The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-01
Besieged.

was sixteen years old the first fall ever
tried to trap beaver. 1t was in October of
that year that met with the following adj
venture:
had been looking forward to iaunt for
beaver all summer The fall before, while
trapping mink, on what was called Wild
Stream, | had discovered little lake, deep
back in the woods, with Il beaver dam at
the outlet which ran down thiCkly- wooded
hollow.
1t was late one bitter, cloudy afternoon
when found the lake. ! had six miles to
go to get to my camp, and merely had time
to notice that there were two beaver houses
hundred yards or so above the dam. That
night it began to snow, and | went home
without rcvisting the place that fall.
But had kept the locality well in mind,
and as soon as the crops were harvested,
set off with my traps up Wild Stream, de-
termincd to have those beaver
Following up the hollow about four or
five miles, built camp about two miles
below the outlet of the lake not daring to
build it nearer, for fear the smell Of my fire
might reach the beaver. There | passed
the night, and about ten o'clock next fore
noon went up to the dam with my traps
1t was Il nice little lake, surrounded with
black growth, and right across the outlet
the beaver had run US pretty dam as ever
hunters set eyes on. 1t was ''crowning" up
stream, and few rods above it were three
hlts, which stood up out of the slack water
as large as good-sizcd haycocks
| concluded there might be from fifteen
TO twenty beaver there; for they generally
live in families Of from four to ten. And
besides the, three perfect houses, there was
Il fourth, which | at first took for an un-
finished house. But on going around to
the other side, it looked to ne more like a
hut that had been broken into ; for there
was a ragged hole in the top Of it as large
rs a bushcl basket.
I looked all along the shore to sec whether
there were any tracks either Of man or crca-
turc, but discovered nothing except some
scratches on an old log that lay partly in the
water. These scratches, however, were
evidently the marks of claws.
There were no beavers in sight, for it is
rare that they show themselves, either
ashore or swimming, by daylight But
could hear one "slap' the water now and
then inside the houses.
thought that would set my traps at
first along the bank at each end of the dam,
where saw they had slidcsand Fairgrounds
Afterwards, would dig out Il canoe, or
make raft, and put down traps around the
houses, at the doorways where they come
out under water
The huts stood out ninety Or one hundred
feet from the shore, where there was con-
siderable depth of water. There was a
great quantity of sticks with the bark peeled
off, floating about in the pond. These
came from some poplars a little above, sew
Of 1ol fnl1., ~
pond. The bitter inside bark of the poplar
affords to the beaver its choicest food
set my traps with a "slidng pole, .
taking great deal of pains with them, SC
as to get the beavers into just water enough
to drown them. 1t was rather nice jol
and kept me busy until near four o'clock,
and four O'Clock does not come till neal
night in October.
BY the time got back to my camp il
was sunset. kindled fire, and cut off q
few slices of my pork, and had just got il
well to cooking in the spider, when heart
the most startling scrcech in the woods thai
can well be imagined.
1t sounded away up towards the lake.
knew very well that no lynx or bear coult
make such noise as that 1t flashed on my
mind in moment what had broken thu
bcaver-housc.
One is always liable to run across Fcli.
concolor near a beaver village at that sea
son Of the year. The beavers now and thcl
afford them choice meal; and before the
frost seals the ponds and hardens the walls
of the hnts, they stand a chance Of captur
ing the intelligent creatures.
Ono of the old "wood sachcms" was, ne
doubt, lurking about the huts, and likely
enough, had been watching me while Sc
my traps. Now lie had taken my track
and was following along after nc. hat
heard old hunters tell how these creature.
would follow man around-till dark.
If had had tight camp which coult
have got into, I should havc felt better
But had only little bough shed. Ant
my gun was q cheap fourdollar fowling
piece; good enough for partridge and small
game, though the lock was not always to b,
relied upon to snap a cap.
| thought 1t all ovcr-prctty fast-ant
concluded that the best thing for me was t
he going.
had made my bough- shed close besid
the brook. Without stopping to even TAX
off my spider, caught up my gun and ra,
down the bed Of the brook, six or eight rods
so as to leave no fresh tracks for the bcas
TO take.
may as well own that was scared. Ye
thought the creature would likely enough
smell the pork and prowl around my CAM
awhile.
ran rapidly for the first milo or two