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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
ON CAMP COOKERY
One morning I awoke a little before the others； and lay on my back
staring up through the trees。 It was not my day to cook。 We were
camped at the time only about sixty…five hundred feet high； and the
weather was warm。 Every sort of green thing grew very lush all about us；
but our own little space was held dry and clear for us by the needles of two
enormous red cedars some four feet in diameter。 A variety of thoughts
sifted through my mind as it followed lazily the shimmering filaments of
loose spider… web streaming through space。 The last thought stuck。 It
was that that day was a holiday。 Therefore I un… limbered my six…shooter；
and turned her loose； each shot being accompanied by a meritorious yell。
The outfit boiled out of its blankets。 I explained the situation； and
after they had had some breakfast they agreed with me that a celebration
was in order。 Unanimously we decided to make it gastronomic。
〃We will ride till we get to good feed；〃 we concluded； 〃and then we'll
cook all the afternoon。 And nobody must eat anything until the whole
business is prepared and served。〃
It was agreed。 We rode until we were very hungry； which was eleven
o'clock。 Then we rode some more。 By and by we came to a log cabin
in a wide fair lawn below a high mountain with a ducal coronet on its top；
and around that cabin was a fence； and inside the fence a man chopping
wood。 Him we hailed。 He came to the fence and grinned at us from the
elevation of high…heeled boots。 By this token we knew him for a cow…
puncher。
〃How are you？〃 said we。
〃Howdy； boys；〃 he roared。 Roared is the accurate expression。 He
was not a large man； and his hair was sandy； and his eye mild blue。 But
undoubtedly his kinsmen were dumb and he had as birthright the voice for
the entire family。 It had been subsequently developed in the shouting
after the wild cattle of the hills。 Now his ordinary conversational tone
was that of the announcer at a circus。 But his heart was good。
〃Can we camp here？〃 we inquired。
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〃Sure thing；〃 he bellowed。 〃Turn your horses into the meadow。
Camp right here。〃
But with the vision of a rounded wooded knoll a few hundred yards
distant we said we'd just get out of his way a little。 We crossed a creek；
mounted an easy slope to the top of the knoll； and were delighted to
observe just below its summit the peculiar fresh green hump which
indicates a spring。 The Tenderfoot； however； knew nothing of springs；
for shortly he trudged a weary way back to the creek； and so returned
bearing kettles of water。 This performance hugely astonished the
cowboy； who subsequently wanted to know if a 〃critter had died in the
spring。〃
Wes departed to borrow a big Dutch oven of the man and to invite him
to come across when we raised the long yell。 Then we began operations。
Now camp cooks are of two sorts。 Anybody can with a little practice
fry bacon； steak； or flapjacks； and boil coffee。 The reduction of the raw
material to its most obvious cooked result is within the reach of all but the
most hopeless tenderfoot who never knows the salt…sack from the sugar…
sack。 But your true artist at the business is he who can from six
ingredients； by permutation； combination； and the genius that is in him
turn out a full score of dishes。 For simple example： GIVEN； rice；
oatmeal； and raisins。 Your expert accomplishes the following：
ITEMBoiled rice。
ITEMBoiled oatmeal。
ITEMRice boiled until soft； then stiffened by the addition of quarter
as much oatmeal。
ITEMOatmeal in which is boiled almost to the dissolving point a
third as much rice。
These latter two dishes taste entirely unlike each other or their separate
ingredients。 They are moreover great in nutrition。
ITEMBoiled rice and raisins。
ITEMDish number three with raisins。
ITEMRice boiled with raisins； sugar sprinkled on top； and then
baked。
ITEMDitto with dish number three。
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All these are goodand different。
S