings 

 River Slough we killed some bitterns, also saw ducks, ))lack curlews and 

 various other water birds. Fishing also was good. At this slough also 

 we met Indians, and one of them undertook to conduct us on a hunt for 

 elk. With our Indian guide we went westerly toward the Tularies, 

 between Kings River Slough and Kings River. These lands were 

 literally perforated by gophers, moles and other underground inhabi- 

 tants, and the air was infested with mosquitoes. On this trip we saw 

 great quantities of quail, also the tracks of a grizzly, but found nothing 

 but the signs of elk. Our Indian guide, who was on foot, while we rode 

 horseback, became tired out and we returned to camp on the slough. 



Von Schmidt continued surveying operations along the Kings, during 

 which time we saw large herds of antelope. Then we proceeded to the 

 main branch of the Kaweah River, to Woodville, the county seat of 

 Tulare County. All branches of the Kaweah abound with fish, and wood 

 ducks were plentiful. Bear signs were everywhere and we killed a cub 

 while in the Kaweah country. 



Later, leaving the Kaweah country, we continued to Tula Swamp, 

 where we found signs of elk, but no elk were actually seen. At Tula 

 Slough Creek we found quantities of fish, and I saw for the first time 

 here a roadrunner. Here we killed a few hares, the only game seen. 



On October 16 we began our journey over stretches of alkaline desert, 

 under a sweltering sun, and with mirages mocking us in every direction, 

 toward the great Tulare Lake. We reached this lake early in the evening, 

 in time to kill quantities of ducks, snipe, geese and black curlew before 

 dark. We also killed two antelope and a number of hare. We feasted 

 that night after our desert travels. We found all kinds of waterfowl, 

 antelope and hare in abundance around Tulare Lake. And it was here 

 that I killed our first elk. We had gone on a little excursion from the 

 lake (exactly on the line of the Seventh Standard Parallel, about three 

 miles distant), when I saw a herd of four large buck elk. My first shot 

 brought one down, and the others did not seem frightened nor run, and 

 I am sure we could have shot more, but we did not need the meat. 



The Indians on Tulare Lake were greatly perturbed over our visit. 

 They feared that we might contemplate squatting on their land. And 

 they were pleased when we told them (through a Spanish interpreter) 

 that we had no such intentions. In fact, the whole country we had trav- 

 eled over since we left the Four Creeks (Kaweah River) to Tulare Lake 

 is totally unfit for any purpose and can never be settled by anybody but 

 hunters or Indians. And we assured the Indians they need not fear 

 squatters, as no white man would ever want their land. 



