NORTHERN OCEAN 245 



As soon as they suspect any, they cut a hole through the ice 1771. 

 big enough to admit an old beaver ; and in this manner pro- 

 ceed till they have found out all their places of retreat, or at 

 least as many of them as possible. While the principal men 

 are thus employed, some of the understrappers, and the women, 

 are busy in breaking open the house, which at times is no easy 

 task ; for I have frequently known these houses to be five and 

 six feet thick ; and one in particular, was more than eight feet 

 thick on the crown. When the beaver find that their habita- 

 tions are invaded, they fly to their holes in the banks for 

 shelter ; and on being perceived by the Indians, which is easily 

 done, by attending to the motion of the water, they block up 

 the entrance with stakes of wood, and then haul the beaver 

 out of its hole, either by hand, if they can reach it, or with a 

 large hook [238] made for that purpose, which is fastened to 

 the end of a long stick. 



In this kind of hunting, every man has the sole right to 

 all the beaver caught by him in the holes or vaults ; and as 

 this is a constant rule, each person takes care to mark such as 

 he discovers, by sticking up the branch of a tree, or some other 

 distinguishing post, by which he may know them. All that 

 are caught in the house also are the property of the person 

 who finds it. 



The same regulations are observed, and the same process 

 used in taking beaver that are found in lakes and other 

 standing waters, except it be that of staking the lake across, 

 which would be both unnecessary and impossible. Taking 

 beaver-houses in these situations is generally attended with 

 less trouble and more success than in the former. 



The beaver is an animal which cannot keep under water 

 long at a time ; so that when their houses are broke open, and 

 all their places of retreat discovered, they have but one choice 

 left, as it may be called, either to be taken in their houses or 

 their vaults : in general they prefer the latter ; for where there 

 is one beaver caught in the house, many thousands are taken 



