Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-08-26
sKETCnES OF TRAVEL IN idaho
NUMBER II.

shore Of the Big Lake. on the route to war
rea's. Here ia good place to briefly tell OF
tho Lakes" There are three Lakes o'
which the Big Lake is. as its title inhca'es'
the largest. It's on the shores oil thus one we
campsd. a. lis upper or aorthera end. The
Lake is about ten miles long. and ranges Ia
width at various points from Que to two and a
half miles. II is splendid sheet Of water,
dotted with several large and ssaall islands, all
Of which are quite densely tmbered with the
creryreens peculiar to that whole region-6rs.
pines, tamrac aud spracss-aad are skirted by
willows and poplars. There are two gangs OF
fshermen who fish in its waters, aud the chief
catch is salmon aud salmon trout, and spe-
ties Of red fish which is pronounced BY some
20 be of finer favor than mountain trout, and
which are found in no other waters except
these Lakes, Near where we camped one set
of these fishermen were engaged. They have
seine 900 fathcms, or 1900 feet, length aad
the ,neshes are graded in sections TO catch big
and little fish The distance from this Basin
to the Biz Lake is about 100 miles, aud thence
TO Warreu's nearly fly miles. Ii is the FUR
pose Of the fishermen TO salt aud pacA away
the FISH for fall and winter consumption, and
they expect To fnd their principal trade from
tho Chinese in Boise Basin. About fifteen
,nilrs above the Big is the Little Lake, the
smallest Of the three. II is also very pretty
,hce: OF clear ,aer. is about three miles
long and less than a nile wide, and fringrd By
y thick growth of timber quite aroand It's
shores. The other Lake i. about five miles
loag BY one aad \ half wide. and Is not seea
from ths usual trail along By the other tive.
The water in each is indifferent for drinking.
neither is it cool 10 the taste. Bat q hathe in
the Big Lake was very refreshing. Viewed
frou, TIE distance, or from the high mountain
Gus clif just above the Big Lake and Little
Lake. in passing BY each. the soeaery is truly
magnificent We saw them separately At Md.
lar, aaa By the rising and descending sua. and
never have we witnessed more lovely placid
waters set in such grandly wild, hrpkea. ae-
rapl yet picturesque great mountain walls and
beds. The depth Of the water We had no
means Of ascertAiuing beyond the ssatemeat OF
one Of toe fishermen, who said be had failed in
pots 10 hnd so8niiass At 50 fathOgns
Af,er passing three hoars in camp on the
borders ef the Big Lake, we started again.
For sre weary hours over the same Hind OF
fa,isaing trail, with PROSTATE deadwocd in
thick. rough estaarleneat strewn, over aud
.nesg which We had To iowly, carefully guide
car animals, up and down very stce? ade bill
rhers or through rank tail grass wh'eh con
pl~.rIy hid the track and reached 10 the top Of
The horses backs; then aercss the North Pay.
cite at easy tordiRg spots. aad up along ca
either side Of the narrow bottoms, DOW Of soft
clay. aud then rocky and difheglt; and finally
by aud under the high. precipitoas, solid gran
TO cliffs to the lrft, we endcd tic days jour.
ncy. and campcd for the fourth night out.
within = hundred yards Of the r,vcr. AZ the
camp OF two men . mile or 80 above us, On the
came stretch of bottom. that night there came
, big black bear, who snufe4 around awhile
ar s,mrthing 10 eat. finally took the better
part at a salmon caught that day. hanging 90
a bush near the mems heads. and with this
prize retired again TO the woods
Friday morning. July 3lst We bruke
camp at quarter past O'Clock. and again, for
'hs whole morning, In going tho ten miles to
tho upper end Of the Little Lake, we bad tn
travel tho same wrc,ched hind OF trail, OF
dsadwood and brush. rocks and clifs, up high
stesps aud down Fast the Lake we crossed
. divide Of high ground. aud again descended
20 tho bottoms 1T North Payrtic river. A few
.aIlrs further and We had tracri this nobl,
stream to its source. then crossed the great
divide which ssparatrs tho waters af the Wax
leg ef the payrttc and those of Northcrn Ida
No, and AFTER pleasant ride through grass
and timber. wc came upon camp ready made
ia The woods near cocl aud sparkling H"an
tam branch, and there found two miners at
,AeIr MONDAY meal. We campcd with them.
ascsrtained they were from Boise Basia-oac
frum plaecrville. the other from rieaccr Ctr.
and had been prospecting all the way alcue
slse~ The middle al May. They had yet found
10 aisxsass worth tArsr asscnsi~n. and were
received on gong 10 warreas Afser a,aaer
~~ Creased ever another lew divide. and iase
= rlcasaat aesccadiae slepc. 10 The right OF
- S-~A s~~k g. L.