TRAPPING LYNX 69 



opening. The hole was about fifteen feet deep 

 and very narrow, and I could not get at him from 

 behind to make him come out, so I decided to 

 shoot him there. I was in a very cramped posi- 

 tion and partly lying down, with the muzzle of 

 the gun very close to the hole, and thus I fired. 

 The hole shot back on me, and I was covered with 

 dirt, smoke and snow. After a while the smoke 

 cleared away, but no eyes were visible. I felt 

 sure that he was dead, but the trouble now was 

 how to get him out. We had no hook or any wire 

 that we could use to make one. I cut a tree, long 

 enough to reach the bottom of the hole. The small 

 end I cut off, leaving it one inch or so in diame- 

 ter. Taking the axe I split the end into eight 

 or ten pieces, leaving the points jagged. I then 

 pushed that point into the hole until I felt it rest- 

 ing on the soft body of the lynx. Then T began 

 to twist the stick round and round until I began 

 to feel it getting harder. I then drew it out. The 

 jagged split end had got fastened in the soft hair 

 and skin by the rotary motion and held the lynx 

 fast. It was night before we reached our camp, 

 very hungry, but pleased at our success. 



In my first winter with Ashini we trapped and 

 shot fifty-seven lynx. Three years later, with 

 one of my brothers, I got sixty-nine in one win- 

 ter. In the spring I sold them to a trader, Mr. 

 D. Turgeon, for $70.00. To-day that same lot 

 would bring $690.00. 



