Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-10-12
BEAVER OF NORTH AMERICA

The natural habits of the Beaver are topic:
so generally, though so imperfectly handled, thai
we will rather speak at present of the manners
which it has been found to display in a domes
tic state, and of one two other particulars les:
generally known.
have kept several beavers, SAYS .Hearne, til
they became so domesticated as to answer to
their name, and to follow those to whom they
are accustomed, in the same manner as doc
would do; and they were as much pleased a,
being fondled as any animal ever saw. In cold
weather they were kept in my own sitting-room
where they were the constant companions of the
Indian women and children, and were so fond OF
their company, that when the Indians were alb
sent for any considerable time, the beavers man.
ifested great signs of uneasiness 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, during the winter they lived on the
same food as the women did, and were remark
ably fond of plum.pudding; they would eat par
tridges and fresh venison very freely, but new.
er tried them with fish, though have heard they
will at all times prey on them In fact, there
are few gramnvorous animals that may not be
brought to be carnivorous.
twenty-five years ago, in return for piece
of red worsted binding which gave to an Ar
kansas squaw, she presented me with q young
beaver about the size of cat | was pleased
with the acquisition, intending eventually to
present it to my old friend Peale, of the Pha.
delpha 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 con-
siderable time while navigating on several of the
Western rivers, and it became with me n favor
ite, and source of frequent amusement. At
all times guarding against an escape into run
ming or deep water, | was in the habit Of indulg-
ing it with bath whenever encamped at night
or stopped by day, if y convenient stream or
pool presented on the sand beach. carried it
in barrel in my canoe, and to guard it from the
intense heat Of the sun, covered it with green
branches; but these would not exclude the mos
quitoes, which tormented it necessarily, and to
such an extent, that | could not resist its plain
tive means, and at length, most reluctantly, de-
termined TO release it; | accordingly removed
the leash by which it was held, and threw the
beaver from me into the Mississippi, without the
slightest expectation of seeing it again; Judge
tHcu VI uStOHlSiIuitllb WHEN, In
about ten minutes, having probably floated
half mile, heard it whine at my elbow; / ex.
tended my hand and again restored it TO the bar
rel; and subsequently, during thousand miles
of navigation, perhaps twenty times day,
threw it into the river, when, after it became
tired Of It's gambols in swimming and diving,
sometimes to great depths, and ihreshing the
water with its tail, it would again come to my
hand with an imploring look TO be again taken
into the canoe. For near month after nv ar.
rival at New Orleans, was confined to my bed
by extreme illness, and did not see the beaver.
When convaescent, friend carried me to his
country-house, many miles from New Orleans,
and one day, when asleep, suspended in ham
mock across the gallery, was reused by the
well known whine of my poor 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 emaciated master,
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 rs indeed
seemed like more than half-reasoning--but not
sufficiently acute to escape death from the rifle
of Kentucky boatman, who took it to be a
straggler from some colony in the far distant
West.