The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1879-05-22
Indian Trappers Of Hudson Bay.

About the first OF November, when
the animals have got their winter
coats. and fur is "in season." the In
dian tiapper lays out his trapping
walk for the winter, along which he
places line OF traps from ten to fif-
teen miles in length. Once or twice
a 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 aud steel traps OF various
sizes, the larger fur bearing animals
being either shot, caught in snares,
or killed by the poisoned 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 win
ter's toll. Here they come, moving
through the forest, motley 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 tie
squaws, bending under loads, driving
dogs, or hauling hand sleds laden
with meat, fuls, tanned deer-skins
and infants. The puppy deg and in
evitab!e baby never fall in Indian
lodge or procession. The cheerful
spectacle OF tho two packed together
upon the back 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, placing the standard
valuation upon each. Then he adds
the AMOUNTS together, and informs
the trapper that he has got sixty or
seventy skins" At the same time
he hands his customer sixty or sew
enty little bits OF wood, so that the
latter may know, 10y 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 be-
ginning OF the season; then he looks
round upon the bales OF cloth, blank
cts, etc. aud after long while con-
cludes TO have q 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 a contest over
the apparent inequality between the
amount received and that given. In
the Indians opinion. one skin should
pay for one article OF merchandise,
no matter what the value OF the lat
ter may be. And he insists. too, up
on selecting the skin. The steel
yard and weighing balance are his
especial objects of dislike. He does
not know what medicine that H..
That his tea aud sugar should be
balanced against bit OF iron, con
veys no idea OF the relative values OF
peltries aud 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 accept
ance OF his proposition. Then,
when he finds his flue furs balance d
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
steelyard Is very great medicine
which no brave can understand.
When the trspper has spent ali hi:
little pieces OF wood, and asks FOL
further advances, he Is allowed tc
draw any reasonable amount; for
contrary TO the rule in civilized life
, a debt is seldom lost save by the
death OF the Indian. He may chang,
his place OF abode hundreds OF miles
but he still has only "A company.
post at which to trale. The conpa
: ny has always been friend to hin
and his, and he pays when he can
He knows that when he liquidate
his old debt, he can contract a new
one just as big. No attempt wa
:, ever made to cheat him. and there
. never will be. When he is Ill h
!, goes to the nearest fott and Is care,
8 for and attended until he recovers
:. When he does his duty we'll he gets l
:. present, aud he never performs al,
labor without receiving fair compen
q sation. Such humane treatmen
l strongly binds the Indian and half
q breed to the company.-H. N, Robin
SON, in Harper's Magazine for June
Siberia.
: Siberia has long been not merel