spere nor any other erudite. I have a very limited vocabulary, and
since swearing and smoking are not allowed in print, I shall have to
loose the biggest half of that. I shall omit foreign language, I could
assault you with Mex--or Siwash but I fear you could not survive the
battery. So I shall confine myself to simple speech, such as I have used
in all lands. From Gotch my bronco to Arctic my dog. It has served me
since I was six summers old It served me amid the bells of Peru and then
afar amid the Agate Eyed squaws of The Kuskokwim; and this ought to be a
good excuse.--Yours truly

J.C. LEWIS.

INTRODUCTORY.

I have undertaken the arduous task of rewriting that which was never
written. My charge was "fix it up but do not change it." These words
were hurled at me one morning at four o'clock in the month of April, as
my big brother boarded the Overland Limited bound for the Iditarod
Alaska. He had in that far-away region five-hundred skins in cache which
he had taken from the backs of the costiliest animals that ran in
northland world. In various parts of Alaska Black Beaver had treasures
which he was now intent upon gathering to fit up an outfit to be known
as "The Arctic Alaskan Educational Exhibition" Perhaps no other man in
this country can tell such amusing and beneficial stories about travels,
fatigue and furs As the Author of this book. This was the creative force
which suggested the organization of this party. Black Beaver has
traveled as no other man ever traveled in Alaska, four times in as many
years he crossed the entire country by dog-team in a diagonal way from
Dawson to Point Barrow and from Gnome to The mouth of the Mackinzie
river. Being able to speak several indian dialects, he was able converse
with Siwash, Mucklock, Malimouth and other types getting the most
valuable kind of information. You have never read a book written by a
trapper. Usually some smooth gent makes up a romance and puts them in
other mouths--but this is not true of this book. It is a true experience
of the life and labors of the Author. Respectfully submitted Sept 1911.

GEO. EDWARD LEWIS.

BLACK BEAVER THE TRAPPER.

At the age of four years I began to pick up arms against small birds and
animals. At the age of five I began to trap around my father's
corn-shocks. When I reached my sixth year my father bought me a dog and
he was my constant companion for many years. At the age of five years I
began to make B