northern trapping trail which for some distance followed the valley of
Beaver River, upon the bank of which traps, snares, and deadfalls for
bears were set. Along that section of the river there were also traps
set for otters, beavers, and muskrats; but the hunting of these
amphibious animals was pursued with more diligence in the spring than
in the winter. Though we hauled a hunting toboggan, the snow was not
yet deep enough for snowshoes, but what a feast of reading the forest
afforded us! What tragedies were written in the snow! Here we
followed a mink's track as it skirted the river bank that wound in and
out among the trees, showing that the mink had leaped here, crouched
there, or had been scratching beyond in the snow. Evidently it was in
search of food. Presently we noticed another track, that of an ermine.
The two trails were converging. Now, apparently, the mink had seen its
enemy, and, therefore, in order to get past the ermine and escape
trouble, it had increased its speed. At this point the ermine had
spied it and had redoubled its speed. Now they had both bounded along
with all their might. But as ill-fate would have it, they had met. A
violent struggle had ensued. Blood was spattered upon the snow. From
the battle-ground only one trail led away. It was that of the ermine.
But though the snow was marked by the footprints of only one animal,
the trail of two tails plainly showed. It was evident that the ermine
had seized its victim by the throat and throwing it over its back, had
carried it away. Many other tracks of beasts and birds were printed
upon the snow and told in vivid detail stories of life in the winter
wilderness.

Beaver River was now frozen firmly enough to bear a man, except in a
few places where rapid water kept the ice thin or left the stream open;
and as we tramped along we examined a number of traps, from two of
which we took an otter and a beaver. But the bear and the wolf traps