TRAPPING MAMMALS 31 



rat swam smoothly across the calm water, from 

 shore to shore of an inlet, with nose and tail on 

 the water's surface and mouth packed with a 

 fresh gathering of reeds. 



Beaver River, 



May 20. 



Joe traps small Mammals 



I carry two steel traps and some mouse-traps, 

 for collecting purposes. The larger traps afford 

 Joe, my riverman, much amusement, for he has 

 trapped furs and has all of a trapper's enthu- 

 siasm, and love of speculation as to the possi- 

 bilities of a catch after his set is made. 



After the evening meal is over off Joe goes 

 to look for signs of animals and make his sets. 

 Having found a place to his liking, you may 

 watch him plan to outwit his quarry, place a 

 trap just to his liking, cover it with great care, 

 stake it down, and finally lay his tempting bait 

 — a fish, a fish head, or a part of a bird carcass. 

 In the morning, yesterday, he had captured a 

 Ground Hog, and this morning a Skunk. 



Nearing Ile a la Crosse 



To-day we came down the lower reaches of 

 the river, and, against a light headwind, stole 

 out from its mouth on to the large lake of lie 

 a la Crosse. We had come through low country 

 latterly, where long marsh stretched away north 

 with the river course as far as eye could see. 

 There were lakes on either side, deep blue and 

 wind-ruffled, and with yellow marsh bordering 

 their areas ; low timber country on the far 



