Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-01-31
Old Trapper's Last Hunt.
THRILLING BATTLE BETWEEN AN HUGE BEAR IN NORTH
ERIN ONTARIO.

The traveller or newly arrived set
tier in the Nipigon District of North
ern Ontario hears a good deal about
the hard lives and harder deaths of
the inhabitants of the territory. Frank
Dennison and his deeds win often be
mentioned, but of his death-which
occurred some five or six years ago
few will talk, for all are trappers or
hunters, and superstitious to degree.
The story was related to me by an cid
trapper with whom I am on intimate
terms, and, after writing it out and
reading it over to him, obtained his
assurance, That's just how it hap
pened."
The winter was waning. True, the
snow still lay deep and crusted in the
bush, and the prevailing cold was in
tense, but out in the open the SUMS
rays, daily increasing in power, had
already made considerable progress in
their snow dispelling mission. Trap
pers and hunters were working hard
during the few remaining days of what
had proved to be an exceptionally good
fur season on the Canadian shores of
Lake Superior.
Old Frank Dennison, whose prowess
as a bear trapper had been the talk OF
the entire territory for many years.
had done exceedingly well so far. No
fewer than IA of the shaggy pelted
monsters, emerging from their winter
quarters, had fallen victims to his
cunningly arranged traps, and he was
cheerfully contemplating the close of
a season which would, if good fortune
continued to smile upon him, enrich
his by no means scanty hoard by close
upon $500.
Bears and bears alone would he trap
nowadays. Time was when he would
work throughout an entire winter
trapping, shooting or sharing anything
that wore a marketable fur, but now,
seeing that he had already passed the
eighty third milestone on life's jour
ney, he had decided that for the fu-
ture his game should be bear only.
He left to his son the more strenuous
and exacting work necessary during
the intensely cold period of the win
ter.
Jim, his little eight year-old grand
son, always accompanied the old man
on his excursions. The youngster was
keenly interested in the work, and was
by no means q mere passenger. All
that his grandfather could tell him Of
the habits of Bruin, about hunting
tricks and carefully thought-out trap
ping devices, bats and trap houses"
the little fellow readily assimilated,
and as the oddly assorted pair wend-
ed their way through the timber, the
j icl-i
snowshoeing a trail which the child
might easily traverse on his smaller
shoes, the sharp crack of the handy
little "22" carried by the lad was fire.
auently heard, followed by his joyous
shout as some unwary rabbit or in
cautious whisky jack fell wounded to
the death. 1t was an excellent train
ing for such life as the old man
fondly hoped lay before his little COM
panion.
On the day of the tragedy they had
crossed the four miles of ice which lay
between mainland and island, and
were to visit three traps set eight days
before 1t had been a firing journey
across the lake. Old Frank, much
against his will, was forced to admit
to himself that each trip became hard
er for him. His legs and back were
not SO supple as of yore, and he ar
rived on the island feeling far from
fit for the heavy tramp which was yet
to be accomplished. With a well-de-
fined sense of relief, he remembered
that his son had promised to join him
in time to haul the sledge home
Thank goodness he would not have to
do that job today!
Slipping on their snowshoes, the pair
set off, Jim, as a concession to his
ish ideas of a trapper's packing be-
ing burdened with the ample lunch,
contained in a Hudson Bay Company's
pail. and his own little repeating rifle,
while the grandfather shouldered his
heavier ''32," and hauled the sledge.
At The first trap visited they. drew a