132 NARRATIVES. 



tumn. For more than half a century, he has spent a por- 

 tion of each year in trapping and hunting. In his tenth year 

 he caught and shot seventy-three squirrels, six blue jays, one 

 mink, one weasel, and six partridges. When fourteen years 

 of age he caught a bear which had killed a cow in the neigh- 

 borhood where he lived in Maine ; and he estimates the num- 

 ber of animals which he has caught in traps, or otherwise 

 destroyed, as follows : 100 moose ; 1000 deer ; 10 caribou ; 

 100 bears ; 50 wolves ; 500 foxes ; 100 raccoons ; 25 wild 

 cats ; 100 lynx ; 150 otter ; 600 beaver ; 400 fishers ; mink 

 and marten by the thousands ; muskrats by the ten thousands. 



After reading the above list, no one will doubt his skill and 

 wisdom in wood-craft, or question the probability of the advent- 

 ures he relates. He is always ready to communicate to 

 others what he has learned in his long life in the woods ; and 

 he takes the same pleasure in recounting his adventures that 

 the scar-worn soldier takes in telling of battles, sieges, and 

 marches. On meeting Mr. Hutchins a short time since, in 

 company with his son, I interrogated him in true Yankee 

 style, as follows : 



41 In what part of the country have you trapped and 

 hunted ? " 



" Mostly in Maine, Lower Canada, New Brunswick, and 

 New York, but some in Vermont and in Michigan." 



" At what seasons of the year do you generally trap ? " 



" I generally commence about the first of November, and 

 trap till the first of April. There is no certainty of securing 

 prime fur before the first of November, and but few kinds are 

 good after the first of April. The three kinds beaver, otter, 

 and muskrat are, however, good till the first of May ; and 

 the fur of the otter is good even as late in the season as 

 June." 



" Do you generally go alone, or with companions ? " 



" I have trapped alone about one fourth of the time. It is 

 generally more pleasant, but less profitable, to have compan- 

 ions. When game is plenty, it answers well to h^ave part- 

 ners ; but I would recommend never to have more than two, 

 and think it nearly always better to have only one compan- 



