SOME EARLY EXPERIENCES. 49 



them around in shape fitting the two shorter logs in between the 

 ends of the two longer logs; then placing rafters at about half 

 pitch, put on the covering, chinked and calked all the cracks and 

 built a chimney of stones, sticks and clay and put in a door. 



We were now ready for the trap line. We set the bear traps 

 on different ridges where we thought would be the most likely 

 places for bears to travel. Then we put out two lines of deadfalls 

 for marten. We then took the different branches and spring runs, 

 building more deadfalls for mink and coons, setting the greater 

 part of our steel traps for foxes. After all the steel traps but 

 three or four were set, Uncle said that if I would go down the 

 creek and set the balance of the steel traps, he would go and 

 look after the first of the bear traps that we had set. I set the 

 steel traps for foxes and built one or two more deadfalls farther 

 down the creek. I think that I found a mink and one coon in the 

 deadfalls that we had set in that section. 



I got to camp about dark but Uncle had not come yet. 1 

 hustled supper to have it ready when he came, but when supper 

 was ready I could neither see nor hear anything of him. After 

 waiting some time I concluded to eat and then if he did not come 

 I would go in the direction he had taken as I now suspected that 

 he had gotten a bear and was bringing in what he could carry and 

 that I would meet him and help him in with his load. Before I 

 started out to see if I could find him I gave several long and loud 

 "coohoopes," but got no answer. I concluded I would fire a 

 couple of gunshots and see if I could get an answer, but got no 

 reply save the hoot of an owl. 



I now began to feel alarmed, fearing that some misfortune 

 had happened Uncle as he knew every rod of the ground in that 

 section. I had no lantern so I made two good torches from fat 

 pine, having a good supply in camp, and followed the stream 

 until I came to a little draw where we had a bear trap set. This 

 trap had not been disturbed, so I climbed the hill to the top of 

 the ridge when I fired two more gunshots but still got no response. 

 I was now thoroughly alarmed as I knew that a gunshot on the 

 still night air could be heard a long ways from the high ridge I 

 was on. 

 4 



