rolf in the woods-第19章

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〃Father；　we　thank　thee；　We　have　found　the　good　hunting。　There　is

meat　in　the　wigwam。〃







Chapter　22。　The　Line　of　Traps



Now　that　they　had　the　cabin　for　winter；　and　food　for　the　present；

they　must　set　about　the　serious　business　of　trapping　and　lay　a

line　of　deadfalls　for　use　in　the　coming　cold　weather。　　They　were

a　little　ahead　of　time；　but　it　was　very　desirable　to　get　their

lines　blazed　through　the　woods　in　all　proposed　directions　in　case

of　any　other　trapper　coming　in。　　Most　fur…bearing　animals　are　to

be　found　along　the　little　valleys　of　the　stream：　beaver；　otter；

mink；　muskrat；　coon；　are　examples。　Those　that　do　not　actually

live　by　the　water　seek　these　places　because　of　their　sheltered

character　and　because　their　prey　lives　there；　of　this　class　are

the　lynx；　fox；　fisher；　and　marten　that　feed　on　rabbits　and　mice。

Therefore　a　line　of　traps　is　usually　along　some　valley　and　over

the　divide　and　down　some　other　valley　back　to　the　point　of

beginning。



So；　late　in　September；　Rolf　and　Quonab；　with　their　bedding；　a

pot；　food　for　four　days；　and　two　axes；　alternately　followed　and

led　by　Skookum；　set　out　along　a　stream　that　entered　the　lake　near

their　cabin。　　A　quarter　mile　up　they　built　their　first　deadfall

for　martens。　　It　took　them　one　hour　and　was　left　unset。　　The

place　was　under　a　huge　tree　on　a　neck　of　land　around　which　the

stream　made　a　loop。　　This　tree　they　blazed　on　three　sides。　　Two

hundred　yards　up　another　good　spot　was　found　and　a　deadfall　made。

At　one　place　across　a　neck　of　land　was　a　narrow　trail　evidently

worn　by　otters。　　〃Good　place　for　steel　trap；　bime…by；〃　was

Quonab's　remark。



From　time　to　time　they　disturbed　deer；　and　in　a　muddy　place　where

a　deer　path　crossed　the　creek；　they　found；　among　the　numerous

small　hoof　prints；　the　track　of　wolves；　bears；　and　a　mountain

lion；　or　panther。　　At　these　little　Skookum　sniffed　fearsomely；

and　showed　by　his　bristly　mane　that　he　was　at　least　much

impressed。



After　five　hours'　travel　and　work　they　came　to　another　stream

joining　on；　and　near　the　angle　of　the　two　little　valleys　they

found　a　small　tree　that　was　chewed　and　scratched　in　a　remarkable

manner　for　three　to　six　feet　up。　〃Bear　tree；〃　said　Quonab；　and　by

degrees　Rolf　got　the　facts　about　it。



The　bears；　and　indeed　most　animals；　have　a　way　of　marking　the

range　that　they　consider　their　own。　　Usually　this　is　done　by

leaving　their　personal　odour　at　various　points；　covering　the

country　claimed；　but　in　some　cases　visible　marks　are　added。　　Thus

the　beaver　leaves　a　little　dab　of　mud；　the　wolf　scratches　with

his　hind　feet；　and　the　bear　tears　the　signal　tree　with　tooth　and

claw。　　Since　this　is　done　from　time　to　time；　when　the　bear

happens　to　be　near　the　tree；　it　is　kept　fresh　as　long　as　the

region　is　claimed。　But　it　is　especially　done　in　midsummer　when

the　bears　are　pairing；　and　helps　them　to　find　suitable

companions；　nor　all　are　then　roaming　the　woods　seeking　mates；　all

call　and　leave　their　mark　on　the　sign　post；　so　the　next　bear；

thanks　to　his　exquisite　nose；　can　tell　at　once　the　sex　of　the

bear　that　called　last　and　by　its　track　tell　which　way　it

travelled　afterward。



In　this　case　it　was　a　bear's　register；　but　before　long　Quonab

showed　Rolf　a　place　where　two　long　logs　joined　at　an　angle　by　a

tree　that　was　rubbed　and　smelly；　and　showed　a　few　marten　hairs；

indicating　that　this　was　the　sign　post　of　a　marten　and　a　good

place　to　make　a　deadfall。



Yet　a　third　was　found　in　an　open；　grassy　glade；　a　large；　white

stone　on　which　were　pellets　left　by　foxes。　　The　Indian　explained：



〃Every　fox　that　travels　near　will　come　and　smell　the　stone　to　see

who　of　his　kind　is　around；　so　this　is　a　good　place　for　a

fox…trap；　a　steel　trap；　of　course；　for　no　fox　will　go　into　a

deadfall。〃



And　slowly　Rolf　learned　that　these　habits　are　seen　in　some

measure　in　all　animals；　yes；　down　to　the　mice　and　shrews。　　We　see

