jui.y 4, 1903.1 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
3 
had seen them and lost no time in getting out of that sec- 
tion of the country. On my way I visited the pond where 
I had set seven traps, and where I had seen the Indians 
the night before, but, as I expected, not a trap was left. 
'Well,' I said to myself, 'there is nothing to do but to kill 
and eat my old partner the skunk, and then devise some 
means of killing enough meat on the way to enable mc 
to get to the fort.' 1 went on to the camp very slowly 
and watchfu]lj% you may be sure, in case one or two of 
the war party had remained behind, holding my old gun 
in readiness just for a bluff, if nothing more. It would 
have served for a club. 
"The first thing I noticed when I came to the camp 
ground was the skin of my old partner lying near the 
still smouldering fire, and by that token I knew that the 
war party were either Crees or Assinaboines, for none 
of the other tribes in the Northwest eat skunks. Yes, 
they had killed and devoured my partner, although they 
undoubtedly had plenty of buffalo or deer meat. Well, 
there is no accounting for tastes. I never had tried 
skunk meat, but I was anxious to. As I had thought 
would be tbe case, nothing remained of my outfit. Tent, 
bedding, provisions, furs, everything had been taken, 
except mv cast iron Dutch oven, and that had been 
smashed, " I sat down on a log feeling pretty blue, but by 
no means inclined to give up. I had matches in ray 
pocket, a good sheath knife at my belt ; all around was 
game of various kinds, and I was bound to get some of it 
some way. I remembered all at once of hearing Hugh 
Monroe, an old Hudson Bay Company trapper, tell about 
an Indian tribe of the far north using dead falls to catch 
beaver; a heavy log was suspended over a slide, a stick, 
which was the trigger of the affair, was placed across the 
path about four inches above tbe ground; when the 
beaver came along and pushed the sick, down fell the log 
and broke its back. I determined to try the plan, making 
a model first that would work, and then setting a dozen 
or more of the contrivances along the ponds. But first 
] went to the river where I had thrown in the beaver I 
had skinned, half hoping to find one of the carcasses, and 
cook a part of it. The stream was high and discolored, 
and very swift. The bottom could not be seen even in 
shallow parts, but hoping 'that one of the carcasses might 
have been thrown up on a bar, I went down along the 
shore for some distance. Not one could I find. Return- 
ing, I cut some good sized willows, went to my lookout 
place at the edge of the timber and began to work on tlac 
.deadfall model. I had barely started in, however, when 
I saw some horsemen on the rim of the valley to the 
south coming down the trail, and then behind them came 
a long string of horses, some packed and some loose, and 
several hundred mounted people. I saw at once that the 
horses dragged no lodge poles nor travois, so it was evi- 
dent that their owners were mountain, or west slope, In- 
dians. If they proved to be the Flatheads, my troubles 
were over, for they had been friendly to the whites since 
1846, when that valiant Jesuit, Father De Smet, had 
visited them and started a mission in the heart of their 
Country. They had even embraced the Catholic faith. 
When I first saw the outfit I lost no time in retreating to 
the shelter of the pines, where I could watch them and 
still not be seen. On they came, down the valley slope, 
across the river, and rounded up on the flat about two 
himdred yards from my hiding place. Some of the packed 
horses were hard to catch, running around in great 
circles. One of them, a swift wild thing, came within 
twenty yards of the timber, pursued by half a dozen 
young Indians shouting and encouraging thei'r horses 
as they swung their lariats. I recognized the language, 
although I could not understand it. They were the Flat- 
heads, as I had hoped, and without hesitation I walked 
out of the timber toward them when they were preparing 
to camp. They all stood and stared at me in amazement, 
for it was an unusual thing to see a lone white man, 
afoot at that, anj-where on the plains in those days. As 
I nearcd them the chief and sevei'al leading warriors ad- 
vanced to meet me, hands outstretched and smiling pleas- 
antly. Now bless the red man, say I, who invented the 
sigTi language, that expressive means of communicating 
thought by the hands, which all the tribes: from Great 
Slave Lake to Mexico know. I could not speak any In- 
dian language, but I wasn't bad at signs, and in a A^ery 
few minutes the Flatheads Avere aware of my misfortunes. 
Twice the chief asked hoAV many Avere in the war party, 
and I replied that there Avere eighteen. He also inquired 
'how I knew that they were Crees or Assinaboines, and I 
told how they had killed and eaten my partner, the skunk, 
which I had calculated to roast for mj'self. . That made 
them laugh. 
