INCIDENTS OF STILL-HUNTING 235 



slowly along, and struck it through the ribs. Another shot 

 was unnecessary, but he fired again for practice, and the stag, 

 after running a few yards, fell dead. 



This was McGaw's first trophy, which means much to the 

 man who has shot it ; so, after taking the head and neck skin, 

 we cleaned the carcase and left it for the future consumption 

 of our packers. 



After the midday rest and meal we kept on until night- 

 fall, when, finding a fine wood of birch, we made camp for the 

 night, after going about fifteen miles. Close to camp was a 

 large backwater, cut off from the main river by the finest 

 beaver dam I have ever seen. 



The amount of work which had been effected by these 

 clever animals was tremendous. By the sides of the main 

 pool were large timber roads, along which the beavers had 

 dragged their birch logs, and then slid them down the muddy- 

 banks. Fully an acre had been cut down, and the remnants 

 of their forays lay in all directions. Following up the main 

 lake we discovered another small one, and at once detected 

 the beavers' house on the other side. Whilst we looked 

 and admired the ingenuity of the whole construction, two of 

 the occupants suddenly appeared and commenced swimming 

 slowly up and down. Both were adult animals, and did not 

 seem at all shy as they came and surveyed us with cocked 

 ears within thirty yards. 



"There are about twenty live here," said Joe, "and I could 

 catch them all when I like, if it warn't for de law." Which 

 proves that the Indians do respect the game laws when they 

 are just. 



In the time of Cormack (1822) beaver were numerous all 

 over the central part of the island ; but constant molestation, 

 both by white men and Indians, had made them so scarce that 



