Black Beaver, the Trapper

by James Campbell Lewis; George Edward Lewis

It was necessary for us to larn a few lessons so here we began to study. first we were taught how to bridle a boat. this is done by tieing a rope around the nose of the boat about one third the way aft. then we learned how to make what they call portages—that is—when you come to falls or rapids, relieve the boat of all contents and carry contents and boat around the rapids. Then we were taught how to know quicksand and how dangerous the Overflow is to dogs, and men in extrems winter. an overflow is where the water bursts through the ice in the rivers and for a few feet runs on the top. it cannot run far for it soon freezes. If you put your foot in water or if your dogs step in water your feet and their feet would freeze in two minutes.

The next winter we built a line of camps up the Pelley river about sixty miles, and another line up the McMillian. October 10th we began to set traps for Marten, ermine and wolf. Here we learned that Marten were called Sable they are much larger and more valuable than the Marten of United States Of America. In color they are dark brown and some are almost black, they feed upon grouse and mice and never go near the water, they inhabit the cold regions and breed but once a year. They resemble the house cat in features but have long body like a mink. We took that winter seven hundred, the largest catch ever known to have been taken by any one gang in the world. The weather was exceedingly cold for we were only three hundred miles from the Arctic Circle. Spring came we broke camp and moved down to Dawson, sold our fur and drifted down the Yukon river to the mouth of forty mile creek. Here we turned up in search of placer mining, the short summer soon past and we returned to Dawson and fitted out for the winter.

After we chucked up we turned up toward Steward river, on this trip we met and formed the acquaintance of Geo. MacDonald, a wide world character. At one time he came to Dawson with twenty mules packed with gold. Three years later he died in Circle city a pauper.

Here also we first met the noted Montana Kidd—he swung his team of a dozen dogs around the corner of the road house and shouted to the landlord" Thirteen steaks dam the cost the Kidd always has the price" It cost him thirteen times ten dollars—or one hundred and thirty dollars; ten for himself and one hundred and twenty for his dogs.

After another successful winter we returned to Dawson sold our furs and went first to Eagle and chucked up and journeyed to Fort Yukon. Now Fort Yukon stands in the Arctic Circle and the Steel registers during cold weather 65° below zero. From here we went up the Porcupine river to Rampart Ho on the Eastern boundery of Alaska We did not like the country in this part so we returned to Fort Yukon; and turned down the Yukon river to the Tanana river then we up this last named stream to Fairbanks.

We reached Fairbanks in the early fall and trapped that winter on Beaver creek. having many experiencs but none which I shall record here.—After we broke Camp we sold our fur in Fairbanks and started for the head of Copper river. We followed this stream down till we struck Ambercunbo canyon. Not being acquainted with the river we were into the rapids before we knew it: I shouted to the boys to pull while I leaped for the steering oar, we got through all right but the boat was half full of water—and all the boys pretty badly scared, it was a close shave one adventure I do not care to repeat. We floated down to Katello; and here took a boat for Cook's inlet. We reached Shushitna station And started up Shushitna river till we came to the mouth of the Talketaa: here in search of trapping we failed to find the object of our search—but found something far better a splendid Quartz mine, which averages $93.00 gold per ton of quartz. From here we went to Seldovia and then to Dutch Harbor and on to St. Michels.

It might be well to say briefly that I had considerable exprience during my time with mining, and was no green horn, The Kidd was a natural miner, he would stick his pick, spade or knife into every bit of mother earth to ascertain if there was any color, we not only knew fur, beasts and birds, reptiles, fish, insects, but we knew the earth over which we walked, on which we slept and so contineud for sixteen years. We were full fledged Sour Doughs. We were citizens and Claim holders.

I should also mention that I have but briefly outlined our travel, we had traveled much more than one would naturly suppose from reading these few pages, I ought to say too that We had become expert Dog-teamsters. And I need not say that not a man in Alaska nor an Indian could beat us on snow shoes.

We incidently fell in with a half breed who was looking for a husband for a half sister I made him believe I was looking for a Wife So he feel in toe. I according to his pleasure met his sister she was a cross between an Eskomo and a Mucklock, she was a charming biddy her eyes were sore, she was terrorably deformed having a large bone resembling a horn growing out of her right shoulder, she was about twenty four years old. and indians at that age are as old as white women are at fifty. if there is any beauty in Creoles, or Indians believe me it fades before they are thirty, and leaves you a homely hag.

Well Her brother told me he had heard about me and If I would consent to wed his sister he would tell me the road to a fortune. I saw he was smart and disclosed considerable truth and displayed considerable inteligence of the interior. He said he would go to that place but owing to physical inability he could not. What could a trapper from the flowery fields of the rockies, and broad basins of the Platte now of the Snow hidden mountains ice bound rivers of Alaska do but inmediately without consulting any parents—become engaged.