14 BEAVERS—THEIR WAYS 
water, and this part is sufficiently capacious to contain 
eight or ten inhabitants. Each beaver has his place 
assigned him, the floor of which he curiously strews 
with leaves, or small branches of the pine tree, so as to 
render it clean and comfortable; and their cabins are 
all situated so contiguous to each other, as to allow of 
an easy communication. The winter never surprises 
these animals before their buisness is completed; for by 
the latter end of September their houses are finished 
and their stock of provisions is generally laid in. 
These consist of small pieces of wood whose texture 
is soft, such as the poplar, the aspin, or willow, etc: 
which they lay up in piles, and dispose of in such man™ 
ner as to preserve their moisture. Was I to enumerate 
every instance of sagacity that is to be discovered in 
these animals, they would fill a volume, and prove not 
only entertaining but instructing.’’ 
