, 1873-12-26
THE WESTERN FUR-TRADE.

oAfA3o ApplAAaVs
THE WESTERN FUR-TRADE.
'rho Traffic on tho Upper Missouri.
Ate"'s0" Nan" tDe'' I gSr,ssp'"de'' S1yts " tho S''
Probably there IL no business carried on III tuia
country OF tho details OF which SO little IL known
by people generally rs tho fur and robe trade
So5 in IL ,ann 1 4a IT. tns aa 1 oxc
heen obtalucl from tho old hunters md trappcra
who Avo spent tho greater portion Of their liypB
iu tho country adjacont to the Upper Missouri.
Tho aoason III Which furs and peltrios aro ao-
that timo tho shedding Of tho ooat commences,
the hair fades, mud The skin becomes worthless.
The anina!a most sought after arc otter, buffa-
10, wolf. elk, near, fox, deor. md coon. Mink
~ sometimes takou by the white trnppora; hut
Tho buffalo are killed mostly with tho bow and
arrow. ne this method il not ouly less expensive
than killing with tirc-ar7ns,, but tho arrows can
DO recovered, aud used again. a large herd IN
comprising several miles in extent. md grad
nal!y driven in together. And horc III exhib-
itcd d piece Of strategy thoroughly Iu-
dian. rho Btragglora on the outakirts Of
the herd aro shot In tho liver, and will
hunters continue driving thenl in. and tho car
cussca Mt tho closo OF the slaughter aro conse-
quontly not scattered over as great nh extent OF
ground Oh thoy would DO II shot instantly dead.
begin shooting at tho heart. Tho pouies are all
trained, and will not enter tho herd, but keep
the outside, although tho hunter docs not draw
rein after rcaching the killing ground. Wolves
are secured by poison In the following manner:
A quarter of buffalo Ia either dragged or taken
in a wagon to tho locality where tho wolves
most do cong1egato. At n distance Of about
forty rods apart Rtakos a1o stuck in tho ground
on tho top OF each q pioco Of moat iH in,-
S haDE o sySas %ovs sr assn pe pGsoaqa rs and T M
low it up tak'ng tho pieces as they 60. Next
morning the hunters 20 along the line ind skin
tho deau animals. Tloy stretch the skins over
stakes, with tho inside up, mud lot them dry.
times seventy or eighty wolves arc killed with a
single quarter of moat. Ono-oighth Of an
ounce5.ot etrychnl1e il sufficient to Kill five
wolves.
The otter aud boavor. arc trapped, various
kinds Of drugs ,beinE used for bait. a few Bil-
yer-gray foxes have been captured, but thoy arc
yory scarce. Tho skins of these ani'nals are
very valuable, bringing from $50 to SO each.
When tnken thoy uye invariably Hont to Europe,
where they are used only by tho weatthicss poo-
plo.
Tho Indians use the brains OF Tho animal to
TIM tho skin with, Aftor stretching it over
stnlioa or frames, as above stated. tliuy rub on
the brains, mixed with juices Obtained from cer
taln fooGs Allu l'laHHs' 4ne bAllls Aie tAeu
scraped with hoes, Or other instruments Of that
nature. The brains nre said to draw out the
grease. After drying, tle hides nro painted and
ora,amontot. The paint used is tho worry finest
quality OF Chlncsp yermilion aul chrome yellow
and green. There is q popular idea tint some
Of the nuiralo robea which 40 llnd in market arc
tnnncd by while men nftor being brought into tho
States, but Bucl, iBnot tic case. Maly whitcRhaYo
attempted it, but failed, nnd tito Indians seem
to ho tho only people who a1e possessed Of tho
moss mud pleasant surface to tho buifalo robe,
which IL not found on my other skin.
Az soon as the hunting is over the 1ndiana put
the hides and furs OH poles, Which are dragged
tralilg-poct Tho whole band generally comes
in with them. At tho trading-posta arc opposi-
ton runners. acting in behalf, respectively, Of
the Two great companies Of that atoountry-Durfoe
Il Ioc:s,. aud tho Northwestern Fur Com
pany. Theue runners keep on the watch,
mo'lnt fleet polieB and Btart off to scc1ro the
customers for tho goods to be traded by their
employers for tho result Of tho soason's hunt.
Those with whom tho Iudinns decide to trade are
compelled by custom to give tho baud great
feast, Which usually lasts d day and night. Thon
the busincga Of exchange commences,
Tho articles most III domand by tho rcd meu
nro co1roo aud sugar, of Which thoy arc passion-
ntcly fond. In dry goods they want blauhctv,
cloth. .prints. tho most CANDY aud yariogated. \
fow Of thom buy saddles aud bridlcs. An orna-
mont callod tue IroquoiB SHE'LL which IL picked
up OIL the soa-sLoro solnowhoro in Europe, III in
great demand. An Indian has boon known to
receive hren-fourths OF his tralo in thoao slollB.
with goods to be disposed Of to them by tho
tops Of tho Bmoke-ssacks boinS painted rod.
They Gull tllom "big Canoes" aud as aoon aB
thoy get into tho 1ntan country the nows il car
bout arrives ut its destination the nGws ia wide
spread. However much they may chance to bo
esaspcratcl against tho whites from any cause
which may lavo temporarily aroused thoir Los
tility, tlsoy noycr molost thoHe boata.
Among the ompoyes OF Dnrfco Il Peck SOW
eral years ago was an Indiau Chief namol " Two
Doars." I1S was very widely known aud
popular among Lis people. and wns . very
valuable assistant. Iu 1866 Jcsac Chisholm
probably the oldest trader IN the West, who
yeais ago from Tonnossoe-dlod away up IN tho
mountains Old Two Doars 4" WIS tllero, and
thought 30 much oil him tint ho took from his
own mock q gold medal Which Ind been given
neck Of his dcad friend aud lad it buried with
him. Mr.. Durfoo reatcd to tho writer Of this,
sunlo tlmo ago. NIL Incident about this old rod
man. whioh illustrates Tho amusing dignity and
pride whlc! tho Ialen so,natimes dis
plays. alr. Durloo WIS ", tho river with ono Of
hH boats, aud l,ad on board eoyoral ladies. ':Two
l'oars was pointed out to linn as II prominent
! Chief. aud ho invited hi'l OH board, taking him
directly to tho ladics' cahin. Now, it ohNa1ee,1
that our rod friend waB not Just tliol clad in hiH
hand, prosecuted III appearance thut would havo
hardly beun couutonlllcea in gontoel society.
As soon aH 1o saw tho 1uales ho wautod to leave,
and appeared deeply mortified at hnylnB been
dress. No urging could induce him to remaiil
moment, md l!a marched OF tho boat. In
about MI honr h0 came buck, denkod Off in NIL
tho gat,dy habfllmonts OF Firs. Family Sioux,