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  Transcriber's Note

  The punctuation and spelling from the original text have been faithfully
  preserved. Only obvious typographical errors have been corrected.


  BLACK BEAVER
  THE TRAPPER

  The Only Book Ever
  Written by a Trapper

  TWENTY-TWO YEARS WITH
  BLACK BEAVER

  LEWIS AND CLARK
  A HUNDRED YEARS LATER

  _FROM THE AMAZON_
  _TO THE MACKENZIE RIVERS_



COPYRIGHTED BY GEO. EDWARD LEWIS.

YEAR 1911.

[Illustration: "THE FOUNDERS OF THE FIRST ARCTIC ALASKAN EDUCATIONAL
EXHIBITION."]

[Illustration: BLACK BEAVER AS ARCTIC JIM AT CAMP NEAR MT. McKINLEY]




THE AUTHOR'S EXCUSE.


I am both sorry and glad to inform my readers--that I can neither read
nor write.

It would seem absurd for a blind man to study the stars, Or for a deaf
man to study music; so it might seem to you absurd for a man who cannot
write to write a book. But I have an excuse for writing these events.
The President of Mexico; and the Governor of Alaska together with
several hundreds between, equally as popular have urged me to write my
history. I am sorry I cannot write this with my own fingers but I have a
substitute in my old back-woods chum--The Kidd. Who by the way--neither
writes very flourishing, because he like myself has done the most of his
writing with his six-shooter; because you know this a more expressive
way of talking and a more impressive way of writing. I have a brother
who is a real educated gentleman, he tried to dissuade me from
publishing my history because I think he is afraid he will be outshone
by literary merit. I have no ambition to outshine him, nor William
Shakespere nor any other erudite. I have a very limited vocabulary, and
since swearing and smoking are not allowed in print, I shall have to
loose the biggest half of that. I shall omit foreign language, I could
assault you with Mex--or Siwash but I fear you could not survive the
battery. So I shall confine myself to simple speech, such as I have used
in all lands. From Gotch my bronco to Arctic my dog. It has served me
since I was six summers old It served me amid the bells of Peru and then
afar amid the Agate Eyed squaws of The Kuskokwim; and this ought to be a
good excuse.--Yours truly

  J.C. LEWIS.




INTRODUCTORY.


I have undertaken the arduous task of rewriting that which was never
written. My charge was "fix it up but do not change it." These words
were hurled at me one morning at four o'clock in the month of April, as
my big brother boarded the Overland Limited bound for the Iditarod
Alaska. He had in that far-away region five-hundred skins in cache which
he had taken from the backs of the costiliest animals that ran in
northland world. In various parts of Alaska Black Beaver had treasures
which he was now intent upon gathering to fit up an outfit to be known
as "The Arctic Alaskan Educational Exhibition" Perhaps no other man in
this country can tell such amusing and beneficial stories about travels,
fatigue and furs As the Author of this book. This was the creative force
which suggested the organization of this party. Black Beaver has
traveled as no other man ever traveled in Alaska, four times in as many
years he crossed the entire country by dog-team in a diagonal way from
Dawson to Point Barrow and from Gnome to The mouth of the Mackinzie
river. Being able to speak several indian dialects, he was able converse
with Siwash, Mucklock, Malimouth and other types getting the most
valuable kind of information. You have never read a book written by a
trapper. Usually some smooth gent makes up a romance and puts them in
other mouths--but this is not true of this book. It is a true experience
of the life and labors of the Author. Respectfully submitted Sept 1911.

GEO. EDWARD LEWIS.




BLACK BEAVER THE TRAPPER.


At the age of four years I began to pick up arms against small birds and
animals. At the age of five I began to trap around my father's
corn-shocks. When I reached my sixth year my father bought me a dog and
he was my constant companion for many years. At the age of five years I
began to make Bows and arrows, and cross guns, likewise sling shots. My
first experience was with by bros, George and Lee in killing a
woodchuck. And from this time my adventures began to multiply. All kinds
of small animals fell before my accurate aim.

My adventursome father had crossed the great plains as early as 1846. He
was thrilled to the core with the bold and desperate experiences of the
wild western world. On his way he met and formed the acquaintance Of
several of the noted trappers and explorers, as well as the acquaintance
of the most daring and dangerous savages that ever rode the arena of the
Great American Desert.

My chief joy from in fancy was to have my father tell me his dangerous