290 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
kind of fish known as a “ sucker ” at once retreated 
in shoals beneath the hollow bank. The waders, 
or bathers, then advanced, and thrust the net into 
the dark recesses of the asylum, pushing the hoop 
of the net to the bottom, and gradually raising it 
towards the surface. In this manner they captured 
a large number of good fish, from half a pound to 
rather more than a pound each. I did not witness 
this operation, as I was occupied in searching for 
wild-fowl along the marshy borders of the Powder 
river. 
Having several times crossed and recrossed 
the river by walking rather more than knee-deep, 
I had come to the conclusion that my subscrip¬ 
tion to the dinner would be rather invisible, and 
I should feel ashamed to be present at the table 
without having at the least presented my hostess 
with a couple of ducks. I was in a state of 
natural despondency, when I observed high in 
air a flock of wild-fowl, probably disturbed by our 
fishermen, which, from the circular direction of 
their flight, evidently intended to alight some¬ 
where among the willows. In a few minutes my 
conjectures proved correct, and I marked them 
down as nearly as possible near a clump of large 
cotton-wood trees that grew on the margin of the 
stream about a quarter of a mile distant. 
With the greatest caution I approached the 
spot. The river had formed several pools, 
which resembled small ponds of 50 or 60 
yards diameter, among the willows. Carefully 
