Travels in North Jmericai 4^ 



have been deflroyed by the Hunters, or if they are not worth, 

 the Trouble of repairing, they make others : But many Rea- 

 fons oblige them to change their Abode frequently, the moil 

 common is the Want of Provifion ; they are alfo obliged to do 

 it by the Hunters, or Beafls of Prey, again fe which they have 

 no other Defence than Flight. We might think it ftrange, that 

 the Author of Nature has given lefs Power of Defence to the 

 greateft Part of ufeful Anim.als, than to thofe which are not ufe- 

 ful ; if this Circumftance did not the more difplay his Wifdom 

 and Power, in that the former, notwithllanding their Weaknefs^ 

 multiply much more than the latter. 



There are fome Places which the Beavers feem to have takeil 

 fùch an AfFedlion to, that they cannot leave them, though they 

 are continually difquieted. In the Way from Mo?itreal to Lake 

 Huron, by the great River, they never fail to find évery Year in 

 the fame Place, a Lodgment which thefe Animals build or repair 

 every Summer. For the firil Thing PafTen^ers do who pafs this 

 Way, is to break down the Cabin, and the Caufey v/hich furnillies 

 it with -Water. If this Caufey had not kept up the Water, they 

 would not have enough to continue their Way, and they would 

 be obliged, to make a Portage; fo that it looks as if thefe offi^ 

 cious Beavers pofted themfelves here folely for the Convenience 

 of PafTengers. The fame Thing, as they fay, is to be feen near 

 ^ebec, where the Beavers labouring for themfelves, fupply Wa- 

 ter to a Mill for favVing Planks. 



The Savages were formerly perfuaded, if we believe fome 

 Of he Land -^^^^^^^^^^ ^"^'^ Beavers v^ere a reafonablé 

 , / ^ ^ Kind of Creatures, which had their Laws, theiï' 

 Heavers, Government, and their particular Language 



That this amphibious People chofe^ Commanders, who in theiï 

 common Labours Appointed to every one hi5 Talk, placed Cen- 

 tinels to give Notice of the Approach of an Enemy, and pû- 

 niftied or baniihed the idle. Thefe pretended Exiles are pro^- 

 bably thofe which they call the Lai^d Beanjcrs, which in Fa£l 

 live apart from the others, do not labour, and live undeï 

 Ground, where their whole Care is to make themfelves a co- 

 vered Way to go to the Water. They are known by the little 

 Fur they have upon their Backs, which proceeds no doubt from 

 their rubbing it conftantly againft the Earth ; and withal they 

 are lean, the EfFeû of their Sloth : More of thefe are found iri 

 the South than in the North. I have already obferved, that 

 our Beavers of Europe are more like thefe, than the others. ïn 

 Faét, M. Lemery fays, they live in Holes and Cavities on the 

 Banks of Rivers, efpecially in Poland, There are fome alfo in 

 'Germany upon the E!lbe^ and in France upon the Rhone, the Ijere^ 

 and the Oife. It is certain., that vve do not find in the European 



Beavers 



