Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-03-27
A RUN FOR LIFE.


time carrying on numbering operations
forty miles from home, ON the outlet of
Lake Winibigoshish, one of the lakes
which form the headwaters of the Mis-
sissippi river. He invited me to Join
him at the end of the school term.
had never been in a numbering camp,
and determined to spend month or two
in the pine woods with him. There was
fine hunting deer, foxes, muskrats,
lynxes and other animals in the region.
In the settlement where | had been
teaching there was young Norwegian,
Lars Bjork, two or three years older
than |, who had trapped and hunted
about Winibigoshish for several years.
He was skilful woodsman, and
thoroughly good hearted young man,
strong, sturdy and intelligent. He had
been a chopper at the camp through the
autumn. but rs he thought that he could
earn more money at trapping and hunt
ing, my uncle willingly let him off, and
acquiesced in my plan to accompany him
fer trip of few weeks around the foot
of Winibigoshish, twenty miles above
the camp. He also offered us a spare
mule Bingo by name-to haul our out
fit. 1t was the middle of December
when we started out from camp.
1t was n long days tramp. II was
getting late when we arrived at the
place settled upon for a camp. Nothing
could be done that night beyond throw
ing up a temporary shelter of saplings
and evergreen boughs, beneath which
we crawled with our robes and blankets,
and with our feet to big fire of dry
pine logs slept till morning. That is to
say, Lars slept, but the unusual and
lonely situation drove sleep from my
eyes for many hours.
Bngo, poor beast, was hitched in a
birch thickct a little way Off, where he
browsed diligently.
We lost no time in selecting o site for
our winter camp. At the end of two
days, with Bingo's help in drawing the
logs into place, we had constructed q
comfortable hut, its chinks tightly call1ed
with moss to keep out the sitting snow,
! which, iii that cold region usually falls
in fine dry crystals. Against the back
side of the hut we also threw up n rough
"lean to- for Bingo's accommodation.
After getting our camp in order we
turned our attention to business. Lars
set all the steel traps which we had
brought. About the lake shore and
along the river he constructed "dead
fall" for mink, marten and otter. A few
otter had been captured by the Norwe-
gian the previous winter, but they were
exceedingly shy and not abundant.
For three or four weeks but little snow
fell. There was Just enough to make the
ground excellent for tracking game, and
we were successful in securing quite a
pack of fur-two of the coveted otter
skins among others.
We had trapped several wolves, too,
which proved that there were numbers
of them about us. Yet as Lars had ex-
hibited Ino fears concerning thel-, felt
none. Several times, on our long snow
shoe tramps across the country, we had
caught sight of them running with great
swiftness, but we could never come near
enough for shot.
At length the snow began to come
down in earnest nearly every day. The
cold was intense. We had been down
to my uncle's camp once for supplies and
for the mail, which was brought in occa-
sionally by one of the men,
On Candlemas day we awoke to fad
that genuine blizzard had struck us.
We were entirely out of meat, for game
had been scarce ON the line of our traps
for several days, and we had decided to
devote this day to supplying our larder,
Now there was nothing for it but to stay
in shelter till the storm was over.
For three days and nights the gale
clustered and howlod through the tree
tops above our hut, whirling the snow in
such thick clouds as nearly to smother
one out of doors. We dared not venture
| two rods from the hut, for fear of never
finding our way back through the blind
ing drift.
The cold was almost unbearable. With
all our efforts, we could scarcely Ecer
from freezing. Fortunately, we had
prepared n supply of wood only few
yards from the door, and by turns we
went through the drifts, dug out an arm
full, and guided 10y the others voice,
crawled back to the hut, with hair and
clothes and eyes pelted full of snow.
Even with all the fire we could keep,
was obliged 10 wrap myself in one of the
buffalo robes, and crouch in a corner
nearest the stove,
Lars, true son of the NORTH, and ac-
customcd to fierce billiards., kept busy
mending our clothes, traps and ''skees,
or snow skates, such as arc used in his
snow bound native country, and whistled
merrily, while the wild wind sent little
eddies of snow whirling through the
chinks into his yellow hair
The fourth morning dawned bright
and clear. The weather had moderated
but the snow lay four feet deep over the
| whole country. Our little hut was
nearly buried, and 50 hard were the
drifts packed that l, who was about
forty pounds lighter in weight than
Lars, could run over them anywhere
The Norwegian would now and then
slump through them.
But the cold weather had given us ire
mendous appetites, and our diet had beer
very tame. We knew that animals could
not have moved about much in the deeI
snow during the long storm. and that
they must have become famished. Ac
I cordingiy, we thought that now game OF
ell sorts would be astir.
After an early breakfast, we started
out on our skees. which were made oil
ash, five or six feet long, very narrow
thin, and smooth as glass. They wert
bound TO the foot by straps, and witt
them one accustomed to their use car
skim over the snow with great swift
ness. Although | was thoroughly a
home on ice skates, it was some time
with Lars teaching, before | could keel
pace with him.
After getting little way back from
the lake the country was open, with tn
exception of strips of timber bordering
the streams Upon the banks of two o
these we decided to set some of tn
traps, which had been taking nothing
about the lake for several days.
In the afternoon | started doe, in
broad strin Of timber. near creek. A