Tlie Home of the Wolverene and Beaver. 147 



body is without the 'fall,' the loop comes against 

 the verticle stick composing the figure of four, which 

 rests upon the stick along which the victim is im- 

 patiently dragging the loop to which the bait is 

 fast. Finding this unlooked-for obstruction makes 

 him irritable, and so he concentrates all his energies 

 for a sudden jerk. 'Tis done, the support of the 

 'fair tumbles in pieces to the ground, and the 

 heavy tree slips down suddenly upon the marten's 

 back. You will thus observe, that the grand secret 

 in setting a 'fall' trap of this pattern is so to adjust 

 the figure of four upon the stick from which the 

 bait is suspended, that when the final tug is made, 

 nearly two-thirds of the marten's body shall be 

 outside and clear of the tree placed for the purpose 

 of crushing his life out." 



Though the description of this trap occupies a 

 good deal of space, yet an expert trapper can con- 

 struct nearly half a hundred a-day, but the polished 

 sticks must be provided beforehand. Where stones 

 are not handy for building the semi-oval enclosure, 

 stakes driven into the ground will answer the 

 purpose. Until night-fall the Canadian and Paul 

 busied themselves in the construction of these traps, 

 and then returned to their camp pretty well tired 

 out. They found no signs of Groves, but Pierre 

 said that most likely the chase had carried him a 

 K 2 



