low; but the ice preventing them from getting to the land in the
winter, they have not any bark to feed on in that season, except that of
such sticks as they cut down in summer, and throw into the water
opposite the doors of their houses; and as they generally eat a great
deal, the roots above-mentioned constitute a principal part of their
food during the winter. In summer they vary their diet by eating
various kinds of herbage, and such berries as grow near their haunts
during that season. When the ice breaks up in the spring the beavers
always leave their houses, and rove about until a little before the fall
of the leaf, when they return again to their old habitations, and lay in
their winter-stock of wood. They seldom begin to repair their houses
till the frost commences, and never finish the outer coat till the cold
is pretty severe, as has been already mentioned. When they erect a new
habitation they begin felling the wood early in the summer, but seldom
begin to build until the middle or latter end of August, and never
complete it till the cold weather be set in.

"Persons who attempt to take beavers in winter should be thoroughly
acquainted with their manner of life; otherwise they will have endless
trouble to effect their purpose, because they have always a number of
holes in the banks, which serve them as places of retreat when any
injury is offered to their houses, and in general it is in those holes
that they are taken. When the beavers which are situated in a small
river or creek are to be taken, the Indians sometimes find it necessary
to stake the river across to prevent them from passing; after which they
endeavour to find out all their holes or places of retreat in the bank.
This requires much practice and experience to accomplish, and is
performed in the following manner:--Every man being furnished with an
ice-chisel, lashes it to the end of a small staff about four to five
feet long; he then walks along the edge of the banks, and keeps knocking
his chisel against the ice. Those who are acquainted with that kind of
work well know by the sound of the ice when they are opposite to any of
the beavers' holes or vaults. As soon as they suspect any, they cut a
hole through the ice big enough to admit an old beaver; and in this
manner proceed till they have found out all their places of retreat, or
at least as many of them as possible. While the principal men are thus
employed, some of the under-strapper