My Boyhood and Youth 



they are so well hidden and protected during 

 the winter, many of them are killed by Indian 

 hunters, who creep up softly and spear them 

 through the thick walls of their cabins. Indians 

 are fond of their flesh, and so are some of the 

 wildest of the white trappers. They are easily 

 caught in steel traps, and after vainly trying 

 to drag their feet from the cruel crushing jaws, 

 they sometimes in their agony gnaw them off. 

 Even after having gnawed off a leg they are so 

 guileless that they never seem to learn to know 

 and fear traps, for some are occasionally found 

 that have been caught twice and have gnawed 

 off a second foot. Many other animals suffering 

 excruciating pain in these cruel traps gnaw off 

 their legs. Crabs and lobsters are so fortunate 

 as to be able to shed their limbs when caught 

 or merely frightened, apparently without suf- 

 fering any pain, simply by giving themselves 

 a little shivery shake. 



The muskrat is one of the most notable and 

 widely distributed of American animals, and 

 millions of the gentle, industrious, beaver-like 

 . I 180 1 



