The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-06-21

curve turned down the stream. This
was done for no particular reason
could discover or conjecture, but I have
no doubt there was good sound beaver
sense for this heavy extra work.
The dam Is we'll and wisely built
solid, substantial and proof against
several successive floods. 1t appears
to have had only sticks, brush and
poles for beginning. These lie most
ly up and down the course of the
bayou, with just enough disorder, ap-
parently, to hold the dirt, subsequently
troweled up by "tail-hold," to make
the dam.
This work was begun some five
years ago when there wero no beavers
within miles of the spot. Their oper-
atoms were commenced ON the bayou
below, two miles or more, but from
some cause unknown, perhaps from
the discovery that the site finally cho-
SEN was moro eligible, the pioneers
went higher up the bayou and home
steaded upon lands abandoned. Their
earliest efforts were observed, but not
interSered with. Gradually the dam
heightened, until finally the waters
were damned up with q levee impree-
nable and in places to feet high.
In front of the sticks and poles, mot on
top of them, the beavers commenced
to pile up the dirt, gathered in front,
not In rear, of the dam. I could not
tell where the beavers began, whether
at the foot Of the hills or upon the
stream, but the work, I am told, won't
on like clock-work-when a clock
works at night, as nothing is done by
the beaver during the day. The dirt
was piled up in front of the sticks and
poles, and Is now a solid mass of earth.
stamped upon 1t and there was no
hollow sound, such as afflicted the
poets nerves who ssstood beneath a
hollow tree" and noticed that some
improvident fisherman, out of bait,
had dug deep into the dam, without
exposing to view either stick or pole.
1T Is SOLID MASONRY,
better than some have seen in cities
larger even than Monroe.
The water imprisoned by the beavers
covered an area of about acres-a
placid pond skirted by stripe of pine,
oak, gum, &C., and In which grew and
still grow clusters of underground
common to ponds In this latitude. The
depth varied from a few inches to sew
eral feet. How many busy beavers
were combined In this socialistic enter
prise no one is able to tell me, but not
withstanding the amount of work done
In the construction of the dam alone,
I am satisfied the number could not
have reached a dozen. Fish were
plentiful-perch, jack and trout and
that abomination of the Jews (and
mine) the catfish. In winter, the wild
duck, in search OF repose and little
nap, sought the pond for security. 1t
was place for picnics and fifrtations
in summer, and for duck, snipe and
wood-cock hunting in winter. Istruck
the saddest chords of my harp when I
found that the dam had been cut, and
that the midnight tolls of the beaver,
the reconstruction and the pioneer, had
been dashed to nothingness, for the
sake of. catching the fish that sported
in tho waters of the pond and furnish
ed brain food for whole people.
But the thoughtless work of the dcs-
troyer gave me opportunity to inspect
the works of the uncivilized, untaught
beaver, and almost missed a sermon
by DIR. Doremus in the Investigation.
What first Attracted my attention
was that every sharp point, whether Of
limb, snag, stump or the roots of an
old tree, was rounded off smooth.
Watching closely, I did not see, even
of the sapplings cut down by the bcs-
yer, q single snag likely to ruftle tho
soft fur of his skin. Some of the sap
plings chewed down, measured four
inches In diameter, but the stumps
and ends were scrupulously rounded
of, and the sharp roots Of dead, up
turned oaks were gnawed to bluntness.
About midway the pond is tho
"house," the common habitation OF
h. ~