rwise probably overtake them, both from men and beasts.

After watching them for some time, I wished to retire and let them amuse
themselves undisturbed; but Quambo took it into his head to give a loud
shout, when in an instant the startled creatures scampered off, and
dived under the water. Our chance of seeing more of them was gone; they
were evidently on the watch for us, for now and then I saw a snout
popping up above the surface, to ascertain if we had taken our
departure.

We made our way along the banks of the stream for some distance, till we
saw before us a broad expanse of water; and we discovered that it was a
shallow lake or pond, bordered by reeds, and with numerous dead trees
rising up out of the water near its shores. It struck me that this lake
had been produced by the beaver-dams; and on our proceeding downwards
towards what appeared to be its outlet, we found what had the appearance
of being a long bank, of a convex form, stretched directly across the
stream. This, on further examination, I had no doubt was the work of
beavers. Alders and willows, and other water-loving trees of
considerable size, were growing out of it; and digging down to a slight
depth, we found that it consisted of lengths of the trunks of young
trees, now rapidly decaying and turning into a vegetable mould, thus
affording nourishment to all sorts of plants.

Above the surface of the lake were numerous beaver-houses, and after we
had concealed ourselves for some time we caught sight of the inhabitants
coming forth and swimming about; while one or two knowing old fellows
climbed to the roof of their houses, to keep a look-out, as we supposed,
and give notice of approaching danger. We might have shot several, but
without the dogs we should not have been able to recover them. Indeed,
their skins would have been of much less value than those caught in
traps. After watching them for some time, then, we agreed that we ought
to be on our homeward way, or we should certainly be benighted. Though
we had found the path easily enough in daylight, it would be a hard
matter to do so in the dark.

"I should very much like to turn trapper," said Reuben to me as we
walked along. "I once heard a good deal about the lives the trappers
lead, from a fine old man who stopped at our house one night, on his way
to dispose of his packs of skins at one of the fur-traders' posts."

"I suspect that it must be a very hard life, and you would soon