154 Reminiscences of 



The snow extended down from the summit to the 

 shores of the lake, and as we remained here for several 

 days we celebrated the 4th of July by efforts at snow- 

 balling and coasting. The ice had gone out of the 

 lake but a few days before. The last reaches of timber 

 ended at the lake in small, scraggly diminutive pines, 

 though in Bierstadt's picture large trees are shown, and 

 an Indian encampment with peaked and picturesque 

 wigwams. 



We did not arrive so late but that I could try the 

 fishing, while the rest of our party prepared the rough 

 shelter for the night and attended to other duties of 

 high life. Somewhat to my surprise I found the trout 

 plentiful, and soon had a school around me and secured 

 a score, all averaging about the weight of half a pound. 

 They were very listless on the hook, with bellies full 

 of ground and surface feed, bugs and ephemera, and I 

 was surprised that in such condition they should take 

 my bait of fresh meat so readily. Curious that trout 

 should ascend so high, showing the wondrous adaptive- 

 ness of this fish, which has no limit to its venture- 

 someness if the cardinal virtues of aeration and low 

 temperature are present. Yet this lake is hardly free 

 of ice for more than three months in the year. 



Twing, who was a good deal of an epicure, claimed 

 that he must cook these trout for supper himself, to 

 insure their favorable condition for the satisfaction of 

 a hunger which was keenly felt after our laborious 

 day's work. Daland and I felt some misgivings at 

 this declaration, as we had experienced some of Twing's 

 culinary efforts upon previous excursions. However, 

 we let him go on, but when in our eager expectancy 

 the trout were brought on, the dish was greeted with 



