The Home of the Wolverene and Beaver. 237 



from the factory) for some weeks, and had com- 

 mitted many depredations on the game caught in 

 their traps and snares, as well as eaten many foxes 

 that were killed by guns set for that purpose ; but 

 the wolverene was too cunning to take either trap 

 or gun himself. The people knowing the mis- 

 chievous disposition of those animals, took (as they 

 thought) the most effectual method to secure the 

 remains of their provisions, which they did not 

 choose to carry home, and accordingly tied it up in 

 bundles and placed it on the top of the wood-pile 

 (about two miles from their tent), little thinking 

 the wolverene would find it out ; but to their great 

 surprise, when they returned to their tent after the 

 holidays, they found the pile of wood in the state 

 already mentioned, though some of the trees that 

 composed it were as much as two men could carry. 

 The only reason the people could give for the 

 animal doing so much mischief was, that in his 

 attempting to carry off the booty, some of the 

 small parcels of provisions had fallen down into 

 the heart of the pile, and sooner than lose half his 

 prize, he pursued the above method till he had 

 accomplished his ends. The bags of flour, oatmeal, 

 and pease, though of no use to him, he tore all to 

 pieces, and scattered the contents about on the 

 snow ; but every bit of animal food, consisting of 



