S Commence trapping 



N the first of September I returned home to 

 Trinity Bay, to begin the necessary prepara- 

 tions for my winter hunt. An inexperienced boy 

 such as I then was could not go alone. I had to 

 seek some one with the necessary experience, and 

 who at the same time was willing to teach me and 

 give me a fair share of the profit we might make. 

 This partner and teacher I found in the person of 

 a young Indian named Ashini, " The Rock." 

 He was a tall fellow of over six feet, a fine 

 walker on snowshoes and a pretty good hunter. 

 He agreed to divide his catch with me and do his 

 best to give me lessons in trapping, providing I 

 advanced all the outfit, his share of which he 

 would repay in the spring, with the excep- 

 tion of the bark canoe, which I was to furnish 

 at my expense. I thought this was a pretty fair 

 arrangement, and agreed to it. We were to make 

 what is called in trapper language, a fall hunt, 

 that is to say, start in September and come back 

 in November, before the heavy snowfalls ; then in 

 December to begin the winter hunt, which ends 

 according to the trapper's fancy; some returning 

 late in June. Our outfit was not very expensive, 

 flour, pork, lard, soda, salt, tea and sugar, were 

 the principal items. Neither of us smoked nor 



