22 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 
frequently happens, that some of the large houses 
are found to have one or more partitions, if they 
deserve that appellation ; but that is no more than 
a part of the main building, left by the sagacity of 
the beaver to support the roof. On such occasions, 
it is common for those different apartments, as 
some are pleased to call them, to have no com- 
munication with each other but by water ; so that 
in fact they may be called double or treble houses, 
rather than different apartments of the same house. 
I have seen a large beaver house built in a small 
island, that had near a dozen apartments under one 
roof; and, two or three of these only excepted, 
none of them had any communication with each 
other but by water. As there were beaver enough 
to inhabit each apartment it is more than probable 
that each family knew its own, and always entered 
at their own door.” 
He goes on to say that his Indians took thirty- 
seven beavers out of this house, while many others 
escaped. It is very doubtful whether houses of 
this type exist at the present day, nor indeed for 
many years past. 
The ground floor or lowest level is only three or 
four inches above the surface of the water. This 
is used as the “ dining-room ” and for drying their 
coats. About half of the space is thus occupied, 
the other half is raised six or eight inches, and is 
the sleeping apartment. It is well covered with 
bedding made of dry grass, which is cut while 