" 'Well,' said the chief, after giving some orders to his 
women, 'you are hungry, and are going, to fill you 
clear to the neck Avith the best fooal^vve have. Then some 
of mj'^ young men are going to' accompany you, and help 
you get back your outfit, your horses, and of course some 
scalps of the enem3\ They have done us wrong, both the 
Assinaboines and Crees, and Ave must have revenge.' 
''It didn't take the Avomen long to cut some poles, put 
up their lodges, and in a little Avhile a real feast was set 
before me. There was boiled boss ribs of buffalo, berry 
pemmican, boiled arroAv root, and SAveet dried camas, a 
fine spread for a hungry man, and I surely did Justice 
to it. 
"Upon deciding to pursue the war party, the chief had 
sent tAvo scouts on their trail to locate them. It Avas 
perhaps an hour later that about fifty of us started out, 
Jill well mounted and Avell armed. The chief, who did 
not go. loaned me his war horse, a powerful, swift ani- 
mal, and also his gun, a muzzleloader. I Avas ncA-er with 
a lighter hearted crowd than Avere those Flathead Avar- 
riors. They talked and laughed, sung war songs, and cut 
up all sorts of capers as Ave rode along. And we did not 
spare the horses, keeping them on a steady lope except 
Vvdien the hills Avere steep. 
"The sun Avas about an hottr high when Ave rode down 
the pine and quaking aspen slope to the St. Mary's River, 
and right at the ford found our two scouts aAvaiting us. 
Of course I didn't understand what they reported; Ave 
crossed the stream at once, hoAA'ever, and went on faster 
than before. A mile further on we crossed another 
stream, a tributary of the St. Mary's, and, emerging from 
the belt of timber Avhich fringed it, saw the war party not 
a quarter of a mile ahead crossing a long, Avide prairie. 
They saAV us as soon as we did them, and crowded around 
my four horses, Sttippmg off the packs, pushing and pull- 
ing each other in frantic endeavors to mount and run for 
the timber. Of course there Avas not room for them all 
on the animals, and the result was that only two got away 
on my saddle horse before we were upon them. I passed 
right ahead after the tAVO, as did the chief's soij, and we 
overtook them about a hundred yards from the timber. 
The fellow mounted behind turned and fired at me, but 
n-.issed his mark. I let loose at him about the same time, 
and he dropped limply from the horse to the ground, 
prone on his back, and never even kicked. His companion 
followed him a moment later, shot by the young Flat- 
head. He Avas only wounded, but lost his gun in the fall, 
and leaving the youth to finish him I went on and caught 
my horse. Thai Avas all I saAv of the battle, if such it 
may be called, for the last one of the war party Avas 
killed before I caught my horse and turned back. They 
hadn't put up much of a fight, nor could they, armed as 
they Averc with the Hudson's Bay Company's smooth-bore 
ilintlocks. The Flatheads kept circling around them and 
shooting, and laid the last one of them low in less than 
three minutes. None of our party Avas killed, and only 
tAVO receiA'ed wounds, Avhich were painful, of course, but 
not dangerous. And so, excepting some provisions, I got 
back my Avhole outfit, and the Flatheads got Avliat they 
wanted, glory and scalps— Cree scalps. 
"When we returned to camp the next day, you may be 
sure there was a great jollification, feasting and scalp 
dancing, Avhich lasted far into the night. In further 
couA'ersation with the chief, I learned that he and his peo- 
ple intended to hunt and trap along the foot of the moun- 
tains as far south as Sun River, and then go to Fort 
Benton to dispose of their furs. The old fellow insisted 
that I should accompany them, offering the loan of a rifle 
and a place in his lodge. I accepted the offer at once, and 
never regretted it, for I had a pleasant time and man- 
aged to catch a fair number of beaver. When we ar- 
rived at the^ fort, about six weeks later, I gave the old 
chief a Henry rifle and the members of his family a 
blanket each, Avhich made their hearts glad. And so 
ended riiy experience in the Avilds for that season. I 
have often wondered how I Avould haA^e got along had I 
not met the Flatheads. Some day I shall try that dead- 
fall contrivance and learn if a beaver can really be caught 
that way." 
