418 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



and Dan and Foslcr started oil' on an exploring expedition, 

 As I had chafed my instep on the previous day, 1 remained to 

 stnoku the meat. 



It 15 dow dark and raining, so Dun and Foster won't be 

 hack this night, 1 nave placed Mie hide Hon 



i Just been awakened by a uraeli wh la 



art-led me. Seizing my rifle I sa" 



raining and the fire nearly out—" Odd 00 tie hearth, the last 



ka expire"— «td the night as dark as a slack of 



black eats. I tossed on some dry wood which 1 had stowed 



tlide, unci, as I was looking at my watch, 1 heard 



something prowling about and breaking sticks quite close. It 



was probably a bear, and lie smelled the fresh men and i 



ioh lay all around. 1 was in hopes Hie beggar would 

 come within the circle of light sited by ihe lire, but he did 

 uot. 



Tli" morning was showery. We saw a rainbow, which made 

 a very flat arch (because we were so high up m the mountains, 

 I suppose), and was intensely brilliant. Dan and Foster 

 turned up at 8, After breakfast we packed the smoked meat, 

 Dan carrying the monstrous head, and off we went en rC/UU 

 for Dan's* house, miles away, Although Dan's load was far 

 lighter than our packs, it, proved the most difficult to carry, 

 iigjn every bush; however, "per 

 tot di«crimina remm," we at; length, arrived at the boat, and, 

 like "Christian," gladly threw off our burdens. 



Nothing occurred of any moment, till our arrival at Dan's, 

 ■where we had supper. Shall 1 ever forget that supper and 

 the breakfast next morning. We had fresh tish, potatoes, 

 : . ad libitum, fresh butter, home made bread, lea and 

 milk (sugar was finished, and none could he obtained at that 

 distance from the settlements), pepper, Salt, must; 

 catchup, hard tack, and last, inn D nt, least by any means, a 

 gigantic juicy moose steak, steaming hot. This, with a dish 

 oi stewed wild cranberry ■ , , , ,i as rare a meal as it 

 has ever my luck to anj >y. I spent the evening in preparing 

 the moose "head, Dan and Foster repairing rents in boots and 

 trousers. Fortunately we had taken a few "waved ends" 

 and an awl from tiherbrouke. We turned in and slept with- 



The next day was Sunday. All hands up at 5 a. m. Snow- 

 ing bard, and blowing from Ihe northwest. The wind was in 

 as we ran up the lake. Dan had several musquash 

 in his traps. It was just, night when we reached camp, close 

 to the boundary line between the States and Canada. W r e 

 came upon some fresh tracks of rnou.se, and if this flurry of 

 snow continues we look fur sport to-morrow. The region 

 here is elevated, being near the summit of the water-shed be- 

 tween the two countries 



On the way we Stopped where we had smoked the meat; 

 carried off enough to last us several days. This upper camp 

 Dan and Foster built the day bel lay Of boards, 



V split from the balsam tree the [aTOTiCfc of hunters 

 tor this purpose, and fur building traps, making paddles and 

 stretchers for their furs). It is still snowing as we go to 

 sleep. Monday turned out clear and colder I awoke and 

 looked at my watch at 4 a. m., and we set about preparing 

 our breakfast* by moonlight and firelight, getting or! at (day- 

 break), and each taking a different route. Mine lay due 

 north. During the morning I flushed and might, have bagged 

 a large number of partridges at different points, but nothing 

 smaller than inoose or bear uas allowed, so I passed on. 

 About noon, Strolling up the bank of a mountain stream, I 

 suddenly saw start from under my very feet one of the beauti- 

 ful swamp grouse (PerdrtX de savanne). These birds are a 

 little smaller than the two other birds— the wood grouse and 

 the ptarmigan— are of a rich, dark bluish gray, spot lei 1 with 

 idish brown and black marks, have no ruffs, and are 

 specially to be distinguished By a handsome scarlet comb over 

 either eye. So tame are they that they can be caught by a 

 noose on the end of a pule, and, knowing the fact, I at once 

 cut a long rod, tied a loop on the small end, aud creeping 

 cautiously up I "roped'' the beauty, and he is at this moment 

 cosily seated between me and the fire. Dan turned up shortly 

 before dark; sawnomoose, but says he has a mortgage upon 

 a beaver, and promises us beaver liver for supper to-morrow. 

