90 CANADIAN WILDS. 



On the shore of this barricade he cleared 

 away the ice and snow, making an opening 

 about the size of a barrel head, and then he 

 paused, and pointing to the water, said, "See 

 that! That's the beaver breathing!" This way 

 shown by the water's surface gently rising and 

 falling. 



He now took off his coat, and baring his 

 right arm up to the shoulder he gave me the 

 ice chisel and told me to pierce the ground 

 where the dogs were pointing. I had hardly 

 given a blow or two before I saw Wa-sa-Kejic 

 stoop over thfc hole and plunge his naked arm 

 into the water. Instantly it was withdrawn, 

 and a big fat beaver, securely seized by the tail, 

 was struggling in his grasp. A blow of his axe 

 on the spine finished him in quick order, and 

 this was repeated from time to time as I con- 

 tinued to enlarge the hole where the beavers 

 were huddled together under the roots. 



We got six out of this wash, and two out of 

 another, which constituted all that were in the 

 lake. Two each made a very good load for us 

 going home, and the next day I sent a man with 

 a flat sled to bring home the remaining four. 



The three principal modes of killing beavers 

 are by shooting, trapping, trenching. 