Where Beaver Bill and the Flatheads fought the Crees, 
Government engineers are building an immense dam to 
store Avater for an irrigating canal. The Avild Indians, the 
buffalo and other game have disappeared, and busy 
rancher^- till 'the soil Avhere the old time ti'appers made 
their camps. It is Avell that they are in their graves, those 
adventurous old plainsmen, for there is no longer any 
place for them to roam. Could they return and see the 
A^'onderful change which has taken place since yesterday, 
as it were, their astonishment and sorroAv would be un- 
bounded. They had no use for civilization. 
J. W. SCHULTZ. 
The Buckskin Lodge. 
Aavav in the wilds of Canada there is a deer hunters' 
lodge built of great round unhcAvn pine logs that has 
housed hundreds of campers, canoeists and anglers. This 
lodge Avas built by the members of the Buckskin Lodge, 
of Pittsburg, furnished with cots, mattresses, chairs, 
tables, dishes and an immense stove. The lodge is built 
on Hope Island, a small island sparsely timbered with 
pine and hemlock trees, as essential to the camper as pOAV- 
der and ball to the hunter. Nailed to the gable are these 
Avords that have cheered hundreds of weary tourists: 
"Welcome to Buckskin Lodge." Inside you find further 
directions : "When you use the mattresses hang them 
up so the Avood mice Avon't cut them." All OA-^er the walls 
UtrCKSKIN LODGE. 
are inscriptions like the folloAving : "The Rosselle Fish- 
ing Club of Homestead, Pa., thanks the Buckskin Lodge 
for its hospitality." "The Washington Club of Allegheny 
does the same." 
I have inclosed a photo of the Buckskin Lodge that 
Avill be recognized by all Avho have made a voyage doAvn 
this delightful river. 
On August I, 1902, Guy A. Hodgson, Mart Kinser, 
Geo. M. Meanor, Prof. Jno, H. Chatham, William Col- 
lins, Prof. Robt. M. Martin and the Avriter left Bennett's 
cottage on Severn River for this lodge. Capt. Woods 
ran us doAvn on his little steamer across Sparrow Lake 
to the Ragged Rapids, some ten miles doAvn the river. 
Here Ave spent a few hours angling, Avith good results. 
Orillia, a city of 15,000 people, has built a large power 
plant to furnish light to the city some seventeen miles 
aAvay. 
Meanor, Chatham and I crossed the dam and Avent 
to fish just below the falls in a circling bay filled with 
driftwood. With little trouble we soon made a raft by 
throwing some boards over the logs and had a comfort- 
able stand to fish from. The* sport was fine. Prof. Chat- 
ham had caught several fine bass in the foam and 
I had done Avell. Meanor, wearied waiting for a large 
one, tried in the bay beloAv, and I soon saw he had a 
strong attachment for some sort of marine creature that 
was giving him no end of trouble as it darted in and out 
among the driftAvood. To have it said you assisted in the 
landing of a very large fish is much honor, and that I 
might share in George Meanor's delight I hastened down 
Avith a fine gaff, which this same mechanical George had 
made for me, and by a lucky stroke dished up a magnifi- 
cent 9-pound pickerel, the finest and largest I had ever 
seen. It was dark above Avith glittering golden sides. 
From this golden appearance the French-Canadians call 
them dorc. Meanor tried to land a running mate for 
his prize catch, but in vain. He Avrapped him in damp 
moss and leaves and stored him aAvay in a cool cave in 
the rocks and dropped down the river witli the avowed 
purpose of taunting Chatham and me with another princely 
pickerel. 
As I angled around and on a mass of drift I spied a 
very large fish, but Avas unable to determine its kind in 
the shadow-darkened Avaters. There he lay gently fan- 
ning the water and reminded me of a sleepy coav chewing 
her cud. By a lucky stroke I caught a lo-inch bass, which 
I persuaded to carry my hook to where I had seen his 
excellency ruminating. From the lively dashes of the 
bass I knew there was some sort of trouble at the nether 
end of my string. I had concluded that the fish was a 
muscallonge and might run from 10 pounds up, so was 
persuaded to take no risks among the snags and I handed 
Prof. Chatham my rod with instructions to draw him 
gently tOAvard the open and I lay prone upon the log 
under Avhich the fish must go tOAvard the open water. 
