popular of these, and from it was compounded the 

 great cure-all. The skin of the beaver was thought 

 to be an excellent preventive of colic and con- 

 sumption; the fat of the beaver efficient in apo- 

 plexy and epilepsy, to stop spasms, and for various 

 afflictions of the nerves. Powdered beaver teeth 

 were often given in soup for the prevention of 

 many diseases. The castoreum of the beaver was 

 considered a most efficient remedy for earache, 

 deafness, headache, and gout, for the restoring of 

 the memory and the cure of insanity. Next in 

 importance to its skin, the beaver was valued for 

 the castoreum it yielded. 



The old hunters, trappers, and first settlers fore- 

 cast with confidence the weather from the actions 

 of the beaver. This animal was credited with 

 being weather-wise to a high degree. From his 

 actions the nature of the oncoming winter was 

 predicted, and plans to meet it were made accord- 

 ingly. Faith in the beaver's actions and activities 

 as a basis for weather-forecasting'was almost abso- 

 lute. If the beaver began work early, the winter 

 was to begin early. If the beaver laid up a large 

 harvest, covered the house deeply with mud, and 

 44 



