184 FOREST LIFE IN ACADIE. 



to be likewise efficacious in trapping the wild cat, which 

 is excessively fond of the odour. Mr. Thompson, a 

 Canadian writer, thus speaks of it : — " A few years ago 

 the Indians of Canada and New Brunswick, on seeing 

 the steel trap so successful in catching foxes and other 

 animals, thought of applying it to the beaver, instead of 

 the awkward wooden traps they made, which often failed. 

 At first they were set in the landing paths of the beaver, 

 with about four inches of water over them, and a piece 

 of green aspen for a bait, that would allure it to 

 the trap. Various things and mixtures of ingredients 

 were tried without success ; but chance made some try if 

 the male could not be caught by adding the castoreum, 

 beat up with the green buds of the aspen. A p'iece of 

 willow about eight inches in length, beat and bruised 

 fine, was dipped in this mixture. It was placed at the 

 water edge about a foot from the steel trap, so that the 

 beaver should pass direct over it and be caught. This 

 trap proved successful ; but, to the surprise of the Indians, 

 the females were caught as well as the males. The secret 

 of this bait was soon spread ; every Indian procured from 

 the trader four to six steel traps ; all labour was now at an 

 end, and the hunter moved about with pleasure, with his 

 traps and infallible bait of castoreum. Of the infatuation 

 of this animal for castoreum I saw several instances. A 

 trap was negligently fastened by its small chain to the 

 stake, to prevent the beaver taking away the trap when 

 caught ; it slipped, and the beaver swam away with the 

 trap, and it was looked upon as lost. Two nights after 



has recourse, at home or on his travels, and with the firmest faith, to two 

 medicines, and only two, viz., beaver-stone, or beaver efflux as it is here 

 called, and sal-ammoniac." 



