3'4 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



which the work is conftruded is ftill more aftonifhing than its mag- 

 nitude. The part of the river where they ere£t this bank is gene- 

 rally fhallow. If they find on the margin a large tree, which can 

 be made to fall into the river, they begin, by cutting it down, to 

 form the principal bafis of their work. This tree is often thicker 

 than a man's body. By gnawing it at the bottom with their four 

 cutting teeth, they in a fhort time accomplifh their purpofe, and 

 always make the tree fall acrofs the river. They next cut the branches 

 from the trunk to make it lie level. Thefe operations are perform- 

 ed by the joint induflry of the whole community. Some of them, 

 at the fame time, traverfe the banks of the river, and cut down fmal- 

 ler trees, from the fize of a man's leg to that of his thigh. Thefe 

 they cut to a certain length, drefs them into (lakes, and firft drag 

 them by land to the margin of the river, and then by water to the 

 place where the building is carrying on. Thefe piles they fink down, 

 and interweave the branches with the larger flakes. In performing 

 this operation many difficulties are to be furmounted. In order to 

 drefs thefe ftakes, and to put them in a fituation nearly perpendicu- 

 lar, fome of the beavers muft elevate, with their teeth, the thick ends 

 againft the margin of the river, or againft the crofs tree, while others 

 plunge to the bottom, and dig holes with their fore-feet to receive 

 the points, that they may ftand on end. When fome are labouring 

 in this manner, others bring earth, which they plafli with their feet, 

 and beat firm with their tails. They carry the earth in their mouths, 

 and with their fore-feet. They tranfport earth in fuch quantities, 

 that they fill with it all the intervals between the piles. Thefe piles 

 confift of feveral rows offtakes, of equal height, all placed oppofite 

 to each other, and extend from one bank of the river to the other. 

 The ftakes facing the under part of the river are placed perpendicular- 

 ly; but thofe which are oppofed to the ftream flope upward to fuftain 

 the preffure of the water ; fo that the bank, which is ten or twelve feet 

 wide at the bafe, is reduced to two or three at the top. Near the top, or 



ihinneft 



