Catfish in the Desert

We stopped at Indian Springs on our lizard spotting expedition; I was surprised to see that the spring was captured in a reservoir made of corrugated, galvanized metal walls forming a holding tank four feet tall and thirty feet in diameter.  A pool in the middle of the desert!  The contained water  was cool to the touch and appeared clean except for the silty, stone covered bottom.  A couple of ladders fashioned from re-rod curved over the rim extending into the pond.  I imagined a cowboy, hot and tired from herding the free range cattle, deciding to take a plunge.  Why not, I considered?  I mean really, it was a better view than swimming at a Hilton; I gazed out at the landscape consisting of large rocks, tumbleweed, cactus, shrubs and in the distance, mountains on all sides.  Ah, I wish I had a raft and a bottle of wine; I could picture myself floating - no one would believe this oasis was situated on the dusty two-track lane winding through Beaver Dam Wash.  The idea of bathing took root and I was considering diving in - only the lizards and birds around, why not?  Peering into the pool, I noticed something on the bottom ... something dark and about a foot long.  After poking with a stick, the fish quickly moved .  A catfish ... as I studied the fish, I took notice that there were several smaller catfish feeding on the mossy interior of the metal.  I don't know, I deliberated momentarily...the larger fish had noticeable whiskers.   I decided to pass on the swim - this time anyway : )