00-KOO-HOO'S EL DORADO 79 



At last the eventful morning arrived. Now we were to go 

 a-hunting. The trap-setting party was to be composed of four 

 persons: Oo-koo-hoo, the two boys, and myself. Our ne-mar- 

 win — ^provisions — ^for four, to last a week, consisted of: one 

 pound of tea, eight pomids of dried meat, four pounds of 

 grease, four pounds of dried fish, and a number of small ban- 

 nocks ; the rest of our grub was to be secured by hunting. 



Of course, while hunting, Oo-koo-hoo always carried his gun 

 loaded — lacking the cap — but it was charged with nothing 

 heavier than powder and shot, so that the hunter might be 

 ready at any moment for small game; yet if he encountered 

 big game, all he had to do was to ram down a ball, shp on a cap, 

 and then be ready to fire at a moose or a bear. 



SETTING FOX TRAP 



|_After the usual affectionate good-bye, and the waving of 

 farewell as we moved in single file into the denser forest, we 

 followed a game trail that wound in and out among the trees 

 and rocks — always along the line of least resistance — and for a 

 while headed westward through the valley of Muskrat Creek. 

 Oo-koo-hoo led the way and, as he walked along, would oc- 

 casionally turn and, pointing at the trail, whisper: 



"My white son, see, a moose passed two days ago . . . 

 That's fox — this morning," and when we were overlooking the 

 stream, he remarked: "This is a good place for muskrats, but 

 I'll come for them by canoe." 



The principal object of the trip was to set fox and marten 

 traps. Hilly timberland of spruce or pine, without much 

 brushwood, is the most likely place for martens; and in fairly 

 open country foxes may be found. The favourite haunt of 

 beavers, otters, fishers, minks, and muskrats is a marshy region 

 containing little lakes and streams; while for lynxes, a willowy 

 valley interspersed with poplars is the usual resort. 



