200 CANADIAN WILDS. 



being brought down on top of all as a protection 

 to th,e thinner parts. Large beaver were folded 

 crosswise of the skin twice, making a kind of 

 portfolio about eighteen inches wide by twenty- 

 eight to thirty inches long. Small beaver were 

 folded once lengthwise of the skin, and these 

 came to us as a rule, two placed inside of each 

 large beaver as they went. 



In the interior where the hunters have well 

 defined grounds to trap on they, by self-interest, 

 protect the beaver and kill comparatively few 

 young ones. Our average for the whole year 

 would probably be one small one to two middle 

 or full grown. The martens are tied flat the 

 whole length of the skins in bundles of ten each, 

 with a thin splinter of cedar wood on top and 

 bottom to prevent them from being crumpled in 

 any way. Minks are treated just as carefully. 

 Foxes, fisher and lynx are folded one crosswise 

 and then placed either inside of beaver or bear 

 skins. Thus nothing is exposed from an In- 

 dian's pack of furs, either to view or friction, 

 but strong leather. Musquash, like all other 

 skins except bear and beaver, are skinned from 

 the head down and each skin is cased, which 

 makes them clean, flat and nice to handle. 



As their hunts are made during the cold 

 months when the animals have their primest 

 coats, and as every particle of flesh or grease 



