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Three Nights in The
Wilderness
A week after school finished
a whole bunch of people and I went camping back at
Kayakutaq. There was a total of 6 boats: Vernon's boat,
Boliver's boat, Angeline Coffee's boat, and both Patty and
Alan had their own little boats. We all left Marshall
approximately the same time. It took us about an hour and a
half to reach the camping ground. As soon as we landed the
boat, we unloaded and packed all the necessary items up to
the land. After everyone was squared away with the tents and
everything, we ate a quick meal and off we went again. The
Boliver crew went out egg hunting and the rest of us went
both egg hunting and animal hunting. We took the same slough
we used to get to the camping area but just kept on going.
On our way, we saw a beaver and chased after it. The poor
nervous thing kept diving every time we spotted it, so we
left it alone and kept traveling. Minutes later we saw
another one, but this time it was bigger and we were hungry
so we didn't give it a chance. Flora, J.B. and I were ready
to shoot. As soon as we spotted the beaver we all shot at it
and I guess we all hit it because it died. We were like"WOW" because
this beaver was big! After we pulled it in we all decided that J.B.
should have it. He was so proud he painted
big smiles all over his face.
We continued our ride, and
there ahead were five swimming ducks. I got excited and just
pulled the trigger and off they flew. Since the night was
getting nearer and nearer we slowly idled back to the
camping spot. On our way we saw only six or seven ducks. The
night was getting cold so we speeded up the engine and
almost in a blink we had already anchored the boat. By that
time everyone was back and already digging in the grub boxes
or cooking their catch.
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Not long after morning came
we were off again back to the wilderness. That day I caught
a beaver. It was almost as if it were in slow motion. We
popped up in this one lonely looking slough and way up front
I spotted something black and moving slowly in the water. I
warned the others and they all took one glance at the
animal. Then I aimed and shot it. Blood splattered all
around it, then I grabbed its feet. But I could not pull it
in, it was so heavy. So I got some help from J.B. and we
went back to the camp.
Later that night I went out
muskrat hunting with Jerry and some other boys. The moon
light was shining all over and the water was glittering, but
I thought it was a wasted trip because all we got was one
lousy muskrat. From far away we could see the flames of the
campfire. When we returned, everyone was skinning their
catch. But I was too lazy to skin mine that night, so the
first thing I did when I got up in the morning was skin my
beaver. By the time I was done, everyone else's boat was off
for home. We were the last to leave. But the ride was calm
and relaxing. That was a fun and exciting trip for us
all.
By: Maureen Fitka
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Marshall
Cultural Atlas
