372 EARLY NOTICES OF THE BEAVER. 



cupied the place, standing on the British side of the river. "Whilst he 

 stood there, watching closely, a bird flew on the American side, he 

 stooped and picked up a stone to throw at it ; his attention being thus 

 drawn away from the narrow passage the beaver had an opportunity 

 to dart down the rapids, Nanahbozho threw the stone hastily at the 

 bird, and then renewed the chase. This stone is to be seen at the present 

 day on a sandy beach at the other end of Lake Michigan, being about 

 thirty feet in diameter, where it is the solitary one on the beach. 

 The next place selected by the great hunter is a narrow channel between 

 Manitoulin Island and the mainland, where he took up his position at 

 Ahssine muddwawa, called by the French, La Cloche. He had hardly got 

 there when the beaver showed its head in the middle of the channel. Its 

 pursuer hurled his spear at it, but missing his aim, the weapon went 

 beyond his reach, and being in a great hurry, he did not wish to lose 

 time in going for it. This celebrated spear is also to be seen at present 

 in the shape of a mountain having two peaks, about twenty miles 

 from the place whence it was thrown. About two hours after, he 

 caught the beaver in the Ottawa, and dashed its head on the rocky 

 banks of the river, where the Indians say the marks of blood are still 

 to be seen. 



"When a beaver kitten as it is called, is taken young, it is easily 

 tamed, and seems to throw off its natural habits and to abandon most 

 of its wild instincts, almost as readily as the dog ; and with a much 

 shorter training. In " The gardens and menagerie of the Zoological 

 Society, delineated," a highly interesting account is given of Binny, a 

 tame beaver, domesticated by Mr. Broderip, and which developed its 

 building instincts in the construction of dwellings and imaginary dams 

 for its self with books, brushes, boots, shoes, and whatever lay within its 

 reach. It proved an exceedingly affectionate and entertaining favourite. 

 It does not however, appear to have manifested its peculiar instincts in 

 the destructive form they frequently assume in captivity. A gentleman 

 resident in Lower Canada, informs me, that he had a tame beaver which 

 used to play with the children like a kitten, but as is commonly the 

 case, it took to gnawing furniture, I am indebted to my friend Mr. 

 John Langton for the following account of another tame beaver, domes- 

 ticated under different circumstances. The owner of this beaver had 

 no furniture to gnaw, being an old trader married to a squaw, and 

 living more like an Indian than a white man. " His favourite was quite 

 tame, and very playful, and though he lived on the shore of Buckhoru 



