A rrUNTER'S LIFE. 117 



Mary and myself as happy in each other's company as if 

 we had a dozen of our best friends with us. 



As I had no other way of procuring our winter's pro- 

 visions, I went hunting; and it was not long before we 

 had plenty of meat salted away for that season. When 

 the hunting season was over, which lasts till the first day 

 of January, I took ray skins and traded them for a suffi- 

 cient quantity of grain to last until spring. All this being 

 done, the balance of the winter was devoted to the care 

 of our little stock of cattle ; which then numbered seven 

 or eight head, beside one horse and ten sheep. The sheep 

 gave me more trouble than all the rest ; for if they hap- 

 pened to be out of their pen only one night, it was ten 

 chances to one that the wolves killed at least one of them. 

 But tliey seldom made much at this business ; for if they 

 killed a sheep or a calf for me, in two or three nights after 

 I would catch one of them in a steel-trap ; and his scalp, 

 being worth eight dollars, was equal to the price of four 

 sheep. 



I thus always kept a little in advance in my account 

 with the wolves and the bears ; and as for the rattlesnakes, 

 I have slain my thousands without ever having been bitten 

 by one. I was at all times prepared to receive their at- 

 tacks ; for before leaving home I always took hay, or long 

 grass, and twisted it into a large rope, with which I 

 wrapped my legs up to the knee ; and this they never 

 could bite through. When thus provided, I would go 

 where I pleased in daytime ; but being afraid they would 

 creep to me in the night, if I was where I thought they 

 were numerous, I would stuff leaves round my legs, inside 

 of my pants, and sleep with my moccasins on ; and making 

 ray dog lay down, I would lay my head on hira ; knowing 

 that then no snake or animal could take me by surprise. 

 Both ends being thus f'^-tified, I could sleep as comfortably 



