THE BEAVER. 437 



whicli passes into the house or " lodge," as it is technically named, 

 and the other into the water, so far below the surface that it can 

 not be closed by ice. It is, therefore, always possible for the 

 Beaver to gain access to the provision stores and to return to its 

 house without being seen from the land. 



The lodges are nearly circular in form, and much resemble the 

 well-known snow-houses of the Esquimaux, being domed, and 

 about half as high as they are wide, the average height being 

 three feet, and the diameter six or seven feet. These are the in- 

 terior dimensions, the exterior measurement being much greater, 

 on account of the great thickness of the walls, which are continu- 

 ally strengthened with mud and branches, so that, during the se- 

 vere frosts, they are nearly as hard as solid stone. Bach lodge 

 will accommodate several inhabitants, whose beds are arranged 

 round the walls. 



All these precautions are, however, useless against the practiced' 

 skill of the trappers. Even in winter time the Beavers are not 

 safe. The hunters strike the ice smartly, and judge by the sound 

 whether they are near an aperture. As soon as they are satis- 

 fied, they cut away the ice and stop up the opening, so that if the 

 Beavers should be alarmed, they can not escape into the water. 

 They then proceed to the shore, and by repeated soundings trace 

 the course of the Beavers' svibterranean passage, which is some- 

 times eight or ten yards in length, and by watching the various 

 apertures are sure to catch the Beavers. This is not a favorite 

 task with the hunters, and is never undertaken as long as they 

 can find any other employment, for the work is very severe, the 

 hardships are great, and the price which they obtain for the skins 

 is now very small. 



While they are thus engaged, they must be very careful not to 

 spill any blood, as, if they do so, the rest of the Beavers take 

 alarm, retreat to the water, and can not be captured. They also 

 have a curious superstitious notion, which leads them to remove 

 a knee-cap from each Beaver and to throw it into the fire. They 

 v/ouid expect ill luck were they to omit this ceremony, which is 

 wonderfully like the custom of our fishermen of spitting into the 

 mouth of the first fish they catch, and the first money which they 

 take in the day, " for luck." 



Generally, the Beavers desert their huts in the summer time, 

 although one or two of the houses may be occupied by a mother 

 and her young offspring. All the old Beavers who have no do- 



