190 CAPTAIN CAETWRIGHT'S 



a cross-fox and carried out two more traps from 

 the cat-path. Also, Jack shot a spruce-game. A 

 prodigious number of foxes had been every where. 

 The glow of the snow was offensive to my eyes 

 today, for the first time. 



Saturday, February 17, 1776. Jack, P. Hayes, 

 and I went round our traps; the former carried 

 the three which he brought home yesterday to 

 Diver Island. As I was returning home, I dis- 

 covered a wolf at one of Hayes's traps in Great 

 Marsh ; I watched him with my glass and saw him 

 go a great number of tunes round it, trying to rob 

 it from every side, but without accomplishing his 

 purpose; he then went to another, which he tried 

 in the same manner, but not so long, and after- 

 wards turning into Laar Cove, took my footing, 

 and robbed six of ni}^ traps in succession, by dig- 

 ging at the backs of them. I waylayed him at the 

 seventh, and waited for him as long as the severity 

 of the frost would permit me, and should have 

 killed him, could I have remained there a little 

 longer; but being almost frozen stiff, I walked 

 gently towards him, and when he perceived me, 

 he went off into the woods. I lost another trap 

 in the drift. 



Tuesday, February 20, 1776. P. Hayes, Jack, 

 and I went to our traps; the former saw a wolf 

 in Great Marsh, and two others were all round, 

 and even walked over my house last night; one 

 of them visited some of my traps, robbed the 

 spring snare, and cut the line it was tied by. 

 Three were about Jack 's traps on Diver Island : in 



