The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-10-23
INDIAN TRAPPERs, HUDSON BAY.

About the first of November, when the
animals have got their winter coats, and
fur is Sin season. the Indian trapper
lays out his trapping walk for thdwnter,
along which he places line of traps
from ten to fifteen miles in length. Once
or twice week he makes the round of
this walk. and gathers such furs as may
be caught. Most of the finer furs are
taken by means of the wooden dead-fall
and STEEL traps of various sizes. the larger
fur bearing animals being either shot,
caught in snares. or killed by the poison
ed bait.
Toward the latter end of March the
Indian trappers leave their hunting
grounds, and make a journey to the forts
with the produce of their winters toll.
Here they come, moving through the
forest, molly throng. The braves
march in front, too proud and lazy to
carry anything but their guns, and not
always doing even that. After them
come the squaws, bending under loads,
driving dogs, or hauling hand-sleds laden
with meat, furs, tanned deer skins and
infants. The puppy dog and inevitable
baby never fail in Indian lodge or pro-
cession. The cheerful spectacle of the
two packed together upon the backs of a
woman is not Of infrequent occurrence.
Day after day the mongrel party journeys
on, until the fort is reached. Then
comes the trade. The trader separates
the furs into lots, placine the standard
valuation upon each. Then he adds the
amounts together, and informs the trap
per that he has got sixty or seventy
skins At the same time he hands his
customer sixty or seventy little bits of
wood, so that the latter may know, by
returning these in payment for the goods
for which he really barters his furs, just
how fast his funds decrease. The first
act OF the Indian is to cancel the debt
contracted for advances at the beginning
of the season; then he looks round upon
the bales of cloth, blankets, etc., and af-
ter long while concludes to have small
white capote for his toddling boy. The
price is told him, and he hands back ten
OF his little pieces of wood, then looks
about him for something else. Every
thing is carefully examined, and with
each purchase there is contest over the
apparent inequality between the amount
received and that given. In the Indians
opinion one skin should pay for one ar
ticie of merchandise, no matter what the
value of the article may be. And he in
sists, too upon selecting the skin. The
steelyard and weighing balance are his
especial objects of dislike. He does not
know what medicine that is. That his
tea and sugar should be balanced against
bit of iron, conveys no idea of the rela-
tive values of peltEies and merchandise
to him. He insists upon making the
balance swing even between the traders
goods and his own furs, until new light
Is thrown upon the question of steelyards
and scales by the acceptance of his pro-
position. Then, when he finds his fine
furs balanced against heavy blankets, he
concludes to abide by the old method of
letting the white trader decide the weight
in his own way; for it is clear that the
steelyards IS a very great medicine,
which no brave can understand.
When the trapper has spent all his
little pieces of wood, and asks for further
advances, he is allowed to draw any rea-
sonable amount; ior, contrary to the rule
IN civilized life, debt is seldom lost
save by the death of the Indian. He
may change his place of abode hundreds
of miles, but he still has only oompany's
post at which to trade. The company
has always been good friend to him and
his, and he pays when re can. He
knows that when he liquiaa.es his old
debts, he can contract new one just as
big. No attempt was ever made to cheat
him, and there never will be. When he
is i'll he goes to the nearest fort, and is
cared for and attended until he RECEIVERS.
When he does his duty we'll he gets
present, and he never performs any labor
without receiving fair compensation.
Such humane treatment strongly binds
the Indian and half-breed to the com
pany.-Harper's Magazine.