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Arthur Heming. The Drama of the Forests
The Drama of the Forests
Table of Contents
A strange apparition was seen crossing the lake. It appeared to have wings … … Frontispiece
INTRODUCTION
THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS
I
ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE
HER FATHER THE FREE TRADER
AT FORT CONSOLATION
A MIGHTY HUNTER
THEIR SUMMER LIFE
FAMILY HUNTING GROUNDS
MEETING OO-KOO-HOO
[Illustration: I surmised at once who he was, for one could see by the merest glance at his remarkably pleasant yet thoroughly clever face that he was all his name implied, a wise dignified old gentleman, who was in the habit of observing much more than he gave tongue to—a rare quality in men—especially white men. Even before I heard him speak I liked Oo-koo-hoo—The … See Chapter I]
[Illustration: Oo-koo-hoo's bill.]
[Illustration: Oo-koo-hoo's calendar.]
THE BEST FUR DISTRICTS
WANTED, A SON-IN-LAW
LEAVING FORT CONSOLATION
II
IN QUEST OF TREASURE
THE PERFECT FOOL
[Illustration: Going to the brink, saw a "York boat" in the act of shooting the cataract. It was one of the boats of "The Goods Brigade" transporting supplies for the northern posts of the Hudson's Bay Company. As the craft measured forty feet in length and was manned by eight men, it was capable of carrying about seventy packs, each weighing about a hundred pounds. But of these boat brigades … See Chapter II.]
OO-KOO-HOO'S WOODCRAFT
THE BEAR'S DEDUCTION
BEASTS WITH HUMAN SOULS
THE HONESTY OF INDIANS
TRACKING UP RAPIDS
TRAVELLING AT NIGHT
POLING UP RAPIDS
OO-KOO-HOO VISITS BEAVERS
[Illustration: Minutes passed while the rising moon cast golden ripples upon the water and two beavers, rising from below, swam toward and mounted the roof of their island home. A twig snapping behind the hunter, he turned his head, and as he caught the vanishing glimpse of a lynx in a tree, he was instantly startled by a tremendous report and a splashing upheaval … See Chapter II.]
WOODCRAFT OF TRAILING
INDIANS IN THE WORLD WAR
APPROACHING GAME
SUNDAY IN CAMP
NEARING TRIP'S END
III
OO-KOO-HOO'S EL DORADO
OUR WINTER CAMP
INDIAN POLITENESS
TRAPPING EQUIPMENT
SETTING FOX TRAP
DOG TRAILING FOX
OTHER WAYS OF TRAPPING
FASHIONABLE FOOLS
THE LAST RESORT
HUNTER CAUGHT IN SNARE
THE FOX AT HOME
THE RABBIT AND THE HUNTER
HUNTING THE LYNX
[Illustration: The lynx is a wonderful swimmer and is dangerous to tackle in the water, for he can turn with remarkable agility, and board a canoe in a moment. Of all northern animals he is perhaps the most silent walker. Though he often behaves like a coward, hunters approach him with care when he is caught in a steel trap, as he can make a great spring and when he chooses, can … See Chapter III.]
MARTEN TRAPPING
MINK ON THE FUR TRAIL
MEGUIR AND THE WOLVERINE
PREPARING FOR WINTER
[Illustration: Next morning we found that everything was covered with a heavy blanket of clinging snow, and the streams and the lake beginning to freeze over. We found, also to our amazement that a big bull-moose had been standing on the bank of Muskrat Creek and watching the smoke rising from our lodges as the fires were lighted at sunrise. After a hurried breakfast, we set out in pursuit of the moose, which we … See Chapter III.]
IV
OO-KOO-HOO PLAYS THE GAME
TRAILING THE BEAR
THE TRUTH ABOUT BEARS
THE WAYS OF THE BEAVER
HUNTING THE BEAVER
BEAVER DAMS AND CANALS
BEAVER FIGHTS WOLVERINE
USEFULNESS OP BEAVER
OO-KOO-HOO SHOOTS A BEAR
[Illustration: The bear circled a little in order to descend. Presently it left the shadow of the forest and, emerging into sunlight on a snow-covered ledge, turned its head as though it had heard a sound in the rear. It was Oo-koo-hoo speaking: "Turn your head away, my brother … " but the report of his gun cut short his sentence, and the bear, leaping forward, disappeared among, … See Chapter IV.]
A DEADFALL FOR BEAR
MARASTY AND THE BEAR
HOW BEARS ARE HUNTED
NEYKIA AND HER LOVER
OO-KOO-HOO AND THE WOLF
[Illustration: Going to the stage, he took down his five-foot snowshoes, slipped his moccasined feet info the thongs, and with his gun resting in the hollow of his bemittened hand, and the sled's hauling-line over his shoulder, strode off through the vaulted aisles between the boles of evergreens; while through a tiny slit in the wall of his moose-skin home two loving eyes watched his stalwart figure vanishing among the … See Chapter IV.]
