THE PERSISTENT BEAVER 49 



beavers probably were making the best of a bad 

 situation. 



Two days after the attack from the lion the 

 beavers commenced cutting trees about fifty 

 yards north of their pond. The beavers took 

 pains to clear a trail or log road over which to 

 drag their felled trees to the pond. Two fallen 

 tree trunks were gnawed into sections, and one 

 section of each rolled out of the way. A two-foot 

 opening was cleared through a tongue of wil- 

 lows, and the cuttings dragged into the pond 

 and placed on top of the food-pile. 



One morning a number of abandoned cut- 

 tings along this cleared way told that the har* 

 vesters had been put to flight. No work was 

 done during the three following nights. Tracks 

 in the mud showed that a lion was prowling 

 about. 



Pioneer dangers and hardships are the lot of 

 beaver colonists. The history of every old 

 beaver house is full of stirring interest. The 

 house and the dam must have constant care. 

 Forest fires or other uncontrollable accidents 

 may force the abandonment of the colony at a 

 time when the conditions for travelling are 

 deadly, or when travelling must be done across 

 the country. A score may leave the old home, 

 but only a few survive the journey to the new 

 home site. 



