210 SKETCH OF THE NATURAL 



and the other end on the ground, on the inside of the dam. 

 In order that the blocks may not be suddenly removed or car- 

 ried off (by a fresh] before the dam be finished, they bind 

 them together with brush, as they lay them down, so that the 

 blocks are, in a manner, interwoven in the brush. 



Satisfied, that the work so far, is good, they cut roots, small 

 brush (rushes and long grass, if at hand,) and by means of mud 

 or clay, fill up, and daub over, all holes or places, through 

 which the water has a passage : so that when it is finished, it 

 has the appearance of having been made by the hands of man. 



They chuse a proper depth of water where they build their 

 houses; both for safety and for an easy conveyance of food. 

 The houses are built of brush, roots and mud (or clay), well 

 covered, and secured against the rain, by being rounded oft' at 

 the top. Their apartments are perfectly dry, being above high- 

 water mark. The inside is daubed very smooth. Their beds 

 are made of shavings, which they draw tjrom wood, with their 

 teeth, and resemble the finest shavings that have been carefully 

 drawn with a drawing knife. One house will contain horn 

 eight to nine beavers, young and old together. They have se- 

 veral passages into their apartments. There are sometimes a* 

 many as eight houses in one dam; yet every family is by itself. 



They never work at broad-day. In the mornings and even- 

 ings they do all their work, both in building, repairing, en- 

 larging the dam, and also in cutting down trees, and digging 

 roots, for provision. They eat no fish, nor make use of any 

 animal food whatever. The bark of Aspin (and another spe- 

 cies of Aspin), the bark of the Shcilbark-Hickcry, the Sassa- 

 fras entire, and occasionally the bark of the Willow, consti- 

 tute their principal food, in the winter season. In the spring 

 and summer, they feed on a certain root, which has an agree- 

 able smell. 



The Beaver is a very cleanly animal, and cannot bear any 

 tiling dirty, or any thing that has a disagreeable smell, abou$ 

 them. Sassafras-bark, nutmeg and Fennel-seed, soaked in 

 rum, or any other sweet or well-scented article, make the bes* 

 bait for catching them. 



