The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-02-09

six traps, sometimes having a beat
twenty miles long, which it was neces-
sary to traverse every day. The traps
weighed three or four pounds, and
were like those used in catching musk
rats. nowadays. The traps were placed
under the water in the crossings of the
streams. In order to attract the beaver
a powerful odor was used, such as the
oil of roses, bergamot, or the castOreum
of the beaver itself. The bait was
placed on stick, which was set in the
bank and connected with the trap by
rope. In its effort to reach the stick
the beaver stepped into the trap, and
while struggling to free itself was
usually drowned. The traps were
provided with floats, so as to be easily
located the next day. The beaver
never goes abroad except at night, and
it was necessary to observe the utmost
precaution in order not to arouse his
suspicious, as his power of scent are
beyond those of any other animal. We
were obliged to wade to the spot.
where the trap was to be set, being
careful that the hand should not come
into contact with any part of the APP
paratus exposed above water. Many
successful hunters were failures in
their efforts to catch beaver. The
game often escaped after being shared
by gnawing off one of its legs. At the
close of three months successful
trapper was often able to show pack
of one hundred and twenty beaver
skins, weighing about one hundred
pounds. As he made two trapping
expeditions during the year, in the
spring and fall, he would show two
hundred pounds, worth six dollars a
pound, as his years work. In addi-
ton to this the musk stones of the
beaver were worth as much as the
skins, so that some men made S., 900 a
year as trappers. 1t was poor trap
per that didn't earn half as much"
"They must have become rich?"
"But few of them ever saved any
money. The traders from the States
charged enormously for supplies, and
Western men were inveterate gamblers.
Sugar was $3.50 pound, coffee the
same, tobacco cost five dollars pound,
and a common shirt could not be
bought for less than five dollars. With
-four at one dollar pound and
Injuries in proportion. it was ques-
ton of but few days at the rendez-
vous before the labor of months was
used up. The traders were often
called upon to fit out the men upon
credit after prosperous season."
Speaking of the sagacity of the
beaver, Mr.. Ward told of tame
beaver at Bent's fort, on the Arkansas
river. This animal was caught when
young and became perfectly docile.
being great favorite of the families
at the fort and of the trappers when
they returned from their trips to the
mountains. The little fellow could
never be cured of his instinct to build
dams. He actually undertook to dam
the Arkansas river, and worked for
months all night long, returning to the
fort every morning as the sun rose.
He cut down quite number of large
trees, but life proved too short for the
completion of his plans. While around
the fort he was constantly turning
over every kind of vessel that con-
tanned water and collecting sticks to
head it off as it flowed away. One
night by oversight the beaver was
locked up in the warehouse. During
the night in nosing about he discovered
a ten-gallon tank of molasses that had
been left uncovered. That discovery
proved poor Jacks doom. The next
day he was found gasping for life, hav-
ing been caught in the sticky mass as
the tank was upturned. He never re-
covered from the shock, and was ten
derly buried in the presence of a large
circle of his former friends.