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according to his desires。 When you consider these things； you perforce
have to revise your first notion of him as a useless sort of old ruffian。 As
you come to know him better； you must love him for the kindliness； the
simple honesty； the modesty； and charity that he seems to draw from his
mountain environment。 There are hundreds of him buried in the great
canons of the West。
Our prospector was a little uncertain as to his plans。 Along toward
autumn he intended to land at some reputed placers near Dinkey Creek。
There might be something in that district。 He thought he would take a
look。 In the mean time he was just poking up through the countryhe
and his jackasses。 Good way to spend the summer。 Perhaps he might
run across something 'most anywhere； up near the top of that mountain
opposite looked mineralized。 Didn't know but what he'd take a look at
her to…morrow。
He camped near us during three days。 I never saw a more modest；
self…effacing man。 He seemed genuinely； childishly； almost helplessly
interested in our fly…fishing； shooting； our bear…skins； and our travels。
You would have thought from his demeanor which was sincere and not
in the least ironical that he had never seen or heard anything quite like
that before； and was struck with wonder at it。 Yet he had cast flies before
we were born； and shot even earlier than he had cast a fly； and was a very
Ishmael for travel。 Rarely could you get an account of his own
experiences； and then only in illustration of something else。
〃If you…all likes bear…hunting；〃 said he； 〃you ought to get up in eastern
Oregon。 I summered there once。 The only trouble is； the brush is thick
as hair。 You 'most always have to bait them； or wait for them to come
and drink。 The brush is so small you ain't got much chance。 I run onto
a she… bear and cubs that way once。 Didn't have nothin' but my six…
shooter； and I met her within six foot。〃 He stopped with an air of finality。
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〃Well； what did you do？〃 we asked。
〃Me？〃 he inquired； surprised。 〃Oh； I just leaked out of th' landscape。〃
He prospected the mountain opposite； loafed with us a little； and then
decided that he must be going。 About eight o'clock in the morning he
passed us； hazing his burros； his tall； lean figure elastic in defiance of
years。
〃So long； boys；〃 he called； 〃good luck！〃
〃So long；〃 we responded heartily。 〃Be good to yourself。〃
He plunged into the river without hesitation； emerged dripping on
the other side； and disappeared in the brush。 From time to time during
the rest of the morning we heard the intermittent tinkling of his bell…
animal rising higher and higher above us on the trail。
In the person of this man we gained our first connection； so to speak；
with the Golden Trout。 He had caught some of them； and could tell us
of their habits。
Few fishermen west of the Rockies have not heard of the Golden Trout；
though； equally； few have much definite information concerning it。 Such
information usually runs about as follows：
It is a medium size fish of the true trout family； resembling a rainbow
except that it is of a rich golden color。 The peculiarity that makes its
capture a dream to be dreamed of is that it swims in but one little stream of
all the round globe。 If you would catch a Golden Trout； you must climb
up under the very base of the end of the High Sierras。 There is born a
stream that flows down from an elevation of about ten thousand feet to
about eight thousand before it takes a long plunge into a branch of the
Kern River。 Over the twenty miles of its course you can cast your fly for
Golden Trout； but what is the nature of that stream； that fish； or the
method of its capture； few can tell you with any pretense of accuracy。
To be sure； there are legends。 One； particularly striking； claims that
the Golden Trout occurs in one other streamsituated in Central Asia！
and that the fish is therefore a remnant of some pre…glacial period； like
Sequoia trees； a sort of grand…daddy of all trout； as it were。 This is but a
sample of what you will hear discussed。
Of course from the very start we had had our eye on the Golden Trout；
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and intended sooner or later to work our way to his habitat。 Our
prospector had just come from there。
〃It's about four weeks south； the way you and me travels；〃 said he。
〃You don't want to try Harrison's Pass； it's chock full of tribulation。 Go
around by way of the Giant Forest。 She's pretty good there； too； some
sizable timber。 Then over by Redwood Meadows； and Timber Gap； by
Mineral King； and over through Farewell Gap。 You turn east there； on a
new trail。 She's steeper than straight… up…an'…down； but shorter than the
other。 When you get down in the canon of Kern River；say； she's a fine
canon； too；you want to go downstream about two mile to where there's a
sort of natural over… flowed lake full of stubs stickin' up。 You'll get some
awful big rainbows in there。 Then your best way is to go right up
Whitney Creek Trail to a big high meadows mighty nigh to timber…line。
That's where I camped。 They's lots of them little yaller fish there。 Oh；
they bite well enough。 You'll catch 'em。 They's a little shy。〃
So in that guiseas the desire for new and distant thingsdid our angel
with the flaming sword finally come to us。
We caught reluctant horses reluctantly。 All the first day was to be a
climb。 We knew it； and I suspect that they knew it too。 Then we
packed and addressed ourselves to the task offered us by the Basin Trail。
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XIV