"_The days that are no more._"
The way you used to catch the wily muskrat years ago on the Calumet
River was to set a tooth trap in the water, in one of his runs in
summer; in winter you could skate or walk to their houses, built
of reeds, three feet high, and dome shaped, and spear them with a
three-foot spear on a pole. The skins, taken off and dried by being
stretched on willow twigs, were worth seventeen cents a piece.
Big ducks sold for two and a half to three dollars a dozen to the
dealers--canvas back, red-heads, etc.--smaller ones, Teal, blue-bills,
widgeon, butter balls, etc., for two dollars.
There were fellows there making a good living at hunting and trapping,
and some owned farms on the river bank.
The duck-shooting was the best I have had in any country. Now I
believe there is still some shooting held by clubs. The Pullman place
is where we used to shoot hundreds of birds beyond where the best
shooting house (Chittendens) used to be, where the river forks. Then
you could shoot forty miles up to the Grand Calumet and there were
lakes and swamps, flight shooting night and morning, and in the day
one could pole through the wild rice; etc., or take a stand now and
then, or land and try the ridges for prairie chicken. There were also
woodcock and snipe. Further away the pineries for deer. Still hunting,
because there were Indians who would shoot dogs; they do spoil still
hunting. You would not see the Indian as the brush was very thick. If
you do see him and shoot at him and miss him, as one of us did, it is
better not to go again. We did, and a bullet came between us and stuck
in a tree. The man I was with did not like Indians and shot at them
when he got a chance.
[Illustration: L-- and F. W. Shot With the P. of W. When He Was Here
(in Chicago), Missed His "Injin".]
[Illustration: "I'm a Simple Little Ostrich, But I Know It All,"]