 He also had noosed a swamp partridge, but not upon the 

 ground as miue was. We had the two birds for our supper. 

 Going to freeze hard to-night. We are off at the crack of 

 day to-morrow. 



Tuesday fine. Dan split cut some balsam stretchers for his 

 furs, and off we started. Foster going by himself, Dan and 

 I tO the beaver dam. In one of the traps we found caught a 

 portion of one of the beaver's feet. Nothing of any moment 

 occurred until the evening, when Foster didn't turn up, so I 

 went off in search of him, and at dark, reluming unsuccessful 

 and thinking he would have to remain out all night in the 

 woods, I found him at camp all right, having heard Dan's axe. 



In the morning we struck camp and returned to Spider 

 Lake, bringing down the hide, hocks and hoofs. The latter, 

 when properly arranged, make very pretty ink buttles, pin- 

 cushions, etc. On the way Dan found several of his mus- 

 quash and one trap carried off by some creature. It began to 

 blow hard from the southeast, and that night such a storm 

 came up as shook the solid block house, and the rain poured 

 in torrents. We were not sorry to be under Dan's hospitable 

 roof. 



Thursday it was still raining. Dan and Foster started 

 round the lake, setting traps, and at evening returned, bring- 

 ing with them the culprit who had stolen the musquash and 

 carried off the steel trap— a magnificent gray horned owl, 

 one of the largest size, with eyes that appeared as trig as 

 saucers. TLis they tied by the leg to a stick and placed in a 

 dark room. Two days after he picked the siring, smashed 

 ihe window and escaped. 1 spent my day taking the bones 

 out of the houfs, cleaning the moose head, and skinning and 

 stretching the jackets of several musquash for Dan. 



Next morning Dan had to repair his huuse ; so, Dftfil lend 

 ing a hand till 0:30, Foster and I went over to Megantic, 

 took one of Dan's boats and pushed on to Bush Bake. Shot a 

 snipe and missed another ; saw fresh sign of beaver. Foster 

 is at this moment paddling the boat after black duck— a fine 

 flOOk. Whiz' Away they go. We couldn't gel B 



we returned to Spider 1 have just made my tirsl attempt at, 

 air, and Batter myself 1 acquitted myself well, con- 

 sidering the circumstances. Dan's head of hair was some- 

 thing enormous, and made his bead ache; so f was made bar- 

 ber, and had to use a very hlunt pair of scissors to hack off 

 hie locks. Besides, it, was getting almost too dark to see. 

 That evening we spent in looking over illustrated p 

 Hboul hunting. 



, /, Oct,. B6.— Dan woke me early. W r e. had break- 

 fast by lamj rted for the Dpi i 



to put in the day fishing 



7 Willi I og to Sher- 



lirooke, in i, the way 



we stopped at ihe eainpof Nngle and lloyi to give them some 



loaves of bread which Mrs. Ball had baked for them early in 

 the- morning, before we had our breakfast. They reo 

 cordially and showed OS the skins of two beaver "kit- 

 tens,'' as they are termed by trappers, a sable and a 



small min i i furs, \\ c proceeded up the 



stream, leaving Our - the "jam," several miles up, 



then carrying oni packs, guns and trans on our backs 



cross country to 'the Upper Camp. Just as 



we approached, three fine dgei Si i up, two of which 



61 fas it was close to camp, where a shut Or two 

 would do eo harm 1 mid a few steps farther We carne Upon a 



wry large .-mi killed in one of the dead-fall 



traps we had set a few days previously. This was a good 

 beginning. We made some tea, and went to inspect the 

 beaver traps, one of which had disappeared. While Dan was 

 searching for it I strolled off fur moose. On my return io 

 camp at dark, there sat Dan stretching his sable skin, and 

 hanging on a small birch was a splendid beaver, four years 

 old, and weighing not far short of ninety pounds, making a 

 heavy load fur a man to carry for any distance. My eye! 

 what a feast we shall have upon his liver! A beaver's liver 

 is very large for the size of the animal, and is considered a 

 lid-bit by trappers. The flesh also is much esteemed. We 

 have been feasting every day since we shut the moose on 

 smoked venison; tonight we am eacb having a partridge 

 "to his cheek," as Dan elegantly expressed it, and are to have 

 liyer for breakfast. As we have had a hard day I shall bid 

 you good-night. 



