384 HISTORY OF 



perpendicular, like our walls ; and that declivity, which, at the 

 bottom, or basis, is about twelve feet broad, diminishes towards 

 the top, where it is no more than two feet broad, or thereabouts. 

 The materials whereof this mole consists, are wood and clay. ■ 

 The beavers cut, with surprising ease, large pieces of wood, 

 some as thick as one's arm or thigh, and about four, five, or six 

 feet in length, or sometimes more, according as the slope as- 

 cends. They drive one end of these stakes into the ground, at 

 a small distance one from the other, intermingling a few witL 

 them that are smaller and more pliant. As the water, however, 

 would find a passage through <-he intervals or spaces betweer 

 them, and leave the reservoir dry, they have recourse to a clay 

 which they know where to find, and with which they stop up all 

 the cavities both within and without, so that the water is duly 

 confined. They continue to raise the dike in proportion to the 

 elevation of the water, and the plenty which they have of it. 

 They are conscious, likewise, that the conveyance of their ma- 

 terials by land would not be so easily accomplished as by water ; 

 and therefore they take the advantage of its increase, and swim 

 with their mortar on their tails, and their stakes between their 

 teeth, to the place where there is most occasion for them. 

 If their works are, either by the force of the water, or the feet 

 of the huntsmen who run over them, in the least damnified, the 

 breach is instantly made up ; every nook and corner of the habi- 

 tation is reviewed, and, with the utmost diligence and application, 

 perfectly repaired. But when they find the huntsmen visit 

 them too often, they work only in the night-time, or else 

 abandon their works entirely, and seek out for some safer situa- 

 tion. 



The dike or mole, being thus completed, their next care is to 

 erect their several apartments, which are either round or oval, 

 and divided into three stories, one raised above the other : the 

 first below the level of the causey, which is for the most part 

 full of water ; the other two above it. This little fabric is 

 built in a very firm and substantial manner, on the edge of their 

 reservoir, and always in such divisions or apartments as above 

 mentioned ; that in case of the water's increase, they may move 

 up a story higher, and be no ways incommoded. If they find 

 any little island contiguous to their reservoir, they fix their man- 

 6ion there, which is then more solid; and not so frequently ex- 



