244 A BIRCH-BARK CANOE TRIP 



chosen a small brook out of which to form an artificial lake with 

 infinite labour, where natural lakes were at their disposal, seemed 

 something of a mystery. Two dams had been built to the height 

 of about four feet, chiefly of mud about five feet thick at the base 

 and two at the apex ; the total length of these gigantic walls was 

 at least one hundred yards. Imagine the industry necessary for 

 such a construction. Then there were two houses composed in a 

 most skilful manner of mud and sticks, that rose to the height of 

 seven feet, and were at least twelve in diameter. The dams enclosed 

 two ponds, in each of which was a house, the upper, doubtless, 

 intended as a citadel or refuge in case of being driven from the 

 other. In the middle of their hut they have a landing, where 

 they lie with their heads together all day (like 'little boys', 

 Joe said), and their broad trowel-like tails in the water, for 

 they are nocturnal in their habits. They are said to carry mud 

 on their flat tails as well as with their forepaws pressed against 

 the body. We found some enormous beech trees felled by them 

 of nearly eighteen inches in .diameter, and a pile of food consisting 

 mostly of limbs of the beech and birch submerged in the water 

 to last through the winter. The entrances to their houses were all 

 under water, and they had numerous sallyports or holes under 

 the roots of trees, where they could find refuge in case of attack. 

 A very inhuman way of taking them is to drain off their dams and 

 send in a dog to drive them out a dog that knows well how to avoid 

 their terrible incisor teeth. The poor animals flounder helplessly 

 in the shallow water and are easily knocked on the head. Their 

 castors, or oil bags, are much prized by hunters, emitting a very 

 pungent smell ; when mixed with camphor they prove fatally 

 attractive in traps to bear and lynx. 



All along the brook we saw numerous fresh marks of moose ; 

 fresh tracks and newly bitten bushes. In fact, we once must have 

 been nearly upon a moose, for we saw the green chewed leaves he 

 had dropped from his mouth and heard him crackling in the timber 

 at some little distance, but saw him not. He had caught our 

 scent no doubt. We had just crossed some meadows that w r ere 

 well beaten with their tracks and had seen numerous marks in the 

 shingle ; so that we were startled, but hardly surprised, when on turn- 

 ing a bend we beheld before us, at about two hundred yards, a fine 

 bull and cow standing in the river. I got my rifle ready and leaped 

 into the river ; meanwhile the bull had partly hidden himself in 

 some thick growth at the bank. The bullet hit in the neck bone ; 

 he fell like a log. We pitched tent in a cosy, sheltered spot near 

 by, protected by a fine growth of hemlocks. The springy moss 

 furnished the most luxurious bed it ever has been mv lot to recline 



