ents. They fly in swarms of thousands, and go for their
victim "en masse" and the face, hands and neck are soon covered as
if with "hay seed." They stick where they first light, and commence
operations immediately. All endeavors to shake them off are fruitless,
and their combined attacks are soon most painfully realized. Their
bites produce great redness and swelling, and the itching is most
intolerable. Happily for the woodsman, the "smudge"
[Page 257]
and pennyroyal ointment are effectual preventives against the attacks
of both midgets and black flies, as well as mosquitoes; and no one
who values his life or good looks should venture on a woodland
excursion in the summer months without a supply of this latter
commodity. In conclusion, we would remark that, to the mosquito
the blood of the intemperate seems to have a special attraction,
and anyone who wishes to enjoy comparative freedom from the attacks
of these pests, should abstain from the use of alcoholic stimulants.
It is a too prevalent idea among trappers that whiskey and rum are
necessary adjuncts to a trapping campaign, and many a trapper would
about as soon think of leaving his traps at home as his whisky bottle.
This is all a mistake. Anyone who has not sufficient strength of
constitution to withstand the hardships and exposures of a trapping
life, without the especial aid of stimulants, should stay at home.
We are now alluding to the _habitual_ use of such stimulants. It
is always well to be provided with a flask of whisky or brandy,
in case of illness, but it should only be resorted to in such an
event. For a mere chill, we recommend the use of red pepper tea. A
simple swallow of this drink, (made simply by soaking a red pepper
in a cup of hot water) will restore warmth much quicker than three
times the amount of any alcoholic stimulant. It is not our purpose to
extend into a lengthened temperance lecture, but only to discourage
the wide-spread idea that _stimulants_ are _necessities_ in the
life of the trapper. Midgets, musquitoes and punkeys delight over
a victim with alcohol in his veins, and while to a healthy subject
the bites are of only brief annoyance, to the intemperate they
often result in painful, obstinate sores.

[Illustration]

In addition to the various ointments used, it is well to be provided
with a head-net, such as we illustrate. Nets of this kind are specially
made for sportsmen, and consist of a spiral wire framework, covered
with