Sunday turned out a lovely warm day. At. 5 a. m. we break- 

 fasted on smoked venison, biscuits soaked in our cups of tea, 

 then popped into Ihe hot frying pan with Some salt butter. 

 We had not yet dressed the beaver, so the visions of the pre- 

 vious evening of li suffered fl postponement While 

 rbout, doing nothing, I came upon one of 



'ruffed I'm::,' apparently very cold, sitting near lire 

 edge of a pool of water. These birds are much moredilll- 

 i roach than the swamp partridge, but since he per- 

 mitted me to come within a few feet of him, I thoughl per- 

 haps I might noose him. Fumbliug in my pocket, l' fuiind a, 

 piece of soft string; then, retiring a few steps, I cut a long 

 alder pole, attaching the noose to the smaller end. To my 

 chagrin I fuuud that, although 1 could come within reach of 

 the bird, the aggravating nobsc would not remain open long 

 enough for me to pop it over his head, but kept twisting upon 

 itself, the string being so limp. After several attempts, 

 whereby the bird became somewhat alarmed and began to 

 move slowly off, 1 succeeded in nay endeavor, when, giving 

 the pole a jerk, the rotten cord broke and the bi rd flew a 

 short distance: but being chilled by the white frost, which 

 still lay on the ground, he permitted me to approach him B 

 second time. inow took apiece of deer skin which I wore 

 bs a watch guard. This answered better, and I had no diffi- 

 culty in placing the thong over his head ; but, having fast- 

 ened it carelessly to the smooth small end of the stick, it 

 pulled off, and away flew the bird, noose and all. This was 

 too aggravating fur anything, so 1 started to retain 

 As I was trying to dispose of my r now guardlcss watch, I 

 found a short piece of brass wire (that 1 had vainly looked 

 for in the first plice) in my trousers pocket, I decided to 

 make a third attempt, and followed him up. There 

 he sat among the stiff lower dead branches of 

 a balsam fir, too high to reach from the ground : 

 and this would have been an- end to the matter, 

 but, as luck would have it, there was another balsam which 

 the wind had broken off at the stump and blown against the 

 tree in which Bat perched the partridge. The bird could only 

 be approached from this quarter, and many dead twigs and 

 branches intervened, and I almost gave up. However, after 

 scratching my hands aud face, and with a deal of patience, I 

 at last managed to pass the noose over the bird's head, he 

 pecking at it. There was my watchgunrd still about his 

 neck, and with a wriggle of glee I gave a jerk. For a. second 

 "times were lively," according to Dan, among the j dead 

 branches. Fur a second only, however, for the wire became 



kinked and broke ! Ghost of Caesar ! Had you been 



there, gentle reader, you would haveseen a disappointed man. 

 Thero was nothing for it but to crawl down and prepare to be 

 laughed at by Dan on my return. So much for not going to 

 church on Sunday. 



On my return, however, I found that Dan had been there, 

 had dressed the beaver and left again. It was now about 3 

 p. m., and I began to feel " the keen demands of appetite," so 

 lighting the fire I made some tea, cooked some beaver tender- 

 loin and liver and fried some biscuits. While I sat in the 

 camp eating my dinner the wiskey-iohns were bolder than 

 us"ual, and I noticed that upon alighting on the carcass of the 

 beaver they invariably perched upon the same spot, and 1 

 thought I would catch one by way of a canary to sing for 

 Dan on his arrival, so arranging a noose upon the meat I 

 had a bird in my hand in less than 30 seconds. The voracious 

 thing did not seem at all pm out by his captivity, but ate 

 pieces of meat from my hand the moment he was caught. 



