62 I COMMENCE TRAPPING 



ping wasn't all fun, especially in bad weather, 

 coming into camp dead tired and soaking wet. 

 Some river was selected which we ascended until 

 we found a favorable locality for hunting. Al- 

 though we left early in September, the time con- 

 sumed in those double trips and carries was so 

 great that it was often well on in October before 

 any trapping was begun. I suppose game laws 

 existed then, but we never heard anything about 

 them, and killed whatever game and fish we 

 wanted for food or bait, at any time. Bear, otter 

 and beaver were the earliest to get prime, and to 

 these we gave our first attention. I shall never 

 forget the day I killed my first otter with Ashini 

 that fall. I had been shown on our way up many 

 other signs and their slides and landings, on 

 which dead falls or traps are usually set, but had 

 never come across the live animal itself. One 

 morning Ashini had found some beaver cuttings 

 in the entrance of a small brook. He said that they 

 were pretty sure to be on the brook or some of the 

 lakes, so it was decided to try and find them. 

 We were out all day, and had gone over several 

 lakes and portages without finding the beavers 

 and as it was getting late, made up our minds 

 to camp near a lake we had just reached and 

 resume the search the next day. As Ashini was 

 acquainted with the landing places and portages 

 he steered the canoe, and I was ready to do the 

 shooting in the bow, whenever any offered. While 



