3i6 THE PHILOSOPHY 



tually the bark and wood, which are their favourite food. Of thefe 

 provifions they lay up ample ftores in their cabins to fupport them 

 during the winter. Each cabin has its own magazine, which is pro- 

 portioned to the number of its inhabitants, who have all a common 

 right to the ftore, and never pillage their neighbours. Some villages 

 are compofed of twenty or twenty-five cabins. But thefe large efta- 

 blifhments are not frequent ; and the common republics feldom ex- 

 ceed ten or twelve families, of which each have their own quarter 

 of the village, their own magazine, and their feparate habitation. 

 The fmallefl. cabins contain two, four, or fix, and the largeft eigh- 

 teen, twenty, and fometimes thirty beavers. As to males and fe- 

 males, they are almoft always equally paired. Upon a moderate 

 computation, therefore, the fociety is often compofed of 150 or 200, 

 who all, at firft, labour jointly in raifing the great public building, 

 and afterwards, in feledt tribes or companies, in making particular 

 habitations. In this fociety, however numerous, an univerfal peace 

 is maintained. Their union is cemented by common labours; and 

 it is perpetuated by mutual conveniency, and the abundance of pro- 

 vifions which they amafs and confume together. A fimple taftcj. 

 moderate appetites, and an averfion to blood and carnage, render 

 them defiitute of the ideas of rapine and of war. Friends to each 

 other, if they have any foreign enemies they know how to avoid 

 them. When danger approaches, they advertife one another, by 

 ftriking their broad tail on the furface of the water, the noife of 

 which is heard at a great diflance, and refounds through all the 

 vaults of their habitations. Each individual, upon thefe oceafions, 

 confults his own fafety; fome plunge into the water; others conceal 

 themfelves within their walls, which can be penetrated only by the 

 fire of heaven, or the fteel of man, and which no animal will at- 

 tempt either to open or to overturn. Thefe retreats are not only 

 fafe, but neai and commodious. The floors are fpread over with 

 verdure : The branches of the box and of the fir ferve them for 



carpets, 



