214 GUIS-, ROD, AND SADDLE. 



this moose, shot that caribou, or at length trapped 

 the most troublesome of bears. 



For some days my fly-rod had been indefatigably 



most successfully at work, furnisliing not only my own 



table, but many of the neighboring families with 



trout, so that a change of programme was far from 



unacceptable. One morning as I was deliberating in 



which direction I would go, my host asked me if I 



should have any objection to accompany him to lift 



some traps he had not visited since spring, ■ The trip 



promised an acquaintance Aviih a new beat, and an 



insiglit into what I was not as yet conversant with 



in tliis section of the American continent, viz., the 



method followed of trapping martens. As the sun 



was rising over the eastern hills — for these primitive 



people are early risers — we found ourselves about to 



leave the surveyed road. My friend bore on his back 



a sack in which to place his long-neglected traps, while 



I carried my trusty ten-bore double gun, loaded by 



request with ball in one barrel, and buck-sliot in the 



other. Our route at first was through a dense cedar 



swamp, exceedingly irregular on the surface, while the 



undergrowth was so close tliat it was witli difficulty 



palled ; a t'hick coating of moss was under foot, so 



spongy and full of water tliat il"we remained station- 



