96 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



or supporting dams had to be considered. Who 

 could tell but that the main structures might at 

 any moment give way under the pressure of water, 

 or the still greater pressure of broken ice, that 

 enemy to all dams in the northern countries, 

 whether built by man or beaver ? Strong indeed 

 must be the structure that will withstand its 

 onslaught, when borne by the spring floods it 

 hurls itself at every obstacle. Well-built bridges 

 are smashed like matchwood, great trees are 

 uprooted, banks are torn down, and ponderous 

 boulders are swept before it, as creaking and 

 groaning it grinds and forces its impetuous way 

 in the company of the raging streams. The 

 beaver, knowing the possibility of such an on- 

 slaught against their dams, whether by experience, 

 instinct or reason, finally decided to erect smaller 

 dams below the main structures. Owing to the 

 narrowing of the gully it was only necessary that 

 these dams should be very short, one near the 

 larger outlet being twenty-five feet long the other 

 fifteen, but as the ground sloped suddenly they 

 had to be fairly high in proportion to their length. 

 The work was carried on regularly and without 

 difficulty, as there was very little water passing 

 down the stream and building material was every- 

 where abundant. 



Autumn stole upon the beavers while they were 

 engaged on their many tasks. The days shortened, 

 so that the increasing length of the nights gave 



