CHESELLING AND SHOOTING BEAVER. 143 



The dog's share of the work is to travel 

 around the lake and scent the beaver under 

 the frozen bank. He is trained not to give 

 tongue, he merely points and sets his head on 

 one side, then the other. Both our dogs are 

 now pointing and we hastened over to the spot. 

 A hole is chisselled in the ice close to shore and 

 a crooked stick inserted. This stick is cut at 

 the commencement of the hunt, is about seven 

 feet long, and has a natural curve, almost as 

 much as a half moon. The end of the stick is 

 moved about, it slips up under the bank; this 

 is the entrance to the "wash." We cut the hole 

 in the ice larger and then watch the water. If 

 the beavers (or even one) are up in the bank 

 there is a perceptible rise and fall of the water 

 at the opening. We then set to work to fence 

 in the entrance to the "wash" with sticks. This 

 done, the ice is cut away inside the stakes, a 

 couple of feet square. 



All is now ready for the test. The Indian 

 bares his arm up to the arm pit. He gets down 

 on his knees over the hole and watches, while I 

 go up a few feet from the bank and drive the 

 chisel into the ground. This disturbs the beaver 

 and he makes a mad drive to get out to the lake. 

 The pickets bring him up, and while he is turn- 

 ing about, puzzled and bewildered, the Indian 

 dashes his arm into the water and seizing the 



