44 -^^^ Hijîoricàl Journal of 



rent of the Water is always floping, in order to break the Pref- 

 fure of the Water, and the other Side perfectly perpendicular. 

 In a Word, it would be difficult for our beft Workmen to make 

 any Thing more folid and regular. The Gonftruélion of their 

 Cabins is not lefs wonderful. They are generally made upon 

 Piles in the midft of thefe little Lakes, which the Dykes have 

 made : Sometimes by the Side of a River j or at the Extremity 

 of a Point that advances into the Water. Their Shape is round 

 or oval ; and the Roof is arched. The Walls are two Feet thick, 

 built with the fame Materials as the Caufey, but lefs, and every 

 where fo well plaiftered with Glay on the Inlide, that the leaft 

 Breath of Air cannot enter. Two thirds of the Building is out 

 of the Water, and in this Part every Beaver has a feparate Place, 

 Ivhich he takes Care to drew with Leaves, or fmall Branches of 

 Firs. It is always free from Ordure ; and for this End, befides 

 the common Door of the Cabin, and another Outlet by which 

 thefe Creatures pafs to bathe themfelves, there are feveral Open- 

 ings by v/hicK they can dung into the Water. The common Ca- 

 bins lodge eight or ten Beavers, fome have been found which 

 held thirty, but this is uncommon. They are all near enough 

 each other, to have an eafy Communication* 



The Beavers are never furprized by the Winter ; all the 

 irF f It ^^^^^ ^ mention, are finilhed by the End of 

 mr orejîgo . Sept ember y and then every one provides his 

 Store for the Winter. Whilfl they go backwards and forwards 

 in the Woods or Fields, they live upon Fruits, the Bark and 

 Leaves of Trees ; they slfo catch Cray-Filh and other Fifh; 

 Then they have Variety of Food. But when they are to pro- 

 vide themfelves for the whole Seafon, that the Earth being co- 

 vered with Snow fupplies them with nothing, they content 

 theinfelves with foft Woods, fuch as the Poplar and the Afpen, 

 and fuch-like. They ^pile it up in fuch a Manner, that they 

 can always take thofe Pieces v/hich are foaked in the Water. It 

 ÎS always obferved^ that thefe Piles are larger or fmaller, as the 

 Winter will prove longer or Ihorter ; and this is an Almanack 

 for the Savages, which never deceives them in Regard to the 

 Cold. The Beavers before they eat the Wood, cut it in very 

 fmall Pieces, and carry it into their feparate Lodges ; for every 

 Cabin has but one Magazine for all the Family. When the meit« 

 ing of the Snow is at its Height, as it never fails to caufe great 

 Floods, the Beavers leave their Cabins, which are no longer 

 habitable, and every one takes which Way he likes bell. The 

 Females return as foon as the ¥f^aters are run off, and then bring 

 forth their Young ; The Males keep the Country till towards 

 the Month of Jul-y^ when they re-affemble to repair thé Breaches 

 which th^ Floods have made in their Cabins or Dykes. If they 



have 



