are but few.

_Basil._ What a pity! I like those voyageurs.

_Hunter._ The voyageurs, who were out for a long period, and navigated
the interior of the country, were called _North-men_, or _Winterers_,
while the others had the name of _Goers and Comers_. Any part of a
river where they could not row a laden canoe, on account of the rapid
stream, they called a _Decharge_; and there the goods were taken from
the boats, and carried on their shoulders, while others towed the
canoes up the stream: but a fall of water, where they were obliged not
only to carry the goods, but also to drag the canoes on land up to the
higher level, they called a _Portage_.

_Austin._ We shall not forget the North-men, and Comers and Goers, nor
the Decharges and Portages.

_Basil._ You have not told us what a Trapper is.

_Hunter._ A _Trapper_ is a beaver hunter. Those who hunt beavers and
other animals, for any of the fur companies, are called Trappers; but
such as hunt for themselves take the name of _Freemen_.

_Austin._ Yes, I shall remember. Please to tell us how they hunt the
beavers.

_Hunter._ Beavers build themselves houses on the banks of creeks or
small rivers, with mud, sticks, and stones, and afterwards cover them
over with a coat of mud, which becomes very hard. These houses are
five or six feet thick at the top; and in one house four old beavers,
and six or eight young ones, often live together. But, besides their
houses, the beavers take care to have a number of holes in the banks,
under water, called _washes_, into which they can run for shelter,
should their houses be attacked. It is the business of the trappers to
find out all these washes, or holes; and this they do in winter, by
knocking against the ice, and judging by the sound whether it is a
hole. Over every hole they cut out a piece of ice, big enough to get
at the beaver. No sooner is the beaver-house attacked, than the
animals run into their holes, the entrances of which are directly
blocked up with stakes. The trappers then either take them through the
holes with their hands, or haul them out with hooks fastened to the
end of a pole or stick.

[Illustration]

_Austin._ But why is a beaver hunter called a trapper? I cannot
understand that.

_Hunter._ Because beavers are caught in great numbers in steel traps,
which are set and baited on purpose for them.

_Brian._ Why do they not catch them in the summer?

_Hunter._ The fur of the beaver is in its p