I heard a noise shortly after, and looking up saw Dan ap- 

 proaching. He had strolled up the stream looking for signs 

 of garni' for the morrow. Our supper consisted of a " lanx 

 salwa," of beaver head, beaver haunch, beaver liver, beaver 

 tail and jerked moose, meat, all boiled together, and biscuits 

 soaked in our hot tea and buttered. I doubt if the gods of 

 old evei enjoyed their nectar more than we did our classic 

 dish. Here is the hunter's recipe for cooking beaver tail : 

 Hold it in the flame of the fire for a few moments and the 

 skin will peel easily ; then it must be boiled, not fried, till 

 cooked through ; seasoned well with pepper and salt, and 

 eaten on hot toast or biscuit. It then resembles marrow 

 but is not so fatty, is of a gelatinous nature and is excel lent, 

 1 cut up the remainder of the beaver, and it now hangs over 

 the fire to smoke. I am intending to give them a treat at 

 home of smoked (or jerked I moose and heaver. 



Monday— Wet snow and rain in the morning. I had hoped 

 we should have snow that would remain on the ground in 

 order to do a little- still hunting, but it soon cleared up anil 

 turned cold,. [ accompanied Dan on a trapping tour. We 

 set, up 15 traps, and after lunch in the woods and a long 

 tramp across the. headwaters of several streams, returned to 

 camp hungry. We were soon regaling ourselves on fried 

 musquash, some of the beaver tall arid a partridge that I 

 pinned in the neck with a bullet as we Beared camp. 1 

 caning the beaver head for the sake of the teeth, 

 and boiling dried meat to lake with us on a tramp across the 

 the boundary line for a couple of days. 



Oct 39.— Weleft the upper camp just at, duy- 

 i i. it, cm twite for the head waters of Dead River, 

 ■iid across the line. As we 

 istinguis the bound- 

 ing - 

 in widlb. and the open space having since 

 ,-i up With a, different kind of wood, par- 



ticularly notceable among the spruce timberwhere wecrossed 

 if. The line runs along the height of land, or " divide," be- 

 tween the two countries from peak to peak of the mountains. 

 At this point we happened to strike one of the square-tapered 

 ted along the line in Ls43. about, a 



I|!| '' : « "» accordance with the AshbUIton treaty, ami we 



wrote our names and date on the white paint on the post 

 In block letters, cast in relief, are the following : 



tin the east side, Treaty of Washington ; west side, Bound- 

 ary, Aug. », 1843 j north side, Lt. Ool. J. B. B. Bstcourt H 

 B. M. OomSBr,; south side, Albert Smith, IT. IS. Oomssr. 



These posts stand three feet high, and are, as regards shape, 

 Bunker Hill Monument in miniature. 



We stopped for lunch at a place where a mountain stream 

 filters through huge split granite boulders which we named 

 " The Strainer." Saw a fine dark mink popping about lower 

 down the stream. Visited a small pond to the shores of 

 which two years ago we traced a deer wo had wounded. Then, 

 intending to take a shorter route back to Canada, we climbed 

 up a cliff of loose granite rock covered with fallen trees, 

 through which the fire had nm, a most fatiguing scramble, 

 and had the satisfaction of findiug we had made a mistake, 

 and, like the great Duke of York who with his 40,000 men 

 went, up the hill, we then went down again. Finally we 

 reached a beaver dam upon another stream showing fresh sign, 

 and we set two steel traps (visions of liver and tail for break- 

 fast). Biscuit and bread all done. To-night we are sleeping 

 tftoile, although there is a fine clean lumber camp 

 (built m 1868 by Crosby's gang) just near the beaver dam, but 

 we dare not remain there for tear of frightening the wary 

 creatures. The night is very cold and we have left our over- 

 coats, blankets and everything we could possibly do without, 

 across the line m Canada; but: we have made a'long fire, and 

 to prevent more noise than necessary by chopping, are " nig- 

 germg off " some of the larger logs in the middle. Then 

 hunter fashion, we each take off our coat, lie down behind a 

 wind screen of boughs on each side of the fire, and throw our 

 ui selves. Pong practice shows 'this to be the 

 warmer way cd Bleeping when one has no other covering. 



At this point I saw a brown ash tree fifty-one inches in cir- 

 cumference actual measurement, which the beavers had re- 

 cently gnawed down. The skill mi6 finesse of these creatures 

 is simply astonishing, and although their habits have been 

 often ably discussed by naturalists whose observations have 

 been read by most people, still I picked up during this trip a 

 lew interesting details which I can vouch for, and which have 

 never been in print. 



As is well known, they work by night aud are extremely 

 wary and difficult to trap. Here is an instance which shows 

 almost superior intelligence : Dan had had his trap sprung 

 one night by an old beaver without catching him, and, think- 

 ing to succeed next night, he reset the, trap in the same place. 

