110 CANADIAN WILDS. 



about sundown, and seeing a great commotion 

 on the surface of the water a few hundred yards 

 out, jumped into my canoe and quietly paddled 

 out. As I drew near, I noticed two black ob- 

 jects engaged in a deadly conflict. Although 

 they must have observed the canoe, they paid no 

 attention, but continued the fight, sometimes 

 disappearing beneath the surface, fast to each 

 other, for a full minute. 



When within gunshot, I made out the com- 

 battants to be an otter and a beaver, and could 

 have despatched the two with one shot, only I 

 could plainly see they were both very much ex- 

 hausted, and I wished to see which would gain 

 the day. 



The end was nearer than I expected. Once 

 more they disappeared beneath the waters, each 

 maintaining the same deadly grip of the other's 

 neck; a few moments later the beaver floated to 

 the surface on its back, dead. I looked about 

 for the otter, and saw him swimming toward the 

 shore, bleeding profusely from many wounds 

 and evidently hurt to the death. I followed, 

 however, with my gun full cocked, ready if need 

 be to shoot him; but the beaver's long, sharp, 

 spade-like teeth had done their work well, for 

 the otter all at once rose half out of the water, 

 pawed about for a minute in a blind way, turned 



