CHAPTEE YII. 



Trapping — The Far-Bearing Animals — Yalue of different Furs — The 

 Trapper's Start into the Forest — How to make a Marten Trap — 

 Steel Traps for Wolves and Foxes — The Wolverine — The Way he 

 gets a Living — His Destructiveness and Persecution of the 

 Trapper — His Cunning — His Behaviour when caught in a Trap — 

 La Eonde's Stories of the Carcajou — The Trapper's Life — The 

 Vast Forest in Winter — Sleeping Out — The Walk — Indians and 

 Half-breeds — Their Instinct in the Woods — The Wolverine De- 

 molishes our Traps — Attempts to Poison him — Treemiss's Arrival 

 — He relates his Adventures — ^A Scrimmage in the Dark — The 

 Giant Tamboot — His Fight with Atahk-akoohp — Prowess of 

 Tamboot — Decide to send our Men to Eed Eiver for Supplies — 

 Delavs. 



The supply of meat which we had obtained being 

 sufficient for some time, we stored it up on the plat- 

 form out of doors, to be preserved by the frost, and 

 turned our attention to trapping in the woods. Our 

 attempts had hitherto been confined to setting a few 

 small steel traps round the lake, and placing poisoned 

 baits for the wolves. But we were now desirous to 

 fly at higher game, and, far in the depths of the vast 

 pine forest, seek trophies sure to be gratefully received 

 when presented to dear friends of the fair sex at home. 

 The animals which furnish the valuable furs from this 

 region are the silver and cross foxes, the fisher, marten, 

 otter, mink, and lynx — whilst amongst those of less 

 worth are tlie wolverine, beaver, ermine, and musk- 



H 2 



