156 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 
Swan Lake. 
From Swan lake to the Mission mountains westward the dis- 
tance is perhaps not more than six miles. It lies in a direction north and 
south, parallel with Flathead lake. It was evidently formed by the same 
geological method, faulting, the western half of the uplift of the Swan 
range falling after the upheaval, thus making the valley between the 
Swan and mission ranges, in which Swan lake lies. 
From the laboratory at the outlet of Swan river to Swan lake is per- 
haps eight miles. The road winds through the forests and along the 
river, mostly through unfenced country, scarcely touched by the hand of 
man. There are a few houses along the road, several more between the 
road and the mountains to the west. The timber close to the road is 
mostly lodge pole pine, Pinus Murrayana, Engl., and Douglas spruce, 
Pseudotsuga mucronata, Raf. Occasionally in the smaller timber there 
rises the tall trunk of a monster tamarack or yellow pine, showing that 
in days gone by a different forest growth covered the country. Towards 
the Mission range there is considerable low and swampy land, apparently 
the remains of a portion of the old lake before mentioned, where is to be 
found an abundant growth of arbor-vitae, or white cedar, Thuja plicata, 
Don. Some of the mountain spurs have a dense growth of young timber 
of this species, so thick that the sun scarcely strikes the ground through 
the foliage, and where underbrush and other vegetation are entirely want- 
ing. In passing through such timber one is continually squeezing be- 
tween small trunks, often no thicker than one’s arm, breaking limbs to 
make a passage, with nothing but dead leaves underfoot. It is impossible 
to see out in any direction. One must follow the compass, not knowing 
whether before there is a lake, a swamp, a steep slope, or open woods. 
While exploring a portion of this region we came upon some blazes on 
the trees. At first these were supposed to be the marks of the survey- 
ors. The compass showed them to be out of line with the directions 
which surveyors would take, and the question then was as to what the 
blazes would mean. It was decided to follow them up the mountain side, 
through the dense timber. The way wandered much through the woods, 
apparently taking an uncertain direction. They were certainly made by 
some one who was undecided as to his bearings. They fianally led up the 
mountain side to a tree well cut, barked almost around the trunk. From 
indications it was decided that some hunter a few years before had killed 
an animal at this spot, and had blazed his way out in order to be able to 
return for his game. 
On this same trip, leaving the blazed trail before mentioned, we took 
the direction of the compass southeast, wishing to come out at a lake 
reported to lie between the river and the Mission mountains, a little 
north of Swan Jake. The timber was very thick, and a view impossible. 
Following down a ridge which we had been ascending for some time, we 
came in sight of a small lake, covering but a few acres, lying in a pocket 
between two steep slopes. As we descended to the lake shore a pair of 
