The Aftermath of a Club Outing. 157 



avalanches had pursued their course into the valley, 

 and in one or two instances had carried their load of 

 ice, rocks, and trees far across the stream onto the other 

 side, where the fallen trunks lay with their tips pointing 

 down-hill ; the reverse of what would happen if they had 

 descended upon that side of the river. Long reaches 

 of perfectly limpid water flowed through fragrant 

 meadows, and a mile above Table Creek, which takes its 

 rise only three or four miles away at the mountain of 

 that name whose flat top is such a feature of the Sierra, 

 we had a view of the famous Whaleback.* Long reaches 

 of apron rocks in the bed of the stream, smoothed by 

 glacial action, prevented the ascent of trout, and we 

 resolved, if we had time later, to stock these upper waters 

 with fish. There was an increased interest in the scene that 

 I found bits of obsidian clippings, record of the former 

 presence of Indians here; everything that emphasizes its 

 primordial estate of untamed nature is such an added 

 delight in the forest. Our luncheon was partaken of on 

 a sunny bank by still waters at the edge of a grove of 

 tamarack pines and quaking aspens. 



That evening the stockmen called and invited us to 

 go on a picnic the day following, up the other branch 

 of Roaring River, correctly called on Le Conte's map 

 ''Copper Canon." Mrs. Murray accompanied us, and 

 her boy ; so we were a party of five. The rather compli- 

 cated ford lay a mile below us, and we were not sorry 

 to have our friends show us again the unfolding of this 

 in detail. The river was divided, and the section between 

 the two streams was through cottonwoods, their bases 

 now submerged. There was just one place where the 

 crossing could be made with safety, and to do so it was 

 necessary to proceed down-stream along the island in the 

 middle of the stream. Afterwards on a memorable oc- 

 casion I had the pleasure of untwisting this trail in the 

 dark, trusting absolutely to the unerring skill of the 

 pack-mule whom I was riding. 



* Portrayed in a former Bulletin; Vol. I., No. 6. 



