racter of a
Romany of the wilderness, fascinating in the picturesqueness and daring
of his primeval life, and also, judged by more practical standards, a
figure of serious historical import in his relations to exploration and
commerce, and even affairs of politics and state.

If, therefore, we take the trapper as a typical figure in the early
exploitation of an empire, his larger significance may be held of far
more consequence to us than the excesses and lawlessness so frequent in
his life. He was often an adventurer pure and simple. The record of his
dealings with the red man and with white competitors is darkened by many
stains. His return from his lonely journeys afield brought an outbreak
of license like that of the cowboy fresh from the range, but with all
this the stern life of the old frontier bred a race of men who did their
work. That work was the development of the only natural resources of
vast regions in this country and to the Northward, which were utilized
for long periods. There was also the task of exploration, the breaking
the way for others, and as pioneer and as builder of commerce the
trapper's part in our early history has a significance which cloaks the
frailties characteristic of restraintless life in untrodden wilds.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I.--GAMESTERS OF THE WILDERNESS 1

II.--THREE COMPANIES IN CONFLICT 8

III.--THE NOR' WESTERS' COUP 22

IV.--THE ANCIENT HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY WAKENS UP 28

V.--MR. ASTOR'S COMPANY ENCOUNTERS NEW OPPONENTS 38

VI.--THE FRENCH TRAPPER 50

VII.--THE BUFFALO-RUNNERS 65

VIII.--THE MOUNTAINEERS 81

IX.--THE TAKING OF THE BEAVER 102

X.--THE MAKING OF THE MOCCASINS 117

XI.--THE INDIAN TRAPPER 128

XII.--BA'TISTE, THE BEAR HUNTER 144

XIII.--JOHN COLTER--FREE TRAPPER 160

XIV.--THE GREATEST FUR COMPANY OF THE WORLD 181

XV.--KOOT AND THE BOB-CAT 206

XVI.--OTHER LITTLE ANIMALS BESIDES WAHBOOS THE RABBIT 222

XVII.--THE RARE FURS--HOW THE TRAPPER TAKES THEM