20 BEAVERS—THEIR WAYS. 
branches of the creek proper. The dams averaged 
about a mile each of backwater, and were from forty to 
one hundred yards in width. Besides the strong dam 
breasts that would resist the strongest current, they had 
a series of canals leading out from the dams that turned 
the neighboring parched land into meadows from which 
a heavy crop of slough grass spread luxuriantly around 
furnishing splendid nesting ground to thousands of 
waterfowl, the like of which I never after saw repeated, 
with its appointments so perfect for breeding places for 
these wild fowl. Minks and otters found convenient 
homes for rearing their young in abandoned beaver 
houses as well as skunks, muskrats and raccoons. All 
this felicity of wild animal life could be immediately 
traced to the beavers by whose industry and forethought 
happiness and joy were given to all those who shared 
in their elysium, and lives of their progeny made secure. 
In its plain interpretation these beavers were the farm- 
ers and artisans of wild animal life. 
It being then about the middle of September the 
beavers were busy repairing any breaks that may have 
been made by spring and summer freshets or from 
other causes. They seemed methodical in their manner 
of work, and went about things in the building line 
much the same as intelligent artisans of the human kind 
would do. Tracks of small beavers would be found 
among the larger ones about the repairing places, but 
whether the ‘‘little folks’? were among their elders as 
helpers or were merely satisfying their curiosity in 
‘‘watching papa work,’’ we could not then correctly 
determine, the writer being an amateur in his calling 
and not then well versed in wild animals’ ways. 
