The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-03-09

Tue animal ana people IOHd ct giving hard
names call them revengcful, blood thirsty,
druhkards (~hen the wherewirhal is to be
had) gamblers, regardless Of the laws of
meun and tuum fact, "White Indians"
However, there are exceptions, and hare
met honest mountain men. Their animal
qualities, however, are undcniable. Strong,
active, hardy as bears, daring, expert in the
use OF their weapons, they are lust what un-
civilized white man might be- supposed to be
IN brute state, depending upon his instinct
for the support Of life. Not hole or corner
IN the vast wilderness of the "Far West'
hut has been ransacked by these hardy men.
FROM the Mississippi TO the mouth Of the
Colorado Of the West, from the frozen re-
gions Of the North 10 the ella il Mexico,
the beaver hunter has set his traps in every
creek and stream. Al this vast country,
but for the daring enterprise Of these men,
would be even now a terra incoEonif1, TO
geoCraphers, as indeed great portion still
is; but there is not an acre they have not
passed and repassed in their perilous excur-
sicns.-The mountains and streams still re-
tam the names assigned To them by the rude
hunters and these alone are the hardy nj
onceis who have paved the way for the set
Element OF the western country.
lrappers are OF two kinds. the SHRED hand
ana the free trapp'r : the former hired for
Inc hn''t by the Fur companies; the latter,
supplied with animals aud traps by the oom.
pany, Is paid a certain price for his iurs aud
pcliries.
There is also the trapper on his owl, hook
bnt this class is very small. lie has his
own animals and traps, hunts where he chno.
SEES, ana sells liis peltry TO whom he pleas
es'
on starting tor hunt, the trapper FITS
himself out with the necessary equipment,
either from the Judiantradiug cor,i ar s,o,,
some of the ne,,v NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TO- ha;s
who Ir,oueu, the western, country TL;s
cnuipmcnt consists usuoIIv oC,wn mr. ,i,r.o
horses or mules.-.one for s,JJI, tho o,bor
for nacks-and six trans wbich oro co,,;oI
in a BAG eff leather called ,,a,..,.,. A.,
inunirion, few uound. Of t,hacco dre.sod
deer. skins for moccasirs So orc c,,,iaJ
in a wallet of dressed nOr,Io..Li, oalIaI =
possible.sack. His sro,,ihIe .u,nJ ..,ran
sacko are oeuer,Ilv corri.1 -. o.. .a,IIo
mule when hunt,rc tho 9th, ho;,,r ,..i.
.n with the G,rs Tbe co.tu,,o ,r,i-. ,,.
per is huu,inc >hi,, If Ircs.od h,oi,sI';, '"r
N n l,t, /. n
tho sa,ne u,o,ori,l a,J ,i.a,o,,'I ''.., "
cupine. quill. and lone frinccs Jo,,n,ha l,,,
side nj ,h. Loo , navuI.r,,t Wv ''''
casius clothe his ev,r.n,;,ios 90; "'r =,
shoulder and und,r his r;ch, a,,,, ~, J.,
powdcr horn and bulle, noucb il, ,I,;oL Lo
carries his hail.. flint and .,,oI o,,1 orI,,I
ends Of allkiud>. RounJ tho noi., hal,
i'm which i, >tuck l,rga h,,tcI,orL,,;ca
sheath of buffalo hiIe n,,Is r,s, - ,La ~.
by a chain or ruo,d Of >ieeI vyh;cI, aI,os,
por,s n little buri, ski, c,,o co,,a;,,iP
MILESTONE. 4 ,om,bavk i .,so nr,a,, -
Cd. ,...H 90 ."">e Iong, Heavy 10 = :,
ana pafoeI OF TINS equipment. nah nearly
forgotten the pipe holder, which bangs a
round ms neck, ana Is generally gage d'u-
mour, ana triumph OF squaw workman
Ship, III the Nhapcol heart, garnlshed with
oeads ana P"rcnplne-qnlils.
! nus provided. and having determined
the locality ol his trapping ground. he starts
TO the mountains, sometimes alone, some
times with three or iorrin company, aSSoon
as Inc breakihg up OF the ice allows hirn to
commence operations. Arrived on his hun
ing ground he follows The creeks and
streams, Keeping sharp lockout for 'Slgn'
II he sees PROSTATE cottonwood tree, lie
examines 10 discover II IT be the work ol
bcaver-whriher thrown for the purpose
OF inod, or TO dam the stream. The track
VI me beaver on Inc mud or sand under the
nahN !, also examined; and /! the "slgn"
be lre,h hcscts his trap in the run OF the an
imaI, hiding 1t under water. and attaching il
oy stout cham to pickle, driven in the
oahk, OF toa oiush or tree. "iioatstick"
IS made last 10 The trap by cord few fee,
long, winch, II the animal carry away the
Trap, hoats on The water and points ont IFS
POSITION Inc 'raris oaIied with the "med'
iclhe, an oily substance "biaincd from a
gland III the >cio,"'h ui the beaver, cnt dis
'lnct from Inc 'es'cS. a stick ~ dipped in
TO inns ana planted over the trap; and the
beaver attracted 10y the smell, and wishing
a clos" inspection, very fooi>hty puts his
leg INTO the trap, and u ''Gone beaver"
Nheh lodge is discovered, the trap i,
se' III me eage OF the dam, at the point
where ihe animal passes from deep toshcn
water, ana always under water. Early in
'he morning the hunter mounts his mule
aud examines the traps. The captured an.
,'''. ''e SN,",s"' a"', ''e AUS are great
'I;. ".''.'N ''I w" wv" camp inc
.N - NV" s''.'',''" "''' mop VI frame
H.. :, NV, an" """"e" 10
"r: .,"' "ssn '"" w S'">'""'t o''''G car
.'., ,s'%r.' u n, . "'!, i" 's '"'"T" 'h'I