3n 



to four feet wide and three feet deep. The largest 

 ditch or canal was seven hundred and fifty feet 

 long and three feet deep throughout. This ex- 

 tended eastward, then northeasterly, and for one 

 hundred feet was five feet wide. In the remaining 

 six hundred and fifty feet it was three to four feet 

 wide. There were a number of minor ditches and 

 canals connecting the larger ones, and altogether 

 the extent of all made an impressive show in the 

 empty lake-basin. 



Meantime the old beaver had a hard winter. 

 The cold weather persisted, and finally the well 

 in which he had deposited winter food froze to 

 the bottom. Even the entrance-holes into the 

 house were frozen shut. This sealed him in. The 

 old fellow, whose teeth were worn and whose 

 claws were bad, apparently tried in vain to break 

 out. On returning from three months' absence, 

 two friends and I investigated the old beaver's 

 condition. We broke through the frozen walls of 

 the house and crawled in. The old fellow was 

 still alive, though greatly emaciated. For some 

 time I know not how long he had subsisted 

 on the wood and the bark of some green sticks 



104 







