Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-03
Indian Trappers, Hudson Bay.


animal. have got their winter coats. and
fur Is " in season" the Indian trappcr
lays out lis trapping walk for the win
Ter. aiong which lac places n line Of traps
from ten TO iiit""n miles in length. Once
or twice week ho makes the round of
lhls walk. and gathers such furs a. may
ho caught. Most Of the finer furs are
taken by means Of the wooden dead fall
and steel traps of various sizcs. the larger
iur-bcnring animals boing either shot,
caught in snarcs. or killed by the pois-
uu"d bait.
Toward the latter end Of March the
Indian irappcr- leave their hunting
grounds. and make - journey 10 the forts
with the products of their winters toll.
Here they come, moving through the
forest, "A motley throng. The braves
march il front, too proud and lazy TO
carry anything but their guns. and not
always doing even that After them
come ia" squaws. bending under loads.
driving dogs. or hauling hand-@lcds laden
with meat, furs. tanned dccr-skins and
infants. The puppy dog and inevitable
baby never fail ia Indian lodge or pro-
cc-sion. The cheerful spectacle Of the
two packed together upon the back of n
woman j. not of inircqucnt occurrence.
Dag after day tic mongrol party Jour
ncys on. until the fort j. reached Then
comes the trade. The trader separates
the furs into lots. placing tie standard
valuation upon each. Then he adds the
amounts together. and informs the trap
per that hc has got sixty or seventy
" skins Al the same time he hands
hi- customer sixty or seventy little bits
Of wood. - that the latter may know, by
returning these in payment FOR the goods
D. l.. ~
how fast his funds decrease. The first
aci Of the Indian j. 10 cancel the debt
contracted FOR advances al the beginning
ui the season: then hc looks round upon
the bales 81 cloth, blankets, etc. and
after long while concludes 10 nave a
small white ctpote for his toddinc boy.
The price is told him. and hc hands back
ton oi lis little pieces oi wood. then looks
about him fJr something else. Every
thing j. carefully examined. and with
each purchase there j. contest over the
apparent inequality between the amount
received and that given. In the Indians
opinion. one skin should pay for one arti-
81" oi W"rchanGi-o. no matter what the
value Of the latter may hc. And lac in
slsls. too. upon selecting the skin. The
stec.yard and weighing balance are his
especial objects Of dislike. He does not
know what medicine that is. That his
Tea and sugar should bc balanced against
bit ui iron, conveys no idea Of the rcla-
tive values Of pcliric> and merchandise
10 him. lie insists upon making the bal
ancc swing even between the traders
goods and his own furs. until n new
light j. thrown upon the question of
stcclyards and scales 10y the acceptance
of his proposition. Then. when lie finds
his fine furs balanced against heavy
blankets. lac concludes 10 abide hy the
old method OF letting the white trader
decide the weight his own way; for il is
clear that the steelyard is very great
medicine. which no brave can UNDER
stand
When the trappcr has spent all his lit
tie pieces Of wood. and asks for further
advances, lac j. allowed to draw any rea-
s0uablc amount; for. contrary to the rule
in civilized life. n debt j. seldom lost
save 10y the death Of the Indian. lie NAV
change his place of abode hundreds OF
miles, but he still has only n company's
post at which 10 trade. The company
has always been a good friend to him
and his, and pays when he can. lie
knows that, when he liquidatcs his old
debt, lac can Contrart n new one Just as
big. No attempt was ever made to cheat
him, and there never viii be. When he
Is III lac goes 10 tile nearest fort. and is
cared for and attended until he rocovers.
When he docs his duty well he gets
present. and he never performs any labor
without receiving fair compensation.
Such humane treatment strongly binds
the Indian and half-broed 10 the COM
pany. n. w. Robsnsoa. ia Hdrper's