Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-23
BILL MARSTON THE TRAPPER
BY GOODRICH,

D1 OODEhlCds
In the autumn of 1848 | concluded to
go on a hunting trip to the head waters
of the Sascatchewan-th North Branch
and | speedily found myself travelling
in northwest direction, well supplied
with the simple necessaries for a six
months absence in that wild region. |
had provided myself with a mOnstrous
Kentucky rifle, which in itself was a
heavy load, but which [ valued high
ly on account of its accuracy and long
range. My companion in this expedi-
ton was an old trapper, with whom
had become intimate at trading post.
He had taken fancy to me at shoot
ing match wherein | had won the envi-
able reputation of "the crack shot"
This was no mean distinction in place
where eight out of ten bullets were al
ways put into "bulls.eye," of about
one and half inches in diameter, at a
distance of eighty yards. This excel
lence as q rlHeman stood me in good
stead, as the sequel will show.
My companion was tall, raw-bOned,
heavily-shouldered man, whose nation
atty would have puzzled a physiogno-
mist, as nothing of his face could be
seen but very large Roman nose,
pair of piercing gray eyes, and an I'M
limited quantity OF grizzled beard. He
said little of himself, except that he had
trapped and hunted OFF and on for he
didn't know how long in them parts"
and "kalkerlated as how some-un 'ud
find his old grizzled karkis out there
some bright day, fur he couldn't abide
the settlements nohow." As for myself
| was a young man of the ordinary va
riety, about % years of age, and Ca
madam by birth. had spent some five
years In the Hudson's Bay territory. and
was on my way southwark and home
wards when [ formed the idea of ioin-
ing Bill MarstCn in his winters hunt.
Marston's reputation as a keen and
wary hunter stood high among the
rough band of which he had been q
member, and it was admitted that he
could draw a quicker and truer bead"
than any man Whereabouts. He never
hunted In company with others of his
class, but came and went-no one knew
whence or wither; and the surprise was
great when [ was seen stepping into his
old "dugout" and taking hand in the
management THAT rather ticklish craft.
even heard another grizzled, buck-skin-
ned old trapper say that he had propos-
ed accompanying my companion, but
he had repulsed in pretty short terms,
land now said the indignant one, spit
ting out huge flood oftobacco Juice,
hes tooka young 'un instead of to keep
him in perpetooal not water" MarSton
must have heard this, as / did, but he
took no notice of it whatever; and l, a
little taken down, was glad when he
gave the "dugout" strong push off
shore, and, and sprang in with astonish-
ing agility for man of his age-which
| afterwards learned was over so.
We were about three weeks in reach
ing Marston's camp-far, far from any
human habitation, except the OCCASION
al wigwam of some Indian hunter en-
gage like ourselves. Part of the way
we sd led along In our ''dugout" between
the beautifully tinted and evervarying
tree-clad banks of the river, pushing
along 10y day as rapidly as possible
against the strong current, and carefully
drawing up our canoe under some I'M
derhanging trees, passing the night en-
veloped in our warm blankets.
At the end of two weeks we arrived
at fork of the river, where we left our
concealing it in the hollow of
an old button-wood log, which Marston
had used for this purpose for many
years. He told me there was consid-
cradle fall short distance above the
forks, over which we could not get the
canoe, so we shouldered our packs and
made the rest of our journey on foot.
On the fourth day OF our march Mars
toms keen eye detected Indian signs +"
here and there along our route, and
while he seemed to be annoyed at be-
ing meddled with and perhaps his traps
stolen, it did not greatly affect me, as
knew that all the tribes of British In
dians were on friendly terms with the
company and the hunters.
AT length we reached "the lodge" as
Marston invariably called his hut, with
out seeing anything more of the In
dlans, and my hosts temper was visi-
bly, improved when he found every
thing was exactly as he had left it two
months before. He at once commenc-
ed initiating me into the art and mvs-
terry OF making up and setting traps for
mink, beaver and otter, with which the
river and adjacent meadows seemed to
be alive, and IN short time could do
this as wellas my teacher, though per-
haps less expeditiously.
One morning, after we had been thus
occupied about three weeks, and had
taken and cured large number of fine
skins, Marston got up and went out
very early, saying he would visit some
distant otter traps which had been. set a
long time. [ remained in camp several
hours, but finally after paying a visit to
all the other traps in our neighborhood
-resetting those that mad been sprung
I took my rifle and went in search OF
game to supply our larder. This
usually fell to my lot, and it was by no
means laborious occupation, as deer
were plenty and tame, while partridges
and grouse flew up at almost every
step.
/ had been out about an hour, had
bagged several fine birds, and was in
tentlV looking m into a oiant old min q