HANDLING RAW FURS AND OTHER NOTES. 257 



Not long after I had moved my traps to this other slough a 

 party of negroes came to my camp ; they had five dogs. I inquired 

 what luck they were having and they complained that since the 

 timber had been cut around Swan Pond there were no den trees 

 for coon or possum and they were all gone. When these colored 

 people told me what the trouble was I could readily account for 

 the fast disappearance of the coon signs about the pond. I went 

 to the same pond again this past season and while I found a few 

 signs I did not consider it worth while to put out a line of traps 

 so I went on to the swamp and put out my traps. It made me 

 two miles further travel in that direction but it paid me just the 

 same. 



Comrades, let us induce all the boys to come to camp where 

 we can consult with them and let us get a move on us and locate 

 our trapping grounds and make all preparations for the trapping 

 season. This will enable us when the fur is prime to make more 

 money in two months than we do in four months when we indulge 

 in this September and unprime fur trapping. At the same time 

 we will be able to lift our traps while there is still some of the 

 furbearers left and we have not "killed the goose that lays the 

 golden egg." 



17 



