VII A MOVE TO THE WEST AND BERING SEA 141 



height of their run, and it was no trouble to spear any 

 number on the shallows with a pointed stick when in need 

 of fresh food. We computed by the numbers passing our 

 camp during the day and night that there rtiust be already 

 millions of fish in the lake. But I was utterly unprepared 

 for the sight which greeted me on reaching its waters. The 

 river issued from it over a shallow about 50 yards long and 

 about 9 inches to i foot in depth. Over this shallow fish 

 were running in countless thousands. As they forced their 

 way up, with fins and tails out of water, they made a noise 

 like a small waterfall. It would have been impossible to 

 throw a stone into the river without hitting a fish at this 

 spot. Once across the shallow, every fish turned sharp to 

 the right and followed close along the shore of the lake. 

 Although watching them a long while, I never saw any 

 fish go to the left, nor straight out into the deep water of 

 the lake. On the arrival of the bidarki I got into it, and 

 told the men to paddle across to the other side of the lake. 

 Here there was a high rock rising sheer up on the edge of 

 the lake, at the foot of which the water was some 10 feet 

 deep. Arrived there, I climbed up some 50 feet to a spot 

 commanding a fine view of the water. On this rock a pair 

 of peregrines had their nest, and our arrival disturbed the 

 old falcon. She was soon joined by the tiercel, and the pair 

 continued flying round, whilst we remained there, uttering 

 their harsh chattering cry of rage which is so familiar to 

 me as a falconer and lover of these fine birds at home. On 

 looking down into the water below, which was clear as 

 crystal, I could see the salmon swimming slowly past the 

 foot of the rock, as they continued to follow the same direc- 

 tion in an endless stream of fish. They covered a distance 

 of some 50 yards out from the shore, forming as it were a 



