Chapter 8

THE TRAPPER'S MISCELLANY.

Warning to the Novice.--Winged Cannibals of the Woods.--INSECT OINTMENTS.--Mosquitoes and Gnats.--Their aversion to the scent of Pennyroyal.--Pennyroyal Ointment.--Recipe.--Mutton tallow Ointment.--Tar and Sweet Oil Liniment.--Recipe.--Its effect on the Complexion.--Invasions of Insects by night.--Their pertinacity and severity.--The experience of our Adirondack guide.--The bloodthirsty propensities of the Mosquito admirably depicted.--The "Smudge" Smoke versus Insect Bites.--"Punkeys" and "Midgets."--Their terrible voracity.--Painful effects of their Bites.--Pennyroyal an effective Antidote.--Depraved [Page xi] appetite of the mosquito.--A Warning to the Intemperate.--Use and abuse of Alcohol.--A Popular error corrected.--A substitute for Whiskey and Brandy.--Red Pepper Tea.--Its great value as a remedy in Illness.--The Mosquitoes' favorite Victim.--Result of the bite of the insect.--The Mosquito Head-Net.--Directions for making the Net.--Netting attachment for the Hat.--Portable Sun Shade or Hat brim.--Netting attachment for the Hat brim.--BOAT BUILDING.--A Boat of some kind a necessity to the Trapper.--The "Dug-Out" or Log-Canoe.--Requisite Tools for its Manufacture.--Selection of the Log.--Directions for making the boat.--Remarkable thinness to which they may be reduced.--Lightness of the boat.--How to gauge the thickness.--How to stop leaks.--THE INDIAN OR BIRCH BARK CANOE.--The Indian as a Canoe-maker.--His remarkable skill.--Perfection of the Indian made Canoe.--Description of the Canoe.--Capacity of the various sizes.--How to construct a Bark Canoe.--Selection of Bark.--How to prevent Leaks.--Material used by the Indians in sewing the Bark.--Advantages of the Birch Bark Canoe.--Basswood, Hemlock, and Spruce Bark Canoes.--A LIGHT HOME-MADE BOAT.--Selection of Boards.--Directions for making the Boat.--Caulking the seams.--Value of Pitch for waterproofing purposes.--How it should be applied.--THE SCOW.--How to construct the ordinary Flat-bottomed Boat.--The Mud-stick.--SNOW SHOES.--A necessity for winter travel.--The "Snow Shoe Race."--The mysteries of a Snow Shoe.--"Taming the Snow Shoe."--How to make the Snow Shoe.--Complicated Net-work.--Two methods of attaching the Net-work.--How the Snow Shoe is worn.--THE TOBOGGAN OR INDIAN SLEDGE.--Its value to the Trapper.--Winter Coasting.--Great sport with the Toboggan.--How to make a Toboggan.--Selection of Boards.--How the Sledge is used.--CURING SKINS.--Importance of Curing Skins properly.--Valuable hints on Skinning Animals.--How to dry Skins.--How to dress Skins for Market.--Astringent preparations.--Recipe.--STRETCHERS.--How skins are stretched.--The Board Stretcher.--How it is made and used.--The Wedge Stretcher.--How made and used.--The Bow Stretcher.--The Hoop Stretcher.--TANNING SKINS.--To Tan with the hair on.--Preparation of Skin for Tanning.--Tanning Mixture.--Recipe.--Second Mixture.--Recipe.--Third Mixture and Recipe.--How the Skin is softened and finished.--HOW TO TAN MINK AND MUSKRAT SKINS.--Preparation of Skin.--Tanning Mixtures.--Various Recipes.--"Fleshing."--The Fleshing-knife.--Substitute for the Fleshing-knife.--HOW TO TAN THE SKINS OF THE BEAVER, OTTER, RACCOON, AND MARTEN.--Tanning Mixtures.--How to soften the Skin.--Simple Tanned Skin.--Recipe for removing the fur.--How to finish the Skin.--OBSERVATIONS ON THE HISTORY OF FURS AND THE FUR TRADE.--Some bits of History in connection with Furs.--Ancient use of Furs.--Furs a medium of Exchange.--Furs and Fashion.--Extravagance in Fur Costume.--Choice Furs as Badges of Rank.--Their use restricted to Royal Families.--The Early Fur Trade of Europe.--A Tribute paid in Furs.--Early History of the Fur Trade in America.--Origin of the Hudson's Bay Company.--Hostility of the French Canadian Traders.--Establishment of the North West Company.--Competition and War.--Consolidation of the two Companies.--Great sales of the Hudson's Bay Company.--Importance of the Fur Trade.--Cities founded by the enterprise of the Trapper.--St. Paul.--Montreal and Mackinaw.--Fortunes built up on Fur Traffic.--John Jacob Astor.--Mink and Muskrat Skins.--Their extensive use in America.--Estimated value of the annual yield of Raw Furs throughout the World.--Classification of Furs by American Dealers.--"Home" Furs.--"Shipping" Furs.--Table of Sales of Hudson's Bay Company, in 1873.--March Sale.--September Sale.--Price according to Quality.--Estimated average per Skin.--List of American "Shipping" Furs.--List of American "Home" Furs.--MARKET VALUE OF FUR SKINS.--Eccentricities of the Fur Market.--Demand governed by Fashion.--How Fashion runs the Fur Trade.--The Amateur Trapper and the Fur Trade.--Difficulty of a profitable disposal of Furs.--Advice to the Novice.--How to realize on the sale of Furs.--TABLE OF VALUES OF AMERICAN FUR SKINS.--A complete list of American Fur bearing Animals.--Various prices of Skins according to Quality.--USES OF AMERICAN FURS AT HOME AND ABROAD.--The Silver Fox.--Fifty Guineas for a Fur Skin.--Red Fox Fur.--Its [Page xii] use in Oriental Countries.--Beaver Fur.--Its various uses.--Raccoon Skins, a great Staple for Russia and Germany.--Bear Skins and their various uses.--Lynx, Fisher, and Marten Skins.--The Mink.--Use of its hair for Artists pencils.--Muskrat Skins.--Three millions annually exported to Germany alone.--Their extensive use among the American poorer classes.--Otter Fur.--Sleigh Robes from Wolf Skins.--Rabbit Fur.--Its use in the Manufacture of Hats.--Breeding Rabbits for their Fur.--The Wolverine.--Skunk Fur, dignified by the name of Alaska Sable.--Large shipments to Foreign Countries.--How the Fur of the Badger is used.--Opossum, Puma, and Wild Cat Fur.--Robes for the Fashionable.--Squirrel and Mole skins.

