Hunting.”—­Luminosity of the Eyes of the Deer at Night.—­Hunting the deer with dogs.—­“Deer Licks.”—­How Salt is used in Hunting the Deer.—­Hunting from a Scaffolding.—­Peculiar Sight of the Deer.—­“Salt Licks” used in Night Hunting.—­Head Lantern.—­How made.—­How used.—­The fiery Eyes of the Deer.—­“Fox Fire” or Phosphorescent wood.—­How used by the Hunter.—­Seasons for Deer Hunting.—­How to skin the Deer.—­The moose.—­Description of the animal.—­Immense size of its Horns.—­Moose yards.—­Hunted on Snow shoes.—­The dangers of Moose Hunting.—­Exquisite sense of Smell.—­How the Moose is Trapped.—­Directions for removing the Skin of the Animal.—­Rocky mountain sheep.—­Description of the Animal.—­Its enormous Horns.—­Habits of the creature.—­Its flesh as Food.—­How the Animal is Trapped.—­The buffalo.—­Its Habits.—­Its Food.—­Buffalo-grass.—­How the Animal is Hunted and Trapped.—­Buffalo [Page ix] flesh as Food.—­Buffalo skins.—­The prong horn antelope.—­Description of the Animal.—­Peculiarity of Horn.—­How the creature is Hunted and Destroyed by the Indians.—­Remarkable sense of Smell of the Animal.—­Its Beauty and grace.—­Flesh of the Antelope a Food.—­How the Animal is Trapped.—­Various Traps used in their Capture.—­The Dead-fall.—­Pit-fall.—­How to remove the Hide of the Animal.—­Shooting and poisoning.—­“Shot furs.”—­“Poisoned furs.”—­“Trapped furs.”—­Their relative Value in the Fur Market.—­Effect of grazing shot on fur.—­Effect of Poison on Fur.—­Remarks on the use of Poison.—­Strychnine.—­Poisoning Wolves.—­Recipe for mixing the Poison.—­Poisoning the Bear.—­How the Dose is Prepared.

BOOK VII.

Campaign life in the wilderness.

Introductory Remarks.—­“Amateur Trapping.”—­Plan of campaign.—­Selection of Trapping-ground.—­Advantages of a Watered District.—­Labor of transportation lightened by Boating.—­Lakes, Ponds and Streams.—­The Adirondacks and Alleghanies.—­Remarks on the “Home Shanty.”—­Selection of Site for building.—­Value of a good Axe.—­Remarks on the Bark Shanty.—­Its value in case of Storms.—­Wise fore-sight.—­Remarks on the Indian Birch-bark Canoe.—­Dug-out and Bateau.—­Commencement of Trapping Season.—­Advantages of preliminary preparation.—­Extensive route of the Professional Trapper.—­Sixty pounds of Personal Luggage.—­How the traps and provisions are distributed among the Trapping lines.—­Use of the “Home Shanty.”—­“Keeping Shanty.”—­Necessity of its being Guarded.—­Wolves and Bears as thieves.—­Steel Traps considered.—­Number used in a Professional Campaign.—­Number for an Amateur Campaign.—­Their Probable Cost.—­The average size of Trap.—­Dead-falls, Twitchups, &c., considered.—­Requisite Tools for a Campaign.—­A “House-wife” a valuable necessity.—­“Cleanliness next to Godliness.”—­The Trappers’ Light.—­Comparative value of Lanterns and