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The old routine of trapping even among the great rocky mountains grew stale, so I decided that I would go back to upper Michigan locate Long Knife, and Shopnegon and trap on the Stergeon River. So Clark and I set out from North Platte in September and arrived in Gladstone after four days traveling.
We trapped together on the Indian river following down into lower michigan we also trapped the dead stream, Ausable, Tobacco and into the Houghton lake country here Shopnegon christened me as Black Beaver for I had actually trapped one. this was the only Black Beaver Shopnegon had ever seen and the only one I ever saw and I have seen some.
Shopnegon taught me the crafts of Camping and sleeping without catching cold, how to travel without a compass by the stars; and when it was dark and cloudy how to keep from circling around. he taught me how to skin all kinds of game, and how to make sinew for thred, and awls to sew with and explained roots for indigestion; and leaves for constipation.
It so occurred that Chief Long Knife was in town and that same day we counciled on the winter work and decided to go together as Shopnegon was too old. We made a great catch of mink, marten, otter and lynx. The kid spent his winter with us enjoying every day and night, he skined cooked and made snow shoes, loaded shells and did many other odd jobs.
After loosing my Pal I began to learn to face the wilderness alone. Nero my Dog, my associate from infancy was killed by a wolf and I was left alone. When whiteman seemed to fail fate overcame me in the form of an indian. This indian was the famous Shopnegon.
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