The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-05-16
A 'l'rapper's Adventure on on
Iceburg in Hudson Bay.

give you the story that was told by
old Pierre, the Canadian voyagcur aud
lrapper, when was bis guest some years
since in his wilderness cabin north CT the
st Lawrence:
ut is something more than twenty
years ago." said he, that Ispent couple
of seasons In tho service Of tho Hudson
Bay Company. You know, suppose,
that for two centuries they have had the
monopoly Of gathering .furs in the British
possessions, and they have to-day, hun
dreds oil hunters roaming over the coun.
Try from the Columbia 10 the frozen sea Of
the north, and | believe that II they were
certain there were any fur bearing anil
mails around tho north pole they would
establish q post there.
my district, which they let me choose
for myself, was on the western shore Of
Hudson Bay, so far north Of Fort Church.
hill that I was certain not 10 be troubled
by any one else getting into my terri
tory"
"Why did you go into such desolate
region?" asked,
Il had been there before, and knew
that there was the right kind Of game
there. | was alter the black fox, the
scarCest and most valuable animal that Ia
found In Hudson Bay Territory. II. q
irapper can catch a single one Of them Il
is2 good seasons work, and | have
known some oI them 10 hunt for five
years without getting one, 80 you can
understand why It vas that ! put on my
snow shoes, shouldered my traps, and
tramped norlhward for two weeks, only
stopping on. the way long enough TO get
food and TO camp at nights. Z"
AT last struck my home TWAS IN
deed away up In the land OF desolauon.
Looking off TO the cast could sec nothing
but the green expanse Of Hudson Bay,
with the mountains Of Ice drifting, through
ii, washing slowly of towards Batin's
Bay; while looking In whatever other d.
rectlon | might choose was nothing but
the white snow, or here and there few
dark punches Of dwaTfed pine" .it
How did you manage to keep a fire go
ing during that time !" inquired.
II was there for the better part Of two
months, and during all that time ! never
saw or felt q flicker Of flame, and never
tasted a mouthful Of cooked food. Raw
fish, seal, and bears mcat-l walked into
them, or rather they walked into me, with
rs much enjoyment upon my account as
was yours In eating that tremendous
lunchIa while ago. .g.
"But that isn't here nor there. 1t ISM
often 60 hungry, no matter where may
Chauce TO pitch my tent. made my
home along the edge Of Hudson Bay
where l flung up a building made ofb;ockI
Office md kept myself as comfortable as
man could wish.
Il told you that / was after the blacl
lox. set thre0 traps, several miles apart
and made the rounds every morning. TIT
first round, on my snow shoes, found
black fox In each Of those three teaps !
remember" added the old Canadian, a
his face was wrinklcd into o smile, THAT
when reached the first trap and found
what Il prize l had gained, that gave q
yell Of delight; at the second came nigh
losing my senses, and at tho third they
were gone entirely. Ispent over an hOui
in dancing a Jig upon my snow shoes
tinging up my hat, and hurrahing, until
was q little afraid that / would walk
them up In London, and have the who'll
city down upon me for kicking MP such I
disturbance.
The next morning caught two more
and on tho morning after that bad an
other, and since that time ! have neve
succeeded In catching single black fox
Those six must have cleaned out all th
stock there was In tho territory.
secured plenty Of other kind Of luit
but when looked upon those six black
glossy hides that had packed away In m.
ice.house, you may be certain that l TEL
proud, and 1t made me happy allthrougl
the two months that spent alone upon III
shore Of Hudson Bay. -
You must know the ice Is sometime
piled hundreds Of feet deep along III
banks Of that sea, and 1t extends q goo
ways back from the water, so that ever
night ! slept upon the solid ice, lar Rbov
ground.
"one evening as l lay dow to rest