little　of　it　because　our　senses　are　blunt　and　our　attention

untrained；　but　the　naturalist　and　the　hunter　always　know　where　to

look　for　the　four…footed　inhabitants　and　by　them　can　tell　whether

or　not　the　land　is　possessed　by　such　and　such　a　furtive　tribe。

Chapter　23。　The　Beaver　Pond



AT　THE　noon　halt　they　were　about　ten　miles　from　home　and　had　made

fifteen　deadfalls　for　marten；　for　practice　was　greatly　reducing

the　time　needed　for　each。



In　the　afternoon　they　went　on；　but　the　creek　had　become　a　mere

rill　and　they　were　now　high　up　in　a　more　level　stretch　of　country

that　was　more　or　less　swampy。　As　they　followed　the　main　course　of

the　dwindling　stream；　looking　ever　for　signs　of　fur…bearers；　they

crossed　and　recrossed　the　water。　　At　length　Quonab　stopped；

stared；　and　pointed　at　the　rill；　no　longer　clear　but　clouded　with

mud。　　His　eyes　shone　as　he　jerked　his　head　up　stream　and　uttered

the　magic　word；　〃Beaver。〃



They　tramped　westerly　for　a　hundred　yards　through　a　dense　swamp

of　alders；　and　came　at　last　to　an　irregular　pond　that　spread　out

among　the　willow　bushes　and　was　lost　in　the　swampy　thickets。

Following　the　stream　they　soon　came　to　a　beaver　dam；　a　long；

curving　bank　of　willow　branches　and　mud；　tumbling　through　the　top

of　which　were　a　dozen　tiny　streams　that　reunited　their　waters

below　to　form　the　rivulet　they　had　been　following。



Red…winged　blackbirds　were　sailing　in　flocks　about　the　pond；　a

number　of　ducks　were　to　be　seen；　and　on　a　dead　tree；　killed　by

the　backed　up　water；　a　great　blue　heron　stood。　　Many　smaller

creatures　moved　or　flitted　in　the　lively　scene；　while　far　out

near　the　middle　rose　a　dome…like　pile　of　sticks；　a　beaver　lodge；

and　farther　three　more　were　discovered。　　No　beaver　were　seen；　but

the　fresh　cut　sticks；　the　floating　branches　peeled　of　all　the

bark；　and　the　long；　strong　dam　in　good　repair　were　enough　to　tell

a　practised　eye　that　here　was　a　large　colony　of　beavers　in

undisturbed　possession。



In　those　days　beaver　was　one　of　the　most　valued　furs。　The

creature　is　very　easy　to　trap；　so　the　discovery　of　the　pond　was

like　the　finding　of　a　bag　of　gold。　　They　skirted　its　uncertain

edges　and　Quonab　pointed　out　the　many　landing　places　of　the

beaver；　little　docks　they　seemed；　built　up　with　mud　and　stones

with　deep　water　plunge　holes　alongside。　　Here　and　there　on　the

shore　was　a　dome…shaped　ant's　nest　with　a　pathway　to　it　from　the

pond；　showing；　as　the　Indian　said；　that　here　the　beaver　came　on

sunny　days　to　lie　on　the　hill　and　let　the　swarming　ants　come

forth　and　pick　the　vermin　from　their　fur。　At　one　high　point

projecting　into　the　still　water　they　found　a　little　mud　pie　with

a　very　strong　smell；　this；　the　Indian　said；　was　a　〃castor　cache；〃

the　sign　that；　among　beavers；　answers　the　same　purpose　as　the

bear　tree　among　bears。



Although　the　pond　seemed　small　they　had　to　tramp　a　quarter　of　a

mile　before　reaching　the　upper　end　and　here　they　found　another

dam；　with　its　pond。　　This　was　at　a　slightly　higher　level　and

contained　a　single　lodge；　after　this　they　found　others；　a　dozen

ponds　in　a　dozen　successive　rises；　the　first　or　largest　and　the

second　only　having　lodges；　but　all　were　evidently　part　of　the

thriving　colony；　for　fresh　cut　trees　were　seen　on　every　side。

〃Ugh；　good；　we　get　maybe　fifty　beaver；〃　said　the　Indian；　and　they

knew　they　had　reached　the　Promised　Land。



Rolf　would　gladly　have　spent　the　rest　of　the　day　exploring　the

pond　and　trying　for　a　beaver；　when　the　eventide　should　call　them

to　come　forth；　but　Quonab　said；　〃Only　twenty　deadfall；　we　should

have　one　hundred　and　fifty。〃　　So　making　for　a　fine　sugar　bush　on

the　dry　ground　west　of　the　ponds　they　blazed　a　big　tree；　left　a

deadfall　there；　and　sought　the　easiest　way　over　the　rough　hills

that　lay　to　the　east；　in　hopes　of　reaching　the　next　stream

leading　down　to　their　lake。







Chapter　24。　The　Porcupine



Skookum　was　a　partly　trained　little　dog；　he　would　stay　in　camp

when　told；　if　it　suited　him；　and　would　not　hesitate　to　follow　or

lead　his　mast