146 A BEAVER SETTLEMENT. 



the surface of the lake, and at one extremity the waters 

 fell with pleasant murmur over a dam constructed of 

 the stems and branches of small trees. 



It was a beaver settlement, and the lake was the 

 result of the labours of the busy community, which 

 had obstructed the stream and caused it to overflow its 

 banks. None of the animals were visible ; but as the 

 hunters pushed their way through the tangled masses 

 of fern which margined the water, several heavy 

 plunges were heard, and the ripples upon the -quiet 

 bosom of the lake showed the direction taken by the 

 beavers towards the subaqueous entrances of their 

 dwellings. 



This settlement was not a large one, as scarcely a 

 dozen houses were to be seen; but Jake said that 

 during the summer beavers would leave their ordinary 

 place of abode and ramble off to a considerable distance, 

 leading a vagabond existence for some months, when 

 they would again return to head-quarters. He was 

 inclined to think, from the size of the dam, that it 

 must have been constructed by a greater number of 

 animals than one could infer from the number of 

 lodges, and that consequently many members of the 

 community were away on their holiday. 



But what could account for the absence of their 

 houses ? This difficulty was suggested by Pierre. If 

 the beavers had existed here a short time before, and 

 had left the place temporarily, their houses would 

 remain as evidence of their habitual residence. 



