130 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



hills in his endeavour to discover the desired stream. 

 At length his efforts were rewarded, a small 

 stream was found running between some rough 

 hills which many years ago had been swept by fire. 

 All the large timber had been destroyed and only 

 the gaunt grey stumps remained as the gravestones 

 of the magnificent forest. Surrounding them was a 

 thick second growth of aspens, birches, wild cherries 

 and maples which sheltered the ground and gave 

 the seedling conifers a chance to make their start 

 in life. Throughout this burnt land wherever an 

 opening occurred, the ground was blazing with the 

 brilliant magenta fire-weed. The conditions were 

 most favourable for a beaver colony, for though the 

 stream was small, it was fed largely by springs 

 issuing from the rugged hills, and the food supply 

 was sufficient for quite a large community. Satis- 

 fied with his investigations, the old beaver returned 

 by a direct route to his home, guided by the sense 

 which is possessed by t animals, but which we do not 

 understand ; his arrival caused not the slightest 

 surprise. 



What happened during the days following no 

 man can tell, but presumably he in some way made 

 known his ideas as to the advisability of a general 

 exodus, and most of the beavers considered his 

 arguments sound. At least so it appeared if we 

 may judge from what took place. For the colony, 

 with the exception of the pair and their young 

 which lived in the smaller house, abandoned the 



