RESULTS OF BEAVERS' WORK 149 



down the Arrow Head Lakes and by way of the 

 Crow's Nest Pass east again over the main Hne." 



It is fairly safe to presume that the builders of 

 the large dam had been killed some time ago, so 

 that the structure, no longer in repair, broke under 

 the pressure of the water. And yet the railway 

 people are bitterly opposed to beavers being allowed 

 to exist, because occasionally the animals dam the 

 culverts, and so raise the water against the railroad 

 embankments. No credit is given to them for the 

 thousands of floods which they have prevented. 

 The evil and not the good is noticed and the animals 

 are condemned without a fair hearing. Their side 

 of the case is too often entirely disregarded, and the 

 sentence of death is pronounced to the misfortune 

 of all concerned. I have frequently heard it argued 

 by those interested in the lumber industries of 

 Canada that the beaver should be killed off because 

 they destroy so much timber. Even to the casual 

 observer such an argument must appear little less 

 than ridiculous. If the beaver is to be condemned 

 on that score what might be said of the lumber- 

 man whose reckless waste of timber is apparent to 

 all who visit the northern woods. But that is not 

 a subject for this book. Our interest is in the 

 beaver. Of course they cut down trees, cut them 

 down in order that they may have food, just as the 

 lumberman does that he and his family may live 

 and earn a decent livelihood. The question is what 

 sort of trees the beaver cut, and are they responsible 



I 