[Illustration: As the wolf dashed away, the bounding clog sent the snow flying, and the hunter rushed in pursuit, while the wolf dodged among the trees to escape a blow from Oo-koo-hoo. Then it bolted again, and ran straight for a few yards until the clog caught and held fast. The hunter, pressing on with raised axe, had no time to draw back when the brute sprang for him … See Chapter IV.]
THE WAYS OF A WOLF
THE WOLVES AND GREENHORNS
THE WOLF THAT KILLED A MAN
COMING OF THE FUR-RUNNERS
V
MEETING OF THE WILD MEN
WHO IS SON-IN-LAW?
THE NEW YEAR'S DANCE
THE BEAUTIFUL ATHABASCA
BACK TO FORT CONSOLATION
THE WINTER MAIL ARRIVES
THE DOG BRIGADE
TRAVELLING WITH DOG-TRAINS
CAMPING IN THE SNOW
NORTHERN MAIL SERVICE
[Illustration: "There's the York Factory packet from Hudson Bay to Winnipeg, a distance of seven hundred miles. In winter it is hauled by dogs between Selkirk and Or ford House, but between the latter post and York Factory it is hauled by men with toboggans. All mails in and out from Hudson Bay to or from the next post in the interior are hauled by men. Dogs are seldom used on those routes, on account of … " See Chapter V.]
POLICE AND GUNMEN
RECORD TRAVELLING
BEAR HOLDS UP MAIL
GOD AND THE WILD MEN
VI
WILD ANIMALS AND MEN
WOLVERINE AND HUNTER
THE BEST FOOT-GEAR
APPROACHING MOOSE
THE OUTLAW AND NEW YORKER
LAW AND ORDER ENFORCED
THE WAYS OF THE MOOSE
THE OWL TRACKS MOOSE
"THE OWL" MAKES A KILL
SKINNING ANIMALS
OLD-TIME HUNTING
THE BEAR IN HIS WASH
THE WOLVERINE AND GILL NET
[Illustration: It was on my father's hunting grounds, and late one afternoon, after passing through heavy timber, I came out upon its shore, and there I discovered two men robbing one of my traps. One man was holding up the otter by the tail and laughingly commenting on his gain, while the other was resetting the trap beneath the ice. I raised my gun and was about to fire, when … See Chapter VI.]
"THE PERFECT WOMAN"
INDIANS AND CIVILIZATION
WOLVES RUNNING CABIBOU
TRAILING IN THE SNOW
[Illustration: Oo-koo-hoo could even hear the strange clicking sound, caused by the muscular action of the hoofs in walking—a sound peculiar to caribou. He cautiously went down on one knee and there waited with his gun cocked and in position. Now antlered heads appeared beyond the openings between the snow-mantled trees. The hunter, taking aim, addressed them: "My brothers, I need your … " Then the violent report of his gun shattered the … See Chapter VI.]
THE MAN WHO HIBERNATED
VII
LIFE AND LOVE RETURN
HYMEN COMES WITH SPRING
THE SPRING HUNT
HUNTING THE OTTER
LITTLE PINE'S LOVE SONG
THE LOVE DANCE
THE WAYS OF THE FEMALE
HUNTING WILD FOWL
OO-KOO-HOO'S COURTING
NATURE'S SANCTUARIES
GOING TO THE POST
[Illustration: After half of May had passed away, and when the spring hunt was over, Oo-koo-hoo and Amik, poling up the turbulent little streams, and following as closely as possible the routes of their fur trails, went the round of their trapping paths, removed their snares, sprung their deadfalls, and gathering their steel traps loaded them aboard their canoes. That work completed, packing began in readiness for the … See Chapter VII.]
CONTEST OF WITS
MISSIONARIES AND INDIANS
NEYKIA'S WEDDING
THE WEDDING SPEECHES
VIII
BUSINESS AND ROMANCE
FAREWELL ATHABASCA
MUSTERING THE FUR BRIGADE
DEPARTURE OF THE FUR BRIGADE
[Illustration: The departure of the Fur Brigade was the one great event of the year. In manning six-fathom canoes the bowman are always the most important; the steersman coming next in rank, while the others are called "midmen." The brigade would paddle incessantly for about two hours; then they would "spell", and paddles were laid aside "one smoke." The soft, rich voices of the crews blended as they quietly chatted and joked and … See Chapter VIII.]
CAMP OF THE FUR BRIGADE
THE LONGEST BRIGADE ROUTES
BILLY BRASS TELLS ANOTHER STORY
THE TRUTH ABOUT WOODSMEN
A RACE FOR THE PORTAGE
FIGHTING WITH DEATH
ATHABASCA AND SON-IN-LAW
THE END
