154 FIFTY YEARS A HUNTER ANB TRAPPER. 



old fox has worked to get the bait at a certain trap; on what 

 particular ridge or point we had seen Old Golden's track (you 

 know all large buck deer have the name of "Old Golden".) 



Every man of the woods or trap line knows what pleasure 

 there is in relating the experience of the day's hunt or of the 

 trap line to his pard during the evening in camp. Yet, I will 

 tell of one occurrence though I have told the story many times, 

 and I cannot say that I relate it with any great amount of pleasure. 

 Still since many years have passed, I have often laughed over 

 the circumstance. I can still see that sympathetic grin of Bill's, 

 when he would ask "if it hurt me much." 



It was a lowery morning, and Bill proposed that we go to- 

 gether and look after a line of traps on Salt Run, and then put 

 in the balance of the day still-hunting deer. We went down to 

 the lower end of the line, worked up the run so as to be near 

 the top of the ridge and in a locality where we expected deer 

 to be. We had not looked at more than three or four traps, 

 when we came to one that was set under the bank. The trap 

 chain was stapled to a root, and was stationary (and let me say 

 here that I believe it bad policy to fasten a trap to anything, 

 statiomary) and it certainly was in this case for me. The water 

 was quite deep right at the point where the trap was set and came 

 close up to the bank. In order to see the trap, it was necessary 

 to lie down on my stomach, and lean my head over the bank. 



When I looked down under the bank, I saw that there was 

 some animal in the trap. The trap chain was drawn tight and 

 when I drew gently on the chain I could tell that some kind 

 of an animal was in the trap. I little suspected that it was loaded, 

 as it proved to be. I could not see what sort of an animal it was, 

 but supposed it was a mink. It did not like to be drawn out in 

 sight, and I was afraid to pull too hard on the chain for fear 

 I would draw his foot out of the trap. I let up and straightened 

 up to consult Bill, as to the best thing to do. Bill said, pull him 

 out and if he gets away, we will get him at another trap, and 

 I now suspect that Bill knew what was coming. I leaned down 

 over the bank and stuck my head down to see where the chain 

 was. All of a sudden I was struck with something more terrible 



