170 STORY OF THE RAT AND BEAVER. 



a look of vengeance at the rat, the beaver 

 plunged once more into the water. The chase 

 was long, and many were the hair-breadth 

 escapes of the resolute beaver : but the ar- 

 dour of the hunters was not to be quenched ; 

 and tracked to the end of the lake, and thence 

 down the cataracts and rapids which mark its 

 course to the next, the exhausted animal yielded 

 its life, just as its feet touched the distant rocks 

 of the Tal-thel-leh. 



" But its spirit," said Maufelly in a low and 

 subdued tone, " still lingers about its old haunt, 

 the waters of which obey its will ; and ill fares 

 the Indian who attempts to pass it in his canoe, 

 without muttering a prayer for safety : many 

 have perished ; some bold men have escaped ; 

 but none have been found so rash as to venture 

 a second time within its power." 



Whatever may be thought of this strange 

 story, Maufelly related it with so serious an air, 

 as to leave no doubt of his own entire and un- 

 qualified faith ; and the minute circumstantiality 

 of the detail showed with what a religious care 

 he had treasured every particular. 



The woods afforded us a cheerful fire at our 

 encampment. The night was calm, and beauti- 

 fully lit up by the flitting coruscations of a bright 

 aurora ; nevertheless, impending storms were 



