DOWN AVALANCHE CREEK, AND OUT 323 



is plentiful and cheap, we speak of any small body of it 

 as a " pond " ; but in deserts and on mountain summits, 

 where a body of water of any size is something to be 

 petted and made much of, people call it a " lake." And 

 very properly, too; for no meek and lowly " pond " is a 

 proper associate for Nature's grandest works. One of 

 the most beautiful lakes in the Elk River country is Lake 

 Monro, a few miles north of Goat Pass named in honor 

 of Mr. G. N. Monro, of Pittsburg, who has hunted big 

 game in this region. 



Charlie was right. We found a lovely sheet of water, 

 walled in by a dense green stockade of spruces and bal- 

 sams. Toward the south and west, a high cliff of rock 

 loomed up, and southeastward were several immense 

 ridges with broadly-rounded tops. 



The lake is a gem of green and blue, lying in the lap 

 of Nature. For a few yards outward from the shore 

 the shallow water showed the clear green of an emerald, 

 but suddenly it plunged into unknown depths and be- 

 came " deeply, darkly, beautifully blue." 



Near the outlet of the 



lake, we found big tracks 



coming up from the blue 



water, and at the head of it 



we found where the maker 



of those tracks had gone in. 



About two weeks previous 



to our visit a large bull elk 



had entered the southern end of the lake, and swam the 



entire length of it. Having read this bit of history, I 



/?" -/-I " * -r >-- ^"'^'^ 



