28 COMMON .BfcAT.ftft. 
All these works,, more especially in the northern 
parts, are finished in August, or September at far- 
thest;- at which time they begin to lay in their 
stores. During the summer, they are perfect 
epicures ; and regale themselves every day on the 
choicest fruits and plants the country affords. 
Their provisions, indeed, in the winter season, 
principally consist of the wood of the birch, the 
plane, and some few other trees, which they steep 
m fro™ tarae .ta>ti.me,.iii such quantities as 
are proportioned to the number of inhabitants. 
They cut down branches from three to ten feet in 
length. Those of the largest dimensions are con- 
yeyed to their magazines by a whole body of bea- 
vers; but the smallest by one only : each pf them, 
however, takes a different way, and has his proper 
walk assigned him, in order that no one labourer 
should interrupt another in the prosecution of his 
work. Their wood-yards are larger or smaller, 
in proportion to the number in the family ; and, 
‘according to the observation of some curious na- 
turalists, the usual stock of timber for the ac- 
commodation of ten heavers, consists of about 
thirty feet in a square surface, and ten in depth. 
These logs are not thrown up in one continued 
pile, but laid one across the other, with intervals 
or small spaces between them, in order to take 
out, with the greater facility, but just such a 
quantity as they shall want for their immediate 
consumption, and those parcels only, which lie 
at the bottom in the water, and have been duly 
steeped. This timber is cut again into small 
f ►articles, and conveyed to one of their largest 
edges, where the whole family meet, to consume 
their respective dividends, which are made impar- 
tially, in even and equal portions. Sometimes they 
traverse the woods, and regale their young with 
& more novel and elegant entertainment. 
