Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-05-06
Beaver of North America.

The natural habits of the beaver are topics so
generally, though SO mpefectly handled, that
we will rather speak at present of the manners
which it has been found to display in domes
tic state, and of one or two other PARTICULARS
less generally known.
hive kept several beavers, says Hearne,
tl thew become so domesticated as to answer
to their name, and TO follow tlyose to whom
they were accustomed, in thessame manner as
a dog would do Epd they Y here as much
pleased at being ladled as al animal ever
saw. IN cold ID 4sr lhoy Sgrs kapt in ty
- -,..;-s-- -eer,. Where they V$re the constant
companions of the Indian womSn and children,
and were so fond of their com bany, that when
the Indians were absent for any considerable
time, the beavers manifested great signs of un-
easiness and, on their return, showed equal
marks Of pleasure, by fondng them, crawling
into their laps, lying on their backs sitting
like squirrel, and behaving like children who
see their parents but seldom. In general, du-
ring the winter they lived on the same food as
the women did, and we're remarkably fond of
plum-pudling; they would eat Patridges and
fresh venison very freely, hut | never tried
them with fish, though have heard they will
at all times prey on them.
Twenty-Five years ago, in return for piece
of red worsted binding, which | gave to an
Arkansas squaw, she presented me with
vonno beaver about the size Of a cat. | was
pleased with the acquisition. intending event
pallv 10 present it to my old freud Peale, of the
PHILADELPHIA Museum. 1t had been strictly
secured from its birth, but, on all occasions,
it showed the strongest inclination to approach
the water and make its escape; it was not
mischievous. and fed kindly on Indian corn,
dried pumpkins, and green twigs. ! carried it
with me for a considerable time while navigating
on several of the Western rivers, and it became
with me q favorite, and source Of frequent
amusement. At all times guarding against an
escape into running or deep water, | was in the
habit of indulgng it with bath whenever ]
encamped at night or stopped by day, if con.
venient stream OF pool presented on the sand
beach, | carried it in barrel in my canoes
and TO guard it from the intense heat of the sun,
covered it with green branches but these
would not exclude the mosquitoes, which tor
mented it necessarily, and 10 such an extent
that could not resist its plaintve means, and
at length, most reluOtaseS4su uaaqaleeF@ned to re-
lease it accordingly lfs'.s-.Ositnc leash by
which it was held, and threw tho beaver from
me into the Mississippi, without the slightest
expectation of seeing it again; Judge then of
nv astonishment and delight, when, in about
ten minutes, having probably floated a half
mile, heard it whine al my elbow; extended
my hand, and again restored it to the barrel;
and subsequently, during a thousand miles of
navigation, perhaps twenty miles day, l
threw it into the river. when, after 1t became
tired of its gambols in swimming and diving,
sometimes to great depths, and threshing the
water with its tail, it would again come to my
hand with an imPlOring look, to be again taken
rival at New Orleans. | was confined to my
bed by extreme illness, and did not see the
beaver. When cOnvalescent, friend carried
me to his cOuntry'house, many miles from
New Orleans, and one day, when asleep.
suspended in hammock across the gallery,
was ronsed by the wsl'known whine of my
Door pet it had that day been brought from the
CITY by some of the plantation negroes, and
turned loose, and in half an hour had singled
out his emacsted msster, and appeared to show
evident symptoms of pleasure and excitement
, on the occasion. This animal always appeared
sensible to kindness, and exhibited an instinct
so acute as indeed seemed like more than half.
) reasonng-but not sufficiently acute to escape
, death from the rife Of Kentucky boalman,
, who took it to be stragger from some colony
in the far distant West.