The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-03-13
Prophetic Beavers.

If ono will take the time and oppOrtuni-
will fad among certain species special
gifts of merit and Of brain endowment on
points in which even the hnman kind are
laclking-great in inta!lec:nat superio rity
as we imagine ourselves to be. We speak
of animal instinct and drop our inquiry
on reaching that line. But this ''instlnct'
in some animals often soar into mysteri
Gus space and bring Us portents from
the zodiacal realm, and thus inpart
70 us in sign by which we shall know the
future ut least within compass of tims of
the season that is to come.
Animals that live by the storing Of
provender for their winter feed are often
or always guidedsin their supply limit
by expected weather change pfspaff
tions that show unerrins Judgment in cal
culation outcome. This being verified.
a careful watch after being placed on
these animals, will give answer to the in,
quierer, what the coming season would
bring forth in the way of weather? BY
careful study of their habits in this way
the seeker after information will learn
weather wise wisdom that cannot be dis
pissed.
Early last autumn the writer made
trip to the Douglass river, beyond Fort
Stevenson. The object was to secure a
pair of live beavers, if such could be
found that had run the gauntlet of exter
minating hands, These Industrious ami
naals were becoming SO scarce that their
very presence in that reginn had dritted
our inq quiring mind into the conf jectural
concerning their present existence there
at all. However, some beaver signs was
found.
Having had-at odd spslls-some 80
years experience in noting the habit of
marking their work, the writer returned
to Washburn with the impressions made.
and with the added addenda of a Pawnee
Indian weather prophet made many years
ago, printed in a late September number
of the LEADER the forewarninys for hard
winter. How we'll it has been verified. we
all now know know. The Bismarck Tri:
bune at that time made note of the
LrALER article, saying that editor Taylor
of the Washburn LEADER with 25 years
experience in this section, prophesies the
coming winter will be very severe one"
or words to that effect. But thu credit to
TAYLOR should have been but secondary:
Merel.' prognostical interpretation oi
weather wise beavers signs, i'll th@ir ex-
traordinary preparation to meet an i'm
pending climax.
On another trip to Douglass river later
in the ,ason, we we're fortunate enough
to secure "a large male beaver alive and
brought him to Washburn for winter quar-
ters. His place of confinement has been
a cheerless aud cold celler. Though plen-
ty to eat and drink, intense cold has
nipped bit of his trowel tail off. But
lately, in unerriny line of the strange
gift--or instinct we may call lt--of his
kind. hs has given forth mother sign that
is we'll to heed. He has commencedIto
build a platform bed-a suro sign as
every old beaver trapper or student of
beaver habits know-w,ll mean an un.
usual raise of flooded waters on streams
where beaver have lived o; are living. 1t
makes no difference was:her the belyer
lives in n cellsr or i his -h,rss ~ tas
frozen stream, he has unveiled - Us TIE
trn, beaver sign of pre?a-ati ~ FOR the
90 nil. .: olasu,' spr y tin Zoo Il.