136 BOOK OF A HUNDRED BEARS 



scattered all about its watershed. One of these, 

 just at the Thumb, was the origin of one of Jim 

 Bridger's celebrated lies. He swore that he had 

 caught a trout in the cold water at the bottom of 

 the lake, and, drawing it up through a hot current, 

 brought it to the surface cooked and ready to eat. 



As a matter of fact, there is, on the very shore 

 of the lake, a hot spring, and it is not uncommon 

 to stand upon its ^'formation," and, after catching 

 a trout from the lake, drop it into this spring and 

 boil it on the hook. 



For, be it known, this is the fishing place 

 par excellence of the Park. The Government has 

 stocked the lake and its tributary streams with 

 different varieties of trout. In fact, it is said that 

 the lake is so overstocked that the fish are becom- 

 ing subject to a parasite due to underfeeding, or 

 to overstocking. Will you not, please, do some- 

 thing to relieve this piscatory congestion by just 

 going there to catch a few of them? As for 

 myself, I hold the diamond-studded belt. I am 

 the world's ''champeen." I am the only man 

 that ever cast a line into that lake without catch- 

 ing anything. 



