The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-01-14


an interview yesterday with Mr.. w. j. Adams,
who has for the last seven years been engaged
in hunting and trapping in south western Min
nesota. Mr.. Adams is one Of a company which
organised for this purpose in 1S49. 1t consis-
ted originally of thirty three members, but has
grown gradually up to the present season, and
now numbers seventy two men capable Of per-
forming active service. The company has its
own laws, which are enforced through officers
elected by the popular voice, and all difficulties
between members, and all violations of the pre-
scnbed rules Of the organisation, are heard and
summarily settled by them. The company re-
presents almost every nationality. Mr.. Adams
himself is a native of New London, Conneci-
cut but his long residence in the wids of the
west, and his habits as a trapper, have nearly
oblllerated all traces of yankeedom from his
physical man. The natural shrewdness and
keenness are assuredly there, but these quail
ties have taken on new forms of outward mani
testation. @'" T. ~., =. Z .' II
Thezcompany with which Mr.. Adams is con-
nected has its headquarters al fort Dodge
Some of them own farms in tina: vicinity on
which their families reside, and thther the hun
terssresort at stated times. Here, and at some
OF the Minnesota settlements, breadstutfs and
other necessary supplies are procured for the
hunters who are out on duty. Their furs are
taken to St. Louis for market
The country over which the company hunt
and trap, lies along the big Sioux river, and
extending northward and eastward over wide
area Here they take by trap and gun, nnum-
cradle quantities ofotter, beaver, muskrat, mink,
raccoon, wild cat, gray wolf, elk and deer. Mr..
A ~, tt.., a., ,.,l>
of settlements both in north western Iowa and
southern Minnesota, together with the opera
tons of his company, have materially diminish
ed the amount Of game, and next season they
propose seeking new hunting grounds near the
Rocky Mountains.
Mr. Adams represents the most Of the cxtcn-
sive range of country through which his hunt
ing has extended as very inviting region. 1t
is tray yersed by five rapid streams otclear water,
flowing over pebble, sand and rocks. On some
Of them fine sites for miles occur, and generally
their banks are adorned with vigorous growth
of timber. The prairie country predomlnates.
The soil is Of good quality, and the country
neither too level nor too much broken. Lime
stone is of occasional occurrence, and Mr.. Ad
ans informs us that he has now and then found
coal cropping out from the banks of the water
courses.
The winters are pretty cold, the snow usually
lying on the ground from one to three feet deep
Nevertheless, Mr.. Adams represents the climate
as being delightful. 1t is no hardship to lie out
all night, wrapped in IA single blanket, with the
saddle for a plIIow-after one gets used to it.
Sickness is unknown to the members of the com
pany. 1t sometimes happens thata man gets
lost or is killed by the Indians but none of them
get sick. Mr.. Adams is of opinion that within
two or three years. settlements will be pushed
out over most Of his old hunting grounds; in
anticipation of which he has already taken for
himself a claim at the junction of two beautiful
streams which form Rock river, a tributary of
the Big Sioux. Let no enterprising pioneer
hereafter disturb the log which mark the stop,
or dispute with Mr., Adams the rights which
he Mas so hardly earned
The attractions of life in the woods have
had their effect upon Mr.. Adams. He is not at
home among the haunts of civiIisation. Our
active, bustllng city, with its great stream of
life flowing ever along in its princl pal thorough
fares, and with its opulence and luxury staring
him everywhere in the face, is dull and urea-
ry 81 ght to him. Far more desirable the free
life of the woods, the excitement of the chase,
the unceasing outlook for hostile Indians, the
good cheer and companionship of the camp af
ter the days adventures are over. We ques
toned him on this head and found him prepar
ed for US at every point. To our every contrast
between the contrast of civised life and the pri-
vations of the wilderness, he had some ready
answer to give, which completely silenced US.
We gave up, and concluded to follow closely
i IL.
ing newspapers and in reading them--[ in hunt
ing and conversing with my campmates about
w4at We have done and seen. You 60 on max
ing papers, | will continue to hunt
LA MAUP1S. THE WOMEN OF MErrLE.-This
extraordinary person was one Of LuIll's opera
troupe. She was equally fond ef both sexes,
fought and loved like man or a devil) and
resisted and fell AS a woman. She was mar
ried to a young man, who left her to take an
Office to which he had been appointed in Pro-
vence, when she ran away with fencing mas
ter, of whom she learned to fence. They first
went to Marseiles, where, as they had good
voices, they were engaged at the opera. She
soon fell in love with young woman. The OBJ
iect of her whimsical affection was shut up in a
convent, to which Maupi obtained access as a
novice, when she set fire to it and in the con-
fusion ran off with her taverte. Maupn was
taken and condemned to be burned, but as the
young woman was restored to her friends, she
'was pardoned. She then went to Paris, and
made her first appearance on the opera stage
in 1895, when she performed the part of Palas,
in Cadmus. with the greatest success. The ap
pIause was so violent that she took off her casque
TO salute and thank the public, when her beau
ty caused them to redouble their appause.-
Her success was from that time uninterrupted,
but her s'ransest acting was not upon the stage:
Dumeni the counter tenor, having af1ronted
her, she put on mems clothes, watched for him
in the Place de Victories, and insisted on his
drawing his sword and fighting her, which he
refusing, she caned him, and took from him his
watch aud snuff box. The next day Dumeni
boased at the opera house that he had defend
ed himself against three men who attempted to
rob him, when Maupin told the story, and pro-
duced his watch and snuff box as proofs of bis
cowardice and the Gaming. Another person on
ly escaped her chastisement by publicly asking
her pardon, after hiding himself at the PaIais
p,r,1 fnr tbraa wepks At a hall rivan hv th