244 A JOURNEY TO THE 



1 77 1. [236] the wood for these purposes early in the Summer, but 



December. g^j^Q^^ j^gg'j^ ^q huM till the middle or latter end of August, 



and never complete their houses till the cold weather be set in. 



Notwithstanding what has been so repeatedly reported of 

 those animals assembling in great bodies, and jointly erecting 

 large towns, cities, and commonwealths, as they have some- 

 times been called, I am confident, from many circumstances, 

 that even where the greatest numbers of beaver are situated 

 in the neighbourhood of each other, their labours are not 

 carried on jointly in the erection of their different habitations, 

 nor have they any reciprocal interest, except it be such as live 

 immediately under the same roof; and then it extends no 

 farther than to build or keep a dam which is common to 

 several houses. In such cases it is natural to think that every 

 one who receives benefit from such dams, should assist in 

 erecting it, being sensible of its utility to all. 



Persons who attempt to take beaver in Winter should be 

 thoroughly acquainted with their manner of life, otherwise 

 they will have endless trouble to effect their purpose, and 

 probably without success in the end ; because they have 

 always a number of holes in the banks, which serve them as 

 places of retreat when any injury is offered to their houses ; 

 and in general it is in those holes that they are taken. 



[237] When the beaver which are situated in a small river 

 or creek are to be taken, the Indians sometimes find it necessary 

 to stake the river across, to prevent them from passing ; after 

 which, they endeavour to find out all their holes or places of 

 retreat in the banks. This requires much practice and ex- 

 perience to accomplish, and is performed in the following 

 manner : Every man being furnished with an ice-chisel, lashes 

 it to the end of a small staff about four or five feet long ; he 

 then walks along the edge of the banks, and keeps knocking 

 his chisels against the ice. Those who are well acquainted 

 with that kind of work well know by the sound of the ice 

 when they are opposite to any of the beavers' holes or vaults. 



