CHAPTER XI. 



INDIAN MODE OF HUNTING BEAVER. 



Wa-sa-Kejic came over to the post early 

 one October, and said his boy had cut his foot, 

 and that he had no one to steer his canoe on a 

 proposed beaver hunt. Now nice, fat beaver, 

 just before the ice takes, is one of the tidbits 

 that come to the trader's table, and having spare 

 time just then I volunteered to accompany him, 

 knowing I would get a share of the game. 



As we made our way over the several small 

 portages between the large lake on which the 

 post is built and the one in which he had located 

 the beaver, he told me there were two lodges 

 on the lake to which we were making our way. 



We pitched our tent on the last portage, so 

 as not to make a fire near the beaver. Beavers 

 have very poor eyesight, but very acute hearing 

 and smell, and once they are frightened the 

 sport for that night at all events is finished. 



We had something to eat and then started 

 for the lake, leaving our tent and things ready 

 to return to after dark. Smoking and talking 

 are forbidden when one is in a beaver lake ; care 



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