x FOREWORD 



most exterminated under reckless methods — came back to a 

 plethora of supplies ; but still the supplies could not satisfy the de- 

 mands for furs. People were buying furs who had never bought 

 or worn furs before ; and new dye processes were placing good 

 furs within the reach of moderate means in a way new to the 

 trade. 



By the time the War was over, America had taken over at least 

 the American part of the world fur trade ; and hundreds of thou- 

 sands of skilled workmen were employed in the industry, where only 

 hundreds had been employed before. 



This story is told in Part I of this volume. 



It was also inevitable when prices began to ascend with light- 

 ning swiftness that shoestring gamblers should jump in the new 

 game ; but the game is too chancy and technical for gamblers, 

 who bought reckless of fashions or quality on the hunting field ; 

 and these gentry will be shortly shaken out of the fur trade, richer 

 in experience of what is prime fur and what isn't, but poorer in 

 money ; and the fur trade will settle down to normal progress in 

 the hands of experienced men. 



The fur trade is in the shaking-down process in America now ; 

 but it is in America to stay, however prices may be slashed and 

 profits sacrificed in Europe to get the great world trade back. 



Part II consists of the Story of the Trapper Afield, whose habi- 

 tat I know almost as well as I do my own garden, from travel from 

 Labrador to the Arctic Circle and life on the fur field, when a child. 



An Appendix gives the fur laws of all the States and all the 

 Canadian Provinces, all of which are now wakening up to the value 

 of fur as a national asset. Only one set of figures need be given to 

 affirm such values. Alaska cost the United States $7,200,000 in 

 1867. Up to 1918, Alaska had exported $80,000,000 of furs. 



And again, I emphasize the word "corrections." 



Though I have written the technical part of this volume under 

 the tutelage of such authorities as Mr. White of the Canadian Con- 

 servation Committee; under such authorities on the field as Hud- 



