122 FIFTY YEARS A HUNTER AND TRAPPER. 



Some days I would get a bass or two, but oftener I got nothing 

 further than the pleasure of drowning a few minnows. 



Nearly every morning I noticed a man would. come down along 

 the bank of the river and go in the direction of the mill. Some- 

 times he would stop and watch me for a few minutes, and then 

 pass on without saying anything. But one morning he came along 

 when I happened to be sitting close to his path. I looked up and 

 gave the usual morning nod. The gentleman, for such he proved 

 to be, inquired what luck I was having. I replied that I guessed 

 it must be fisherman's luck, for I got but few fish. He replied 

 that he thought that there were very few bass in the dam, as there 

 was so much fishing done there. 



I was quite sure that he was right from the number of fish I 

 caught, and I could see a number of others scattered about the 

 pond, and some on the logs, some on the boom timbers and some in 

 boats. The next morning I was back at my old post, and this man 

 came along as usual. He stopped, laughed and said that I seemed 

 to have plenty of faith. I replied that the occasion demanded great 

 faith. He inquired if I lived in the city. I told him that I lived 

 in Pennsylvania and was only out in that country to see the sights 

 and get a few fish and a little venison and later might try to get 

 a little fur. 



He informed me that his name was Nettel (Charles Nettel) 

 that he was a lumber inspector and that he was going to have a 

 vacation the next week. He intended going to the North Fork 

 of the Clearwater on Elk Creek, where he had a camp, and that if 

 I wished to fill up on trout and venison, I had better join him, 

 as he had no one selected to accompany him yet. I said, "Thank 

 you, I would be pleased to do so," as quick as I could, for fear 

 he would change his mind. I now dropped my bass fishing and 

 would drop into the mill where Mr. Nettel was at work and catch 

 a few minutes chat with my new-found friend, as an opportunity 

 would occur, until the time came to go to Mr. Nettel's camp. As 

 I had a complete outfit, including blankets, tin plates, cups, knives, 

 and forks, a takedown or folding stove with the necessary cooking 

 utensils, which I had npt yet unpacked, we concluded to take the 

 whole kit along so that if anything had happened at Mr. Nettel's 



