The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-27
AFUR HUNTEROFL0N AGO.
,g<RlES CHO0UETTE'S ADVENTURES
~ IHE FAR UESE
Wnsn Trappors Of the American Fur Com
pAny Had tolBo Ready TO Fight Indians
A. well as struggle With Beasts-Jim
RrIdcor, uuntcr-Battle with Blnokieet.


pIAcKFl;ET RESERVATION, Mont. Aug. 20
AWAY UP in the foothills Of the Rockies here, by
tho side OF a limpid trout stream is the homo Of
Charles Choquctto, cXvoyagcur and trapper Of
Tho old American Fur Company. This unpreten-
tious ono room log cabin il bulk on u slight emil
n,no, above the creek which IL raging torrent In
m. sprinR In front Of the cabin Is the garden,
planted every season with potatoes and other har-
dy vegetables which. alas! mature about ono year
In nye owing 10 the constant visits of Jack frost
A little way west OF the cabin are the stables, hay
stocks and cattle sheds, where the stock is shelter
Al from tho winter storms and from whence many
fat fifty dollar stocr finds its way 10 the markets
Of the East Only a couple Of hundred yards south
Of the cabin Is tho line OF the Great Northern Rail-
vav cut along tho side OF steep hill. The old
man loves 70 watch the trains go by, but cannot DO
induced 70 ride In onn When the road was in course
NJ cors,ricton ho used 10 shake his fist at the grad
ers and track-lnycrs. and consign them and tho
shrcking putting engines 10 a very warm place
But after tho tracks were laid and the great army
NJ workers passed on toward the shores OF the Pa-
c,ho his luminosity died out for he soon learned
that the elk and moose. tho bear, sheep and goats
had no fear OF tho moving trains. and that his
hunting grounds on either sido OF the line through
the mountains were good as ever. Every fall he
mAkno a month 8 TIP UP into bis favorite haunts
and when b. returns his horses orc always laden
with hides and furs, and sacks Of dried meat OF
VARIOUS kinda
As his name indicates, Charles Choquette Is OF
French descent His parents wore creoles, who
early In the century moved from New Orleans 10
81 Charles, No. where he was born in 1923. But
he doesn't show his scventyeix years by any
neans his hair is rather black than gray, and his
carefully trimmed mustache and goatee give him
quite a youthful appearance Except for few
c,easls his checks arc full and firm, and his eyes
are sill clear and keen. Fairly tall. and of spare
build tho old man has quick. nervous way Of
moving about which shows that his muscles arc
yet in good trim: should you follow him for day
through the forest after elk. up sky -scraping
mountain in search Of sheep OF goats ere nightfall
YOU would almost believe that he had been endow-
ed With tho power OF perpetual motion. No ono
ever heard him admit that he was tired
II was in 1913, in his twentieth year. that Cho-
quote finally overcame his parents objections
and making his way 20 st Louis only a few miles
beiow his home sought out Piorre Chouteau, and
easily obtained employment in the Fur Company
Of which this great man was the chief 1t was bit
ter disappointment To the old folks who had hoped
he would marry and settle down on tho farm with
them A few days after signing articles with tho
company the yonng voyageur formed one Of a
crew which was TO take a mackinaw boat loaded
with trade goods 10 Fort Union, on tho Upper
Missouri The distance was two thousand miles,
against strong current. and oars were OF little
srrvice the big boat had 10 be cordelled dowed)
nearly all the way. First on one side Of the river
thrn on tho other the hardy voyageurs tuggcd on
the long rope. wading in tho chilly waters
and again forcing their way through tho thick
brush which covered the margin OF the stream
Then there were quicksands and boys TO founder
through: and as they struggled ng ainst these oh.
stac,es there was the ever present dread Of being
arbushed by soue band Of marauding savagos
lying in wait for them by tho trail But in spite OF
the arduous work aud tho dangers by the way,
1T was grand tnp for the young and enthusiastic
c7rdcnier. Day after day as they assembled tho
winding stream game Of all kinds became moro
plentiful until they seemed 70 bo passing through
one solid and continuous herd OF buffalo. elk deer
snteiope, and sheep Not minute OF daylight but
wins these animalswere TO be seen on either hand;
moi hour Of tho night but what they wero 10 DO
heard uamplng through the brush and along tho |
hill sides. plunging through the shadows OF tho
river.
The little party was seventytwo days on tho |
way 10 For Mon. where It arriv ed safely with its
load OF merchandise And now began in earnest |
tho hazardous and adventurous lite OF trapper and
hunter which Choquette was destined TO lead for |
not kin of every OF the trappers who were sent
out along the various streams and into the noun
tans 10 catch the beaver and other valuable fur
bearing animals. Many Of the trappers indeed did
go forth, never n return again, and others were
robbed. Here Is an amusing CONVEX |
alton the great artist Catlin had with one Of them
cg arding his vocation. when he visited Fort Union
N 1892
Well, Batiste. you arc in tho employ Of tho |
American Fur Company, SUPPOSE"
Non, monsieur not quite exact; mats suppose |
am irec trapparc; free, Monsieur, tree"
Free tmpper what's thar Idon't understand |
3a tste-"
We'll. Monsieur, suppose he is easy pour under |
rard you shall know all. In de first place, am
Mist for tree year in de Fur Comp in Saint Louis |
'ouT bounty eighty doliare--undcrStand, ha?- |
len ] am go Tor wages. ct I am trap casters tty |
much Tor six years you see. until am learn very |
much: and den you see Monsieur Mex ensie he |
live me tree horse pour ride, ct two pou, pack |
rdJ he Is not buy, him not give. he is lend and he
S lend twelve trap; and am mako start into dc |
Rocky Mountane. 81 l am live all alone on do |
Get reyarcs pour prendre les cdStors. Sometimes |
Tx months sometimes five months, and am |
ONE back to de tort et Monsieur Mckenzie Is give
DOT price pour all.
$50 Mr.. McKensie fits you out, and takes your
eayer OF you at a certain price,"
"Oui, Monsieur, oM"
What price does he pay you for your beaver,
Ia tiste7-
fla! Suppose ono dollarc pour one beware"
a dollar per skin, abr"
-Out"
We'll, you must live a lonesome and hazardous
OFT OF lite; can you make anything by it,"
-Oh, oui, Monsieur, putty good matS II It Is not |
our de dam rascalite Riccaree ct dc dam Pieds-
oirS, de Blackioot Ingin, am make very much
lonnaic. mats. sdcre. am rob rob rob, too much"
What Do the Blackteet rob you OF your turs?"
"Oui, Monsieur. rob, suppose, hyo time ! am
con Tree Iappare seven year. ct am rob five time
i am something lett not at allhe is take all; he
take AL do horse-hc is take my gun-he is take
Il my clothes he is take dee eGJtorS-et am
me hack with loot"
Well, Ba'tistc. this then is what you cell being
tree trapper is t?'
"Oui, Monsieur, tree Iappare free"
l read the above passage to Choquette and he
iughod heartily. "Ah," he said. how true II
escribos tho life OF tho trapper in those days
L acuy. Robbed oh. many times. II was not
nul finally married Blackioot woman. and
'avelled about with the tribea member Of II you
lay say-that l felt reasonably certain of getting