328 THE FUR TRADE OF AMERICA 



flounder in grotesque gambols that are laughably clumsy, good- 

 naturedly dance on their hind legs, and even eat from their keepers' 

 hand. And all the deer family can be seen nosing one another 

 with the affection of turtle-doves. Surely the worst that can be 

 said of these animals is that they shun the presence of man. Per- 

 haps some kindly sentimentalist wonders if things hadn't gone so 

 badly out of gear in a certain historic garden long ago, whether 

 mankind would not be on as friendly relations with the animal 

 world as little boys and girls are with bears and baboons in the 

 fairy books. And the scientist goes a step further, and soberly 

 asks whether these wild things of the woods are not kindred of man 

 after all ; for have not man and beast ascended the same scale of 

 life ? Across the centuries, modern evolution shakes hands with 

 old-fashioned transmigration. 



To be sure, members of the deer family sometimes kill their 

 mates in fits of blind rage, and the innocent bear cubs fall to mauling 

 their keeper, and the old bears have been known to eat their young. 

 These things are set down as freaks in the animal world, and in 

 nowise allowed to upset the inferences drawn from animals living 

 in unnatural surroundings, behind iron bars, or in haunts where 

 long-range rifles have put the fear of man in the animal heart. 



Now the trapper studies animal life where there is neither a pen to 

 keep the animal from doing what it wants to do, nor any rifle but his 

 own to teach wild creatures fear. Knowing nothing of science and 

 sentiment, he never clips facts to suit his theory. On the truth- 

 fulness of his eyes depends his own life, so that he never blinks 

 his eyes to disagreeable facts. 



Looking out on the life of the wilds clear-visioned as his moun- 

 tain air, the trapper sees a world beautiful as a dream but cruel as 

 death. He sees a world where to be weak, to be stupid, to be dull, 

 to be slow, to be simple, to be rash are the unpardonable crimes ; 

 where the weak must grow strong, keen of eye and ear and instinct, 

 sharp, wary, swift, wise, and cautious ; where in a word the weak 

 must grow fit to survive or — perish ! 



