Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-01-31
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, THURSDAY,

We soon came to some demed-shaped heaps
: rising above the level of the ice. They were Of
0 mud, bound together with grass and flags, and
were hardened by the frost. Within each of
these rounded heaps Old Foxey knew there were
at least half dozen muskrats-perhaps three
times that number-lying snug and warm and
huddled together.
Since there appeared no hole or entrance, the
question was how to get at the animals inside
} Simply by digging until the inside should be
laid open, thought. This of itself would be
no slight labor. The roof and sides as my COM
panion informed me, were three feet in thick
ness; and the tough mud was frozen to the
hardcness and consistency of a fire brick But
after getting through this shell, where should
we find the inmates! Why, most likely, we
should not find them at all after all this labor
So said my companion, telling NE 1T the same
time that there were subterranean. Or rather
subaqueous passages, by which the muskrats
would be certain to make off under the ice long
before he had penetrated near them.
was quite puzzled to know how he should
proceed. Not 50 Old Foxey. He we'll knew
what he was about, and pitching his traps down
by one Of the houses commenced OPERA
tions.
The one he had selected stood out in the lake
some distance from its edge. 1t was built en-.
tirely upon the ice; and, as the hunter well
knew, there was hole in the floor by which
the animals could get into the water at will -
how then was he to prevent them from escaping
by tho hole, while we remove the covering or
roof! This was what puzzled me, watched
; his movements with interest.
Instead of digging into the house, he COM
: menced cutting hole in the ice with his ice
chisel about two feet from the edge of the mud
That being accomplished, he cut another and
another, ultil four holes were pierced, forming
the corners of a square, and embracing the
house of the muskrat within.
Leaving this house, he then proceeded to
pierce of similar set of houses around another
that also stood out on the open lake. After
that he went to q third one, and this and then
fourth were prepared in similar manner
He now returned to the first, this time taking
care to tread lightly upon the ice and make as
little stir as possible. Having arrived there, he
took out from his bag square net made of
twisted deer thongs and not much bigger than
blanket. This in most ingenious manner
he passed under the ice, until its four corners
appeared opposite the four holes; where, draw
ing them through, he made all fast and tant
by q line stretching from one corner to the
other
His manner of passing the net under the ice
| have pronounced ingenious. 1t was accom-
plished by reaeving a line from hsse to hole, by
, means of the long slender pole already mention
+ ed. The pole, inserted through one of the
| holes, conducted the line, and was itself con
y Quoted by means of two forked sticks that gui
l ded it, and pushed it along to the other holes
The line being attached to the corners Of tn,
r net made it an easy matter to draw the lattcl
into its position.
n All the details of this curious operation were
a performed with q noisless adroitness which
d showed 'Old Foxey was no novice at rat
:. catching ....
It The net being now quite taut along the lowe
surface of the ice must of course completed,
d cover the Hole in the floor. 1t followed
q therefore, that if the muskrats were at home,
k they were now in the trap.
o My companion assured me that they would b,
= found inside. The reason why he had not uset
}; the net on the first cutting the holes, was t,
It give any member of the family that had beer
}. frightened out, a chance of returning and thi
It he knew they would certainly do as these crca
"a lures cannot remain very long under tn
water.
He soon satisfied me of the truth of his state
ment. In afaw minutes, by means of the ice
chisel and pick-axe, we had pierced the crust o
$ the dome: and there, apparently half asleep
j. became dazzed and blinded by tho sudden inau
'' of light-were no less than eight full grow,
y musquashes
~ Almost before could count them, Old Foxe
II had transfxed the whole party, one after tn
other, with his long spear
Or We now proceeded to another of the houses
rs at which the holes had been out. There m
g. companion went through similar series of or
ly erations; and was rewarded by a capture of 81
Of more rats
ip On opening fourth, a singular scene me
IN our eyes. There was but one muskrat alive
he and that one seemed to be nearly famished t
o. death. Its body was wasted to mere skin an
|; bone :; and the animal had evidently been
of long time without food Beside him lay tn
naked skeletons of several small animals that
~ at once saw were those Of the muskrat.
o. glance at the bottom of the nest explains ALL
n. The hole, which in the other houses had passe
through the ice, and which we found quite opel
,et in this one was frozen up. The animals ha
be neglected keeping it open, until the ice had q
ds too thick for them to break through; and thel
or impeled by the cravings of hunger, they ha
preyed upon each other, until only one, IL
,e- strongest, survived.
, a found upon counting the skeletons, that
,ed less than eleven had tenanted this iceboul
nd prison.
ite The Indian assured me that in seasons of We
severe frost such an occurrance is not rare.
all such times the ice forms so rapidly, that the
in imals--perhaps not having occasion to go o,
SO. for some hours-find themselves frozen in a
US, are compelled to perish of hunger, or devo
the one another
1t was now near night-for we had not reac
the ed the lake until late in the day-and my col
kes panion proposed that we should leave furtl
eat operations until the following morning.