SPEARING SALMON 209 



north pole at each man's door that invites the spirit of 

 adventure. Each human being has a trail to make for 

 himself. 



" Koutine starves body and soul, and, in its deadly 

 clutch, we begin to measure the days of life on the 

 walls of consciousness like men condemned to death, 

 who chalk the passing of the days on the walls of their 

 cells that finally fetch them to the rope and trap-door." 



We are now afloat, healthy and free, the world of 

 adventure before us, the humdrum work of office and 

 of shop behind us. So, farewell for a period to the 

 trivialities of life, its fashions, its vagaries and its artifi- 

 cial delights. "We are about to enjoy the perennial 

 passion of living in the open, dreaming or thinking of 

 nothing but what every new day may bring to us be- 

 fore its precious hours have departed. 



Renewing our youth by rugged exercise, expanding 

 our lungs with air untainted by sulphurous smoke, we 

 feel like shouting out with Walt Whitman : " Oh, for 

 the open road ! " 



Our way lay through Bear Lake and up the upper 

 Bear River to a stream which empties out of Swan 

 Lake. Here was the first of Kibbee's trapping camps 

 after leaving his home camp. At the mouth of the 

 lake, stuck up on the side of this camp, was a piece of 

 cardboard, on which was written a notice that at the 

 point where we entered Swan Lake stream, fresh meat 

 would be found ready for use. This was signed by a 



