Evening journal., 1899-12-04
THE TRADE IN FURS
HARD LIFE OF THE HUNTERS THE
NORTH.
But the Element Of Danger and Ex-
citement is Ever Present - An
Average Days Journey in the
Woods Hunting Big Game.

average Days Journey in the
Woods Hunting Big Game.
The quantity and value of the furs,
which an Indian may secure as the re-
suit of his spring hunt varies greatly
OF course, but in Il good year from
$500 to $500 may be taken as a fair
average. lie may have eight or ten
BEARS q dozen beavers, for on 1--we OF
ters, a number Of lynxes, martens and
minks, and several hundred musuuash
or muskrats. When all the hunters
have come in the furs are pressed into
packs Of a hundred pounds each and
sent in York boats to the frontier traits,
over whaich they are carted TO the
nearest railway station to be shipped
to London, England, where they are.
carefully sorted and afterwards sold at
the two great annual sales OF the COM
pany in January and March, which are
attended by buyers from all parts OF
the world
In the hard life of the yoyageu there
are ever present the elements of danger
and excitement With the first glance
of dawn the guide shouts his warning
l"Level Lever and the men spring from
their blankets, pack their camp outfit
into the boats and are Off Six oars to
a boat, one TO a man, besides n
sweep in the hands Of both bow and
steersman. The oars are large and
heavy. and the rowers rise to their feet
and sink back with precision upon their
seats with each long stroke. At 5
O'Clock they put ashore for breakfast,
and about noon another halt is made;
then they 20 on until night falls, when
they stop for the day, eat their sup
lper and lay themselves on the ground
for few hours rest 1 have been told
Joy voyageurs that they have been so
tired at night that they were unable
to eat and have flung themselves down
on the nearest level spot, without so
much as removing their coats Orsnatch-
ing a blanket, and slept the sleep Of
dead weariness until aroused at day
break by the cry Of the guide.
Fifteen or twenty miles is perhaps an
average days journey; much depends
upon the water. In some places rapids
aud portages occur with eXasperating
frequency; in others the stream Is
. broad and deep and there is a little
b current. Again. in crossing a lake,
. with n favorable wind, sail may be
, made and the rowers have n welcome
rest while in breasting n rapid around
which It is unnecessary or impossible to
portage tracking" is resorted to A
Ong line is attached to the bow Of
the boat and the men disembark. leav-
ing only the steersman to keep her
nose off shore or off rocks ~ the
stream. while the men, far ahead on
-he bank, haul her up against the tor
,ent. Accidents are common. a block
p IF ovorhanging ice four or five feet
thick. left by the spring flood may fail
lpon man as be passes beneath II and
crush out his life; sudden access Of
'orce i'm the current as the boat rounds
4 bend may Jerk the men from their
Feet and into the river. AMI some may
" rot got ont again. or the boat may
? lnft upon a rock. smash it TO atoms
and the cargo and men in her be lost
But portaging is the hardest work
I. which comes to the vOyageur for
Z o)smetimes It is necessary TO drag the
lcavy boat and then carry her load
, IF four or five tons over a rough. rocky
)oint a mile in width A portage strap
fastened to one "piece' Of about one
aundred pounds another piece, per-
aaps two, are placed upon this, and
with the strap against his forehead,
with bare legs and shOeless feet man
e. ifter man tolls across the portage until
a he narorw path beneath is soft and
IA lamp with human sweat rhey are
r glad when the last piece is over The
y ,lumsy oars seem light when thoy pick
{ hem mp again.
In former times buffalo pemmican
= constituted the chief food of the voy-
lgeur: now dried moose and caribou
40 s.1u
md flour were luXuries enjoyed but
, )nce year. at Christmas; now they
, Form part Of his daily ration.
Z Hunting is the main recreation Of the
majority of the officers and Clerks. The
q staff at a post often 20 Off and hunt for
= 4 week. and q hundred or moro geese
, and double that number Of ducks load
! he boats on the return. The ptarmi-
gap-brown I'm summer ana white in
Winter-is a good game 1irl ard in
some localities pinnated grOtse or
prairie chickens are very numerous.
b Dur ubiquitous little friend. the part
a .idge. too. is nowhere moro frcq1cntlv
r at home TO the hunter than here. and
D ne is often such a stranger to the Guile
r IF man that an Indian will walk mn
p 30 the tree upon which ne Is sitting
S ind slip the moose that he has fixed TO
the end Of q pole over his head. After
The first snow in the fall rabbit shoot
, ng is good sport and in seasons when
hey are plentiful fifty or sixty To- the
,redit Of n single huntsman IN an af-
} l.emoon is not an uncommon score.
$ Then there is tho large game. such rs
moose and deer. while now and then n
stupid bear pokcs his nose in dangerous
g al0roNimitv To the fort the sian turns
out and he is shot FOR his fatal inouisi-
- lilveness
= At one Of the posts where 7 was sta
4 iloned we kept moose for two wears
She was taken when very young bv m
4 Indian. who killed her mother and
{ Drought the calf I'm his canoe tn fbe
r Tort She was quite tame. and In tho
T second winter we broke her 10 harness
{ Her chief amusement was soaring In
Hans by racing M 10 them AMI sion.
ping abruptly with n loud snort. and
planting her forefeet on the backs of
r the train dogs. a train dog viii howl
7 IN the slightest excuse. and the natbet
e outhurst which greeted tho srcress-
nj performance OF this latter feat an.
lpeared TO cause Maud unstinfei on.
lloyment and q certain wonder which