120 TRAPPING AND WOOD-CRAFT. 



As for preparations against insects — they are of a very 

 doubtful benefit. Those who wish to be comfortable, had 

 better leave rujn alone. " Prevention is better than cure." 

 I am satisfied that musquitoes and gnats rarely trouble any 

 one whose blood is not in a feverish and vinhealthy state. 

 Such a condition of the blood may result from sickness, but 

 always follows the use of intoxicating alcoholic stimulants. I 

 have fished from a canoe at night-fall, when these insects 

 arose like clouds, apparently from the water, without material 

 discomfort, while my companion suffered agonies. I told him 

 (as a joke) it was because I was a radical and he a " cop- 

 perhead." Your delicate, metropolitan dandy, who adores 

 champagne suppers, and warms himself with brandy, had 

 better keep clear of the North Woods. A person of frugal 

 habit and diet can bear bites and wounds, which would be- 

 come festering sores and gangrened ulcers upon the body of 

 the intemperate. If a preparation is desired, I should substi- 

 tute hard mutton -tallow for hog's lard in the pennyroyal 

 ointment. Mutton-tallow is worthy of a word of praise ; to 

 suppress an itching, to cure a bite or a galled spot, where the 

 cuticle has been rubbed off", it is really invaluable. 



In case furs have to be cached they may be cased in a tin 

 or sheet iron can, proof against small animals, and then put 

 far beyond the reach of bears or wolverenes. This is a good 

 way to dispose of them at any time. 



You should patent some light machine for setting the 

 springs of large traps, by lever or jack-screw.* 



branches are cut from a tree and thrown over it. They fear a trap. The deer or moose 

 mav also be cut up, and the parts swung up on small trees. Bend down a sapling as 

 stout as you can handle, cut off a limb, hang the meat to the hook, and let the tree 

 swing back. It will be out of reach of the wolves, and the tree will be too small 

 for bears to climb. Moose-wood bark makes a good substitute for a rope, — 

 Editors. 



* Such contrivances are cumbersome to the trapper. For setting large, double- 

 spring traps, he should use double levers made of wood. All that is necessary to be- 

 carried into the woods to do this is four strong leathern straps furnished with buckles. 

 When you wish to set a trap, cut four levers of a size and length proportioned to the 

 size of the trap. Take two of them, make a loop of one of the straps and slip it 

 over one end of each; then bring the trap spring between them, press them together 

 and adjust a loop over the other ends of the levers. Serve the other spring in the 

 same wav. Now spread the jaws, adjust the dog and pan, loosen the levers and 