Gently the Professor drew and patiently the fish followed 
on, and with thumping heart I Avaited. Would he 
never come? Presently I saw him slowly following the 
pull of the line— could see the tail of the bass grow less 
and less as it disappeared, and learned to a nicety what 
it is for big fish to SAvallow the little ones. He soon 
made a dash for the open water, and as he went by I 
gaffed him. It. proved to be a pickerel, almost an exact 
mate for the one Meanor caught. The fish was not 
hooked at all, for as I lifted him the bass was disgorged 
and floated down the river, having become unhooked by 
the struggles of the pickerel. I wrapped my prize in 
moss and ferns, carried it to the cavern and laid it by 
Meanor's prize. 
Now I had broken even Avith Meanor, a thing I had 
not dared to hope for. Perhaps some strange turn of 
the fickle fortunes of fishermen might enable me to beat 
him. I caught another quarter-pound bass — a lively one — • 
and with him I took long chances. Letting out almost a 
hundred feet of line I sent my bait under all the drift 
in the bay, and had Avearied in well doing, when there 
came another glad surprise. I again gave the line to 
Chatham, who gently led the captive to his doom. I 
gaffed this fish as it SAvam past. This pickerel also was 
not hooked. The prizes Avere so great and the chances of 
getting them by the ordinary method so slim, that I 
adopted this plan with success. As Meanor sauntered by 
he remarked: "Norris, anybody steal my big fish? Gee 
Whittakers ! When did these other whales crawl into 
this nest?" 
Norman E. Bennett, proprietor of a resort on the 
Severn River, pronounced them the largest fish ever taken 
from the river. Bennett said he had speared many good 
ones in the spring, but none so large as these. Be that 
as it may, we were satisfied Avith our catch, and will re- 
joice Avith him who catches a larger one. The three 
Aveighed about twenty-five pounds. 
We then portaged our stuff oA' er the long Ragged 
Rapids portage and had dinner Avith the superintendent 
of the poAver plant. At 2 P. M. we were under Avay. 
The day Avas clear, cool and delightful; the scenery 
Avas inspiring; the air Avas crisp and bracing, and when 
I got a chance to sit in the stern and see the other fel- 
lows row the boat I enjoyed life to the limit. We were 
a little apprehensive about shooting the rapids, and since 
there Avas considerable of this kind of game to bag in this 
locality the tyros who had never shot the chutes were a 
trifle timid. Shooting down those long avenues of rag- 
ing rushing waters is indeed a unique sensation — once 
experienced it is never forgotten. You come doAvn over 
the first break of the Avaters full of dire apprehensiofis, 
scenting danger in each flying eddy-turmoil and trouble 
all around you. The angry rocks ahead soon fly to the 
rear, the waves foam and fret in anger, the flying drops 
of water strike your face, bringing positive alarm. The 
white ghost-like cross tliat marks the spot where a voy- 
ageur was drowned flies by; soon all is over and you rest 
ill the quiet w^aters at the foot of the rapids, joyously ex- 
hilarated and agloAv Avith a pleasurable aftermath of ex- 
citement. 
We pass the long straight reach of waters and swing 
around the riv^er's bend in sight of the Cherry Creek 
Irmber camp at 3 P. M. The old camp is now in ruins, 
rcof tumbled in, and a gloomy atmosphere surrounds the 
place, but I never pass without halting to inspect it, for it 
is here I spent a delightful week nearly ten years ago. 
The Avatchman then at the camp was a one-legged man 
named AndrcAV Feeney Avho A^ery cordially welcomed us 
to his lodge, for Ave Avere the first people he had seen for 
seventeen days. There Avere few people traveling this 
river ten years ago in early July. 
As our boats grated at the landing at Hope Island, 
Avhere the Buckskin Lodge is located, the sun was drop- 
ping behind the big pines on the Avestern hills. 
After a hurried lunch Ave roAved a mile down the river 
to Cape Rock Bay to haA-e an evening's fish. As we 
pulled into the mouth of the bay, I heard some rapid 
firing of rifles somewhere in tOAvard the Lost Channel. 
The next day a party came up the river bringing three 
bear. It seems that as they Avere passing a bay leading 
into the Lost Channel, Willie Doolittle, their guide, saAV 
a little bear doing a tAvo-step on the cliffs above. KrioAv- 
ing that the mother Avas near, they crept around the rocks 
and came upon her and the cub. The mother they shot 
and one of the cubs, intending to take the other alive. 
After chasing little Johnnie nearly a mile, they caught 
him, only to find that a bullet meant for the fond mother 
