32 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



be safe from attack. Whether or not we are 

 correct in our surmise, we know that the dams 

 are built and that they represent by far the most 

 conspicuous work accomplished by any living 

 animal. As feats of engineering skill they must 

 command our highest respect, as examples of 

 industry they are difficult to excel, and as an 

 exhibition of intelligence they are only equalled 

 or perhaps surpassed by the extraordinary, though 

 less conspicuous, canals which are planned and 

 constructed by the same animals. 



There have been many fabulous accounts of 

 beaver dams, in the most ridiculous of which the 

 animal has been accredited with " driving stakes 

 as thick as a man's leg into the ground three or 

 four feet deep " and with making regular hurdles 

 on the dams. In fact there has been no limit to 

 the fanciful stories on the subject. Even the 

 generally accurate accounts of Father Joseph 

 Jouvency, S.J. (1610 13), from whom I have 

 already quoted, bear evidence of slight exaggeration. 

 He says, in describing the dams : " If they find 

 any river suitable for their purposes, except in 

 having sufficient depth, they build a dam to keep 

 back the water until it rises to the required height. 

 And first by gnawing them, they fell trees of large 

 size ; then lay them across from one shore to the 

 other. They construct a double barrier and 

 rampart * of logs obliquely placed, having between 



* Translation of Duplicem versum et ordimm arborum faciunt. 