 Judge o his surprise in the morning upon visiting the spol 

 to nnd the trap drawn out Of the water the whole length of 

 the chain, high and dry upon the hank, and Unsprung, "Next 

 night was too much for the poor beaver, fur Dan set two 

 traps. The animal carefully removed the first and covered it 

 over with sticks, then, fancying he had got rid of the enemy 

 proceeded boldly down the channel they make in every dam 

 and was caught in the second trap. Poor chap, he deserved 

 to escape for his cleverness. 



After cutting their wood, chiefly cherry, poplar and birch 

 and Boating it down the canals which they- make leading into 

 their dam, they submerge the sticks and poke them intoholes 

 in the bank in such a way as to enable them to reach their 

 wood during the winter io eat the bark, and to prevent its 

 being frozen into the ice. Another interesting feature I no- 

 ticed. In one place, evidently regarding their dam as inse- 

 cure, the beavers had built another dam through the pond 

 some fifteen feet from the lower (and feeble) dam. This 

 dam did not quite reach the surface of the water, nor did it 

 affect it in any way, having been put there merely in case 

 Ihe lower one should be carried away. 



Their teeth are very peculiar, are very long, and grow far 

 back in the head. The upper ones are the most curious, and 

 are an exact semi-circle; in fact, placed end to end, they form 

 a perfect ring about two inches aLd a half across. It is very 

 difficult to obtain perfect ones, they break them so gnawing 

 at the steel traps. The nail upon the third toe of each hind 

 foot is, according to Buffon, their tooth-pick, and is of a 

 most curious shape. 



Wednesday.— How long the nights seem when one cannot 

 sleep steadily through, but has to keep building the fire I Six 

 a. m. — " Hail, smiling morn .'" Dan has just started to visit 

 his two beaver traps. I am getting our breakfast ready, 

 which is easily done, as it consists principally in putting on 

 the tea-pot. Here comes Dan. As he approaches he sings 

 rait thai something has sprung both his traps. This sounded 

 .disappointing. However, he soon appears, carrying a beaver 

 kitten, both traps and one of the largest musquash, both in 

 prime fur. We were not long taking off their jackets, and their 

 we rubbed plenty of salt upon the shoulders of the beaver and 

 roasted them upon a stick in front of the fire, making a most 

 substantial meal in spite of the want of bread or biscuit. 



We struck across a spur of the range of mountains from 

 Chain of Ponds, re-crossed the boundary line at a point where 

 the wind had made havoc among the trees, throwing down 

 every one for a long distance and forming an almost impass- 

 able barrier, and, by way of improving matters, it was snow- 

 ing aud blowing hard at the time. 



On the way back to-day we traveled for hours hy compass, 

 taking a direction that we thought would strike the head- 

 waters of the streams in Canada, upon which Dan and I had 

 set some Iraps a few days previously — the 28th, 



It is simply wonderful how these old trappers and guides 

 can travel with such accuracy through the forest. At Cue 

 point where we struck the first stream we came upon one of 

 these same traps. We followed up the stream for about fifty 

 yards, and then took the " spotted" line through t! 

 the rest of the way. 



Here we are back at the Upper Camp in Her Majesty's do- 

 mains, wet and cold, but fast becoming the opposite "under 

 the united influence of hot tea and a crackling lire. Upon my 

 word, this looks like getting back to one's home. Dan had a 

 Mid himself up in his blanket at (U'lO and is sleep as 

 I write. I am boiling dried meat for to-morrow. On the way 

 to-day we caught two splendid sable, or marten, t 

 some beaver oil on my gun, rifle and boots, and then turn in 

 also. 



Thursday— &-$Q A, M.— Dan slept clear round I he clock; 

 nothing but boiled meal for- brcaklai-il, and a dish of tea; strike 

 Camp Hi once for home On mir way we passed more par- 

 tridges, a brace of which I could huve pinned at one shot 

 from my rifle, as their heads were in line; saw Fi 

 of a cow moose and calf, but had no time to follow them, as 

 we had a loop' way 10 travel. It rained all the way to Dana, 

 where we had a glorious supper, and. home-made bread ! 



