BEAVER DAMS. 127 



two sections. The work of chopping was also con- 

 tinued, as we found it necessary to cat down and 

 remove all the trees for twenty-five feet in width 

 along the entire front of the dam, as well as from the 

 triangular space in front of each scaffold station. 

 Besides this, the dark tent for preparing the plates 

 was also erected. When, at a late hour, we sat down 

 to our dinner, in this secluded place, our party of nine 

 men, with their camps under the shade of the tall 

 tamaracks, and the great dam stretching across from 

 hill to hill, presented quite a novel spectacle. 



The next day, Thursday, came out clear and bright, 

 and we commenced early. Section two was first taken, 

 and the attempt proved successful; then section one, 

 and after that section three, with equal success. After 

 this, the fourth plate was tried and failed; three other 

 plates of the same section were also successively tried 

 and failed; whereupon, at four o'clock, we gave up 

 for the day, except the work of chopping and clear- 

 ing, which were continued to the last hour of our 

 stay. 



About ten o'clock that night it clouded up, and 

 soon thereafter we had wind and rain. Friday morn- 

 ing came in with fog and mist, which lasted through- 

 out the day, with a breaking up toward evening, but 

 no sun. We took two other plates of section four, 

 and decided to keep the last. On the afternoon of 

 this day I made a new and careful measurement of 

 the dam, with the result given below, and also opened 

 and measured the two lodges appurtenant to the 

 structure. The next day would be Saturday, and our 

 last chance, and we had three plates yet to take. 

 As we were six miles from the nearest habitation 



