The Arkansas advocate., 1830-06-09

9AOoO C4Ni VI n OGh O011ON I
 1t IS now about twenty years since 1 accompanied a trading party OH jour ney to Detrot-where we were to stay
 some time to procure furs from the h.
 dians.
 We had penetrated far into the inte-
 rior of the country; and had encanped
 for the night in the midst of an Indian village, situated on the borders of a cleara and swift stream, which emptied
 into Lake Michigan.
 After we had succeeded in gaining the confidence of the Indians, they per mitted us to go, one at atime, and watch the operations of the beavers, and. not withstanding all heard, could not but be astonished at the wonderful powers with which our Creator has endowed them.
 The river was about hundred feet wide at this place, and they had con- structed across ita solid dam, as much as twelve feet broad at the base. The Indians told us they had labored in the Construction oi this with wonderful per- severance. 4 large tree, thesize round the trunk, of a mans body, had been first sawed of by their teeth, in such q manner that 1t fell across the stream then they saved off the branches that it might lay level; many working togeth- @r with the greatest zeal and indus try. Some of them at the same time fraversed the banks of the river and cut down smaller trees. These they cut in- to equal lengths, sharpened them at one. end-dragged them by laHd to the mar gi'l of the river, and then by water to the place where they were going to build. Some of them plunged to the bottom and dug holes withtheir fore feet. to receive the points of these stakes. while others supporting them against the tree which had before been laid a. cross. Others brought earth and filled all insterstices betweenthe piles. These piles consisted of several rows of stakes Of equal heights, placed opposite to each other, aid extending from one bank of therive to the other. The stakes fa- cing the lower part of the river were placed perpendieulariy; but these which were opposed to the river sloped up- wards to sustain the pressure of the wa ter as that the bank which was ten or twelve feet wide at the base. is reduced to two or three feet at the top.
 They had taken another precaution. also, against inuadation; they had made sloping holes through the thinnest part oi the embankment to allow the sur face water to escape, that it might act with less force against the dam. When we made our first visit to them. they had already separated into smaller soci- cites, a d were making their separate nabtations all along the margin of the river. There were about twenty off these parties with as many cabins near iy flished-there were two openings in each, one for going to the land. and the other for plunging into the water. These buildings varied slightly both Ii il, shape and size, some being round. oth- CTS oval; some of them consisted of two CT three stories; tie walls were about two feet thick, raised upon plank which served both for foundations and floors to their houses. These houses which were of but two stories, rose perpendic- ularly only a few feet, and then curved IT. ters..l 's;ss;ag ii, dome or vauited root. Faey were all very solid and neatly plastered both within and with out The beavers were very busy when first saw them, in completing this plas- teritlg, using their tails to mix the nor 1 tar, and their feet in putting it on.
 One day while was busy wateh;ng them, a heavy shower came on so sud. denly that 1 had not noticedits approach The wind blew very tenlpestuousiv all I the time; and 1t was not till the storm had considerably abated that l could look about me, and observe the condi- fionof my friends, the beavers. When did so,i could not but remark. with sur prise, how comfortably and perfectly sheltered they had been. They hadl refreated to the inside of their cabius. where neither wind nor rain could get at them; observed large trees rooted up, and fragments hurled from the roc ks bf the houses of the beavers stood per 1 feetly firm, and were quite drs on the ] inside, forby this time l had got famil- l