The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1895-10-19
CIRCULATING.
BY MARTIN HUNTER.


Maurice. who was at that moment
quietly enjoying glass OF grog' sup
piled to him by some Of his young ac-
ouaintances and admirers of the town
of Three Rivers.
Old Ben used to visit towns once
wear regularly to dispose of his pelts,
have good time, and go back to the
wilds with a fresh supply Of bacon,
tea. tobacco, ammunition, etc.
Nothing definite was known of the
early history of Ben; in fact, the peo-
pie of Three Rivers knew not his sec
ond name. They conjectured that,
like most men, he had family name;
but this Ben kept to himself, and he
was known by one and all OF his friends
simply as Ben.
Everyone agreed that he had moved
in good society in his younger days, for
his early training would show out at
times in spite of his assumed hunters
English.
On the glasses being replenished by
the young man called Charley. Ben
told them the moose story somewhat
as follows:
''Wen, look here, boys, l had very
little to do with that particular moose,
or the moose with me; but had a
good deal to do on that occasion to
keep from freezing. Howsoever, here
it is just as it happened:
sit was toward the end of March,
1865, that l was canlped, along with
Wabanake Indian, on one of the large
streams that fall into the west side OF
the upper part of the st. Maurice. We
had made our head camp there in the
fall, and had done pretty well with
beaver till the ice formed, after that
we trapped for martens straight along
through the winter Once only we
left our hunting grounds, and that was
on New Years eve. Nicholas, the
Wabanake, my chum, said; Let's go
into Fort Weymontachingue and see
the Indians feast and dance;' for on
New Years it is the custom of the
Hudsons Bay company to hold open
house to all corners. So we took few
marten skins to trade for tobacco and
went, and we saw big Indians eat big
much.
s'Ihad made bargain with. Nicholas,
before leaving Three Rivers, to hunt
together during the fall, winter and
spring and to go equal snooks on the
furs after the trapping was over In
the beginning of spring, or rather, |
should say, the very last part OF win
ter. for it was the end of February, my
partner found yard of moose. Says
he: Now, Ben, we will just let those
moose put on fat till there is a good
crust on the snow, and then we are
sure of killing them
90 All right, Nick, says 1; just as
you think best
but, as bad luck would have it, be-
fore rain or sunshine came to form
crust. we got news at one of the lum-
Der shanties that there was party OF
surveyors up, running lines for timber
limits. 1 made inquiries in what di-
erection they were then working, and
found by,gvhat the shanty men told
me. that they would strike our moose
yard the following day or the day aft
er, at furthest. Well, l just pegged
home to camp, a distance of about five
miles. and told the news to Nick; and
maybe he was not just hopping.
However, Ben, says he, those beg
gars will brighten our moose tomorrow.
So we may as well give them the wind
ourselves, and run the chance of kill
ing one. Let us start at once, and
sleep at the foot of the mountain, SO as
to be ready at the break of day to wind
the critters
ssWith biscuit and pork in our blank
cts. we reached the base of the noun
tain before dark, made a rousing fire,
cut plenty of green boughs, laid down,
smoked and told yarns the best part OF
the night, for it was too blamed cold
to sleep much. Morning came at last,
and. after hasty breakfast, we start
ed, We each showed a biscuit IN our
shirt and fastened tin cup on our belt.
The cup was to melt snow in, If pushed
bv thirst. Our blankets, of course, we
left. as we wished to be as light as pos
sible.
eve had almost reached the top OF
the mountain, when Nick said; 'Ihey
are off His quick ear had heard
dry branch break We took no more
precaution to pick our steps, for now
that they were off we must hurry after
them with all speed. A moose, when
once started, never stops to eau OF
drink as long as there is one step OIL
RIM in him. Now, with caribou lts
different. If, after a short run, they
hear no one after them, they begin to
browse around and rest themselves for
another squirt; but a moose, never; he
runs till he drops.
sour moose there were two only
RIM tooether for about the first mile,
and then separated. Nick and
branched off, each following his own
moose. The one 1 was after was
three-year-old bull, and the way ne
carried on all day, uphill and downhlll'
across lakes, and over swamps, warnt
slow. SometimesI would get glimpse
of him. but always too far for a shot