LIFE IN THE WOODS. 93 



company, which consists generally of two, three, or four per- 

 sons, start out a little before the trapping season commences ; 

 select their lines, extending into the woods frequently from 

 thirty to fifty miles ; carry along, and deposit at intervals on 

 the line, traps and provisions ; and build slianties at conven- 

 ient points, for slee])ing-posts and shelters from storms. These 

 preparations sometimes require several journeys and returns, 

 and are made in advance of the trapping season, so that, when 

 trapping commences, all hands may have nothing else to at- 

 tend to. If the line extends directly from a settlement, so 

 that it has what may be called a home-base, none but rude, 

 temporary shanties are built ; and once in about ten days, 

 during the season, a man is sent back to the settlement, to 

 carry out furs and bring back provisions. But, if the line 

 commences so far from the frontier that such return-journeys 

 are impracticable, then, besides the temporary shanties, a 

 more substantial and permanent hut, called the home-shanty, 

 is built at some point on the line, for depositing furs, provis- 

 ions, and other valuables ; and this becomes the base of opera- 

 tions for the season. A boy is sometimes taken along to 

 "keep shanty," as trappers say, i. e., to remain at the home- 

 shanty as housekeeper and guard. Such a resident at the 

 main depot is very necessary, as' bears and other wild animals 

 (not to mention fire and human thieves) have a habit of 

 breaking into an unguarded shanty, and destroying every- 

 thing within reach. Prudent trappers rarely leave furs in a 

 shanty alone, even though it is strongly barricaded. If they 

 cannot carry them out to the settlement, and have no boy to 

 " keep shanty," they generally hide them in hollow trees. At 

 the close of a season, if the party are satisfied with their line, 

 and intend to trap on it another season, they hide their traps 

 under rocks, where they will not be exposed to the fire^ that 

 sweep the w^oods in dry times. 



CONCLUSION. 



The trapper's art, like tliat to wliich I have so often com- 

 pared it — the art of war — is, or should be, progressive. It 

 is evidently yet in its infancy, and has hardly begun to emerge 



