478 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



famous lake, and is about seven miles long and twelve 

 wide. Through its outlet, West River, it is one of the 

 feeders of Sockendog River, which forms the west branch 

 of the Hudson. 



This, too, is a lovely lake, partaking of many of the 

 features of Lake Pleasant. There is some rude presence of 

 civilization on the north end and eastern side, where a few 

 farms and a small village are to be seen along the smoothly 

 undulating shore. The country opens level to the south-east, 

 but on the north-west the Panther mountain beatles over it 

 protectingly stern. 



This lake has been made renowned among sportsmen by 

 the feats of the noted Piseco Club — a fraternal band who 

 went thither once a year upon a devout pilgrimage to offer 

 up a sacrificial hecatomb of fish bones and buck's horns to 

 the manes of their hirsute progenitor. Ham ! After very 

 nearly exhausting its waters and shores, they have deserted 

 them, and are now threatening some one of the wilder lakes 

 we see towards the north-west. Here, when we talk of 

 exhausting Piseco, we must be understood as when talking 

 of the progress of civilization — in a comparative sense — for 

 be it understood — these six devout pilgrims regarded one 

 hundred pounds a day as the small expression of their fervid 

 religious zeal : and the beautiful lake fell into discredit with 

 them so soon as it refused to render up this slight diurnal 

 tribute. Sportsmen of less zeal still find it a charming 

 resort. 



Now look away to the north-west, and you can count along 

 the line of vision, until it is lost in the dim serrated line 

 of the Blue Ariondack, twenty-five wild, lovely lakes, upon 

 whose virgin solitudes no Piseco Club has ever intruded with 

 its exhausting zeal. Look closely now, and you will be 

 able to trace the threads of three of the finest trout streams 

 in America. They form the eastern branch of the Hudson ! 



Here we are perched above and in the centre of the head 