[Page xiii] [Illustration: ILLUSTRATIONS.]

FULL PAGES.

1. Caught at last. 2. Traps for Large Game. 3. Snares or Noose Traps. 4. Traps for Feathered Game. 5. Miscellaneous Traps. 6. Household Traps. 7. Steel Traps, and the art of Trapping. 8. Almost Persuaded.--to face. 9. The Campaign. 10. Trapper's Miscellany.

[Page xiv] ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT.

11. "Preface". 12. Initial to Preface. 13. End piece to Preface. 14. "Contents". 15. "Illustrations". 16. Initial to Book I 17. Dead fall for large Animals. 18. Explanatory drawing of pieces. 19. The Gun Trap. 20. The Bow Trap 21. " " " arrangement of parts. 22. " " " Section. 23. Foot String Bow Trap. 24. The Down fall. 25. The Bear Trap. 26. End piece to Book I. 27. Initial to Book II. 28. Quail Nooses. 29. Hedge Nooses. 30. The Triangle Snare. 31. The Twitch-up. 32. Method of Setting. 33. " " " No. 2. 34. " " " No. 3. 35. " " " No. 4. 36. " " " No. 5. 37. The Poacher's Snare. 38. The Portable Snare. 39. The "Simplest" Snare. 40. Modification No. 2. 41. " " 3. 42. The Quail Snare. 43. The Box Snare. 44. The Double Box Snare. 45. The Old fashioned Springle. 46. The Improved Springle. 47. The Figure Four Ground Snare. 48. The Platform Snare. 49. End piece. 50. Initial to Book III. 51. The Brick Trap. 52. Method of Setting. 53. The Coop Trap. 54. The Bat fowling Net. 55. The Clap Net. 56. The Bird Whistle. 57. The Trap Cage. 58. Diagrams of Cage. 59. The Spring Net Trap. [Page xv] 60. Section of Spring Net Trap. 61. A Simpler Net Trap. 62. The Upright Net Trap. 63. Second Method " 64. The Box Owl Trap. 65. The Box Bird Trap. 66. The Pendant Box Bird Trap. 67. The Hawk Trap. 68. The Wild Duck Net. 69. The Hook Trap. 70. The Fool's Cap Trap. 71. The Limed Twig. 72. Humming-bird Trap. 73. Initial to Book IV. 74. The Common Box Trap. 75. Two Modes of Setting. 76. Box Trap. 77. The Figure Four Trap. 78. Parts of " 79. The "Double Ender". 80. The Self-Setting Trap. 81. The Dead fall. 82. Method No. 2. 83. The Garotte. 84. Arrangement of "Setting". 85. The Bow Garotte Trap. 86. A Fish Trap. 87. End Piece "Maternal advice". 88. Initial to Book V. 89. The Barrel Trap. 90. The Box Dead Trap. 91. The Board Flap. 92. The Box Pit-fall. 93. Diagram of " 94. Cage Trap. 95. Initial to Book VI. 96. Steel Trap. No. (0) or Rat Trap. 97. Steel Trap. No. 1, or Muskrat Trap. 98. " " No. 2, or Mink Trap. 99. " " No. 2-1/2, or Fox Trap. 100. " " No. 3, or Otter Trap. 101. " " No. 4, or Beaver Trap. 102. "The Great Bear Tamer," Steel Trap. 103. Steel Trap No. 5, or Small Bear Trap. 104. Steel Trap set in pen. 105. The Spring Pole. 106. The Sliding pole. 107. The Grappling Iron. 108. The Wolf. 109. The Puma. 110. The Canada Lynx. [Page xvi] 111. The Wild Cat. 112. The Bear. 113. The Raccoon. 114. The Badger. 115. The Beaver. 116. The Otter. 117. The Mink. 118. The Marten. 119. The Skunk. 120. The Wolverine. 121. The Opossum. 122. The Squirrel. 123. The Moose. 124. Initial to Book VII. 125. Portable Drinking Cup. 126. The Home Shanty. 127. The Shelter tent. 128. The Trapper's Bed. 129. End Piece. 130. Initial to Book VIII. 131. Head Net. 132. Portable Hat-brim. 133. Hat-brim with netting attachment. 134. The Dug-out or Log Canoe. 135. The Birch-Bark Canoe. 136. A Light Home-made Boat. 137. Diagram view of Boat----. 138. The Snow Shoe. 139. The Toboggan or Indian Sledge. 140. The Board Stretcher. 141. The Wedge Stretcher. 142. The Bow Stretcher. 143. "The End".

[Page 15] [Illustration: TRAPS FOR LARGE GAME]

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