94 
THE SPORTSMAN’S AND TOURIST’S GUIDE. 
side of the valley, and large flocks of 
water fowl were frequently seen sporting 
in the river channel. Here trout were 
caught in abundance.” 
At the Great Yellowstone Lake, at 
the mouths of creeks emptying therein, 
are ‘large, swampy districts, flooded, 
and the resort of myriads of water fowl. 
The waters of the lake abound with 
trout to such an extent that the fish at 
this season are in poor condition for 
want of food. No other fish are seen; 
no minnows, no small trout. There are 
also no clams, crabs, nor turtles—no- 
thing but full grown trout. These could 
be caught in mule loads by wading out 
a few feet in the open waters at any 
point, with a grasshopper bait. ‘Two 
men could catch them faster than half a 
dozen could clean and get them ready 
for the frying pan. Caught in the open 
lake, their flesh was yellow ; but in bays 
where the water was strongly impreg- 
nated with chemicals, it was blood red. 
The whole valley is filled with pools 
of water, a resort for great numbers of 
waterfowl. The ground was trodden by 
thousands of elk and sheep. Bear tracks 
and beaver trails were also numerous, 
and occasionally was seen the footsteps 
of a California lion. During the night 
we were several times disturbed by the 
dismal screaming of California lions, and 
in the morning found their huge tracks 
close around the camp. In the evening 
a grizzly bear, with cubs, was roused by 
some of the party, but as they had not 
lost any bears she got away with her in- 
teresting family undisturbed. These ani- 
mals are very numerous in the basin, the 
green grasses, berries, and pine nuts af- 
fording them abundant supplies of food. 
The small lakes are perfectly alive with 
otter, which may be seen playing upon 
their surfaces at nightfall by hundreds. 
Beaver, mink, and muskrat are also 
abundant.” 
“Tn the evening large numbere of fish 
were caught, one of the privates catch- 
ing fifty-two large trout, all that two 
men could carry, in less than an hour, 
Tn the early morning we were serenaded 
by a couple of lions, their melancholy 
voices echoing through the heavy forest 
with a peculiarly wild, mournful sound. 
“The water fowl on the lake deserve 
a passing notice. These include swans, 
pelicans, gulls, Canada geese, brant, and 
many varieties of ducks and dippers. 
There are also herons and sandhill cranes. 
Of pelicans, immense numbers sail in 
fleets along the lake, in company with 
the majestic swan. The gulls are of the 
same variety as those found in San Fran- 
cisco harbor. I think the pelicans are 
identical with those found in the great 
Jakes on our northern border, but am 
not sure, as we did not get a specimen. 
There are several low, flat islands in the 
lake, which are always white with them 
at the close of the day. Of the birds 
and animals of the forest, I have seen of 
each several not down ip the books— 
comprising, of birds, a sort of large mock- 
ing bird, two varieties, belonging, I 
think, to the genws ‘corvus,;’ two kinds 
of woodpeckers ; two or three specimens 
of grouse; also a guide bird, resembling 
a blackbird, but larger. I saw but one 
of these the day I went to the bottom 
of the Great Canon; it hopped and flew 
along from rock to rock ahead of us 
during the whole trip down, waited 
perched upon a rock while we were rest- 
ing, and led us clear to the summit again 
in the same manner, making innumerable 
sounds and gestures constantly to at- 
tract attention. Others of the party re- 
marked birds of the same kind, and act- 
ing in the same manner. The common 
