222 THE AMERICAN BEAVER. 



a manner so exactly agreeing with it that he felt per- 

 suaded it was the same beaver. This would have 

 made him not less than eleven years old. He had 

 also seen others apparently several years older than 

 this. From such imperfect data as they possess, the 

 Indians believe he lives from twelve to fifteen years. 

 Young beavers are easily domesticated; and al- 

 though active and mischievous, they are affectionate 

 and harmless. When captured very young, the In- 

 dian women, if they desire their preservation, nurse 

 them until they are old enough to feed upon bark. At 

 six weeks of age, a young beaver will wean itself and 

 take to bark. When brought up in an Indian family 

 they become very much attached to all its members, 

 and are entirely contented in their domesticated con- 

 dition. A Missouri trapper mentioned to me the cir- 

 cumstance of a young beaver captured by his partner, 

 and nursed by the wife of the latter, who was an In- 

 dian woman, that followed them on their trapping 

 rounds, wherever they went, for several successive 

 years. They shifted their camp frequently, and 

 moved long distances, always taking the beaver with 

 them as one of the family. When they commenced 

 breaking up their camp he understood the movement 

 immediately, and showed, by unmistakable signs, his 

 desire to accompany them. After securing two packs 

 upon a horse, he was placed on top, between them, 

 which was his usual place, and rode for miles, from 

 camp to camp, on many different occasions. When- 

 ever they stopped, he fed himself upon bark, but he 

 would eat their food as well. He soon manifested a 

 great passion for sugar, and whenever it was shown 

 to him he was extremely troublesome until his desire 



