The sun., 1908-12-06
Duke OF COTTONWOOD ISLAND.
The Title Is That OF Zens Doty. q Famous
Fur Trader.

Zens Doty. big game hunter trader
and rancher, is called -the Duke Of the
Cottonwood Island one OF the San Juan
group in Puget Sound, where he main
tains the Harvey E.. trim craft which
has naVigated the rough seas od British
Columbia and Alaska for years
He holds the trophy 6stis best rife shot
Of the State of Washington as we'll as the
entire Pacific coast. and is one OF the pic
turesque figures Of the West and North.
He probably is the best informed man re-
garding game Of the rapidly disappearing
army OF hardy fur traders in the little
known north country.
Doty has made fortune in the last fif-
teen yesps trading with Indians and white
men asong the Yukon and in Alaska.
Sportsmen all over the Northwest are
acquainted with him. and he 10 also known
to many in the middle States and among
the fur buyers In New York and London. ,
He declares that more money can be
made trading with the white hunters in
Alaska than with the Indians. This was
not 80 in the earlier days, but the Aborig-
ines have been spoiled. and the condi-
tons are different. Competition also has
changed. Il is necessary to do trading in
quicker time than formerly, and In this
Il IL impossible to hurry the northern In
dians.
Doty's principal trading field, says Fun
Netps. is along the Yukon River, which he
has followed from the interior, where Il
is a mere creek, over which one can step,
down to the mouth, where It flows into the
sea. He has also traded up in the Arctic
Circle, where the scattered hunters and
Indians sedom zee strange faces. and he
lynx. silver fox and red fox furs ever seen.
In the more civilized regions Of Alasl a.
along the Yukon, Doty says that cash
must, be paid for furs, but further to the
north 1t 10 necessary for a trader 10 carry
In guns, blankets, knives and other
articles OF use In camp. The hunters
there have no use for money, but for a
pair Of warm blankets they win give most
any kind Of fur
boty declares IL Is a mistaken idea
that beads and like ornaments can be
exchanged for furs with the Indians of
to-day. This might have been the case
at one time, but they are not 80 easy now.
They must have spot cash money for their
furs. However, they will take ornaments
A cake Of toilet soap. II IL has strong
and pleasant odor, will please them more
than anything else. He told OF Offering
soap that has no smell to the squaws. and
the Indians threw 1t away In diagust.
Black tea is also popular with the northern
Indiana. They will not accept green tea.
and any OF this kind that Is carried to
Alaska for trading purposes is wasted.
This, he said, Is due 10 the fact that the
Russians invaded the country years ago
and introduced black tea.
1 Doty cleared 5000 on recent trip
down the Yukon from Eagle. In addi-
tion TO making moro money than on any
previous trip, he had the time OF his hfe.
There was excellent hunting along the
banks Of the river and by peculiar in
cident he profted by the sport.
best he had ever known. Hearing that
further ON down the river the ducks were
scarce and In demand, he tied up his boat
for few days and began killing the birds,
which he sold for 81 each.