NORTHERN OCEAN. 
tice and experience to accomplifh, and is perform- 
ed in the following manner: Every man being 
| furnifhed with an ice-chifel, lafhes it to the end 
| of a {mall ftaff about four or five feet long; he 
then walks along the edge of the banks, and 
keeps knocking his chifels againft the ice. Thofe 
who are well acquainted with that kind of work 
well know by the found of the ice when they 
are oppofite to any of the beaver’ holes or vaults. 
As foon as they fufpect any, they cut a hole 
through the ice big enough to admit an old bea- 
ver; and in this manner proceed till they have 
found out all their places of retreat, or at leaft as 
many of them as poffible. While the principal 
men are thus employed, fome of the underftrap- 
pers, and the women, are bufy in breaking open 
the houfe, which at times is no eafy tafk ; for I 
have frequently known thefe houfes to be five 
and fix feet thick; and one in particular, was 
more than eight feet thickonthecrown. When 
the beaver find that their habitations are invaded, 
they fly to their holes in the banks for fhelter ; 
and on being perceived by the Indians, which is 
eafily done, by attending to the motion of the wa- 
ter, they block up the entrance with ftakes of 
wood, and then haul the beaver out of its hole, 
_ either by hand, if they can reach it, or with a 
large hook made for that purpofe, which is faften- 
ed to the end of a long ftick. 
In this kind of hunting, every man has the fole 
right to all the beaver caught by him in the holes 
or 
si 
1771. 
December, 
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