Litchfield enquirer., 1830-04-01
From the Christian 7eacher's Manual.

ACCOUNT OF BEAVER COLONY.
 "Itis now about 20 years since accom- panied trading party on a journey to De- troit where we were to stay sometime to procure furs from the Indians.
 We had penetrated fair into the inte- rior of the country, and had encamped for the night in the midst of an Indian village, situated on the borders of clear and swift stream which emp'ied into Lake Michigan \
 "After we had succeeded in gaining the confidence of the Indians, they permitted us to go one at a time and watch the opera tions of the beavers, and notwithstanding all hoard, could not but be astonished at the wonderful powers with which our Creator has endowed them.
 "The river was about 100 feet wide at this place, and they had constructed across it solid dam ns much as 12 feet broad at the base. The Indians told us they had labored in the construction of this with wonderful perseverance. A large tree, the size round the trunk of mans body, had been first sawed off by their teeth, in such a manner tuat it fell across the stream --then they sawed of the branches that it might lie level, many working together with tue greatest zeal and industry. Some of them at the same time traversed the banks of the river and cut down smaller trees. These they cut into equal lengths, sharpened them at one end--dragged them by land to the margin ofthe river, and then by water to the place where they were go- ing to build. Some ofthem plunged to the bottom and dug holes with their fore feet to receive the points of these stakes while others supported them against the tree which had before been laid across. Others brought earth and filled all the intersticcs between the piles. These piles consisted of several rows of stakes of equal heights, placed opposite to each other, and exten- ding from one bank of the river to tho other. The stakes facing the lower part of the river were placed perpendicularly but these which were opposite 10 the river sloped upwards to sustain the pressure of the water 50 that the bank, which was ten or twelve feet wide at the base, is redu- ced to two or three at the top.
 They had taken another precaution, also, against inundation they had made sloping holes through tho thinnest part of the embarkment to allow the surplus water to escape, that it might act with less force against the dam. When we made our first visit tn them, they were making their sep ] arate habitations all along the margin of the river. There were about twenty of these parties with as many cabins nearly finished-there were two openings in each one for going to the land, and the other for plunging into the water. These buildings varied slightlv both tn shape and size-I some being round, others oval <; some of them consisted of two or three stories ;l the walls were about two feet thick: rais- ed upon plank which served both for and floors to their houses. Those houses which were of but one story, rose perpsndicularly Only few feet. and then curved in, terminating in a dome or yaulted roof. They were all very solid, nd neatly plastered both within and with put. The beavers were very busy when irst saw them in completing the plastering,'