TIMMER

Timber \Tim"ber\, n. [Probably the same word as timber sort of wood; cf. Sw. timber, LG. timmer, MHG. zimber, G. zimmer, F. timbre, LL. timbrium. Cf. Timmer.] (Com.) A certain quantity of fur skins, as of martens, ermines, sables, etc., packed between boards; being in some cases forty skins, in others one hundred and twenty; -- called also timmer. [Written also timbre.]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

timmer \Tim"mer\, n. Same as 1st Timber. [Scot.]

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This doesn't look very good in the context unless it means they were bludgeoned with something made of wood. From the context, I would have guessed it meant something like "smell fear".

Cheers!
Ian