STILL ON THE WAY TO THE BEAVERS--THE BLIZZARD IN THE CAMP--SLEEPING AND
EATING UNDER DIFFICULTIES--VICIOUS LITTLE BEAVER DOGS--THE BEAVER
HOUSE--PREPARATIONS FOR THEIR CAPTURE--THE BEAVERS' KITCHENS--DISCOVERED
BY THE LITTLE DOGS--HOW DESTROYED--THE METHOD OF CAPTURE--MAN'S
EXPERIENCE VERSUS ANIMAL INSTINCT--THE RICH HARVEST OF BEAVERS.
Still on the way for the beavers!
We are surely a long time getting there, but every mile of the journey
is interesting and full of novelty. We left the blazing camp fire at a
little this side of the Wolf's Cove. The stars were shining brightly in
the heavens. Even the morning star, now so brilliant, had not as the
harbinger of the great sun yet made its appearance.
As a help to brighten up the trail for a short distance it is generally
customary to pile on the fire, before starting, all of the wood
remaining. This makes things look cheerful, and assists in the last
investigation of the camp that nothing, not even a half-buried axe, is
left behind.
At first the progress is not very rapid. It is fearfully cold. The
dogs seem a little stiff, and some of them act as though they would much
prefer to remain near that cozy camp fire. But there is no time for
regrets or delays.
"Marche! Marche!" is the cry, and as the whips, wielded by dexterous
hands, give out their emphatic cracks the coldness and stiffness soon
wear off, and after the first mile or two the progress is very much
improved as dogs and men warm up to their work.
We need not dwell much longer on the journey. Enough has been given to
enable every bright boy and clever girl who reads these pages to see how
it is that travellers get along in a land where only the canoe in summer
and the dog-train in winter afford them any possibilities for
locomotion. Here are no locomotives, but lots of locomotion, and the
most of it is done on foot, as often it is quite enough for the dogs to
drag the heavy loads through the deep snow and in the long, tangled
forests, without carrying an additional man or boy. So it is walk, or
run, or more generally trot, as the case may be, as the dogs are able to
get on or the trail will permit.
Another long day, with its glorious sunrise, and then, after the weary
hours of travel and the several stops to eat, the sunset in cold
splendour comes, and with it Memotas calls for the halt. Then another
night in the woods, very similar to the one fully described, is passed,
with the exception that during the hours of troubled slumber the fierce
winds arose, and the light, dry snow in the three piled-up snowbanks of
the camp was rudely seized hold of by rough old Boreas and driven hither
and thither in his own rough way. Most of the snow seemed to find its
way back to the place, from which the snowshoes some hours before had
thrown it, and now well it is for our young lads that they are so
completely covered up in their bed, for the snow is now upon them to the
depth of a couple of feet. Fortunately, the snow is like an extra
blanket which Dame Nature has thrown upon them to add to their comfort.
When the storm was beginning, and they began to move as some erratic
snowflakes were so twisted around that they reached their faces, the
guide, who well knew what a wretched night of discomfort would be theirs
if they now, in the blinding storm, uncovered their heads, shouted to
them with a good deal of sternness, "Do not uncover your heads; lie
still and sleep." This, after a little effort, they were able to do.
The fun, or rather discomfort, came in the morning, when the cry to get
up was heard. Suddenly they sprang up, but in spite of all their
quickness some of the snow went into their faces, and down their necks,
and--well, it was far from agreeable.
The outlook was dismal enough. The storm still continued raging. There
was, in addition to the wind playing all sorts of pranks, with what had
already fallen, now a heavy snowfall besides. It seemed to penetrate
everywhere. It forced its way into their eyes and noses and pockets,
and tried to get under their caps and capotes. The fire was completely
extinguished. In fact, where the bright, blazing fire was so cheerily
throwing out its heat and warmth when they were tucked in by the
faithful Indian, now a great snowdrift occupied the very spot.
The experienced travellers in these lands, even under such conditions
and worse, do not lose heart. Quickly they went to work. Strong axes
soon felled more dry trees, and cut them into logs. Others, with
snowshoes as shovels, soon cleared away the snow drift from the
fireplace. A skillful firemaker soon had the dry kindling and chips
under the logs in ablaze, and now the wind only fanned the flames to a
greater brightness.
As the downfall of snow continues very heavy some tough poles are cut
down and one end of them so fastened in the snow that they are firmly
held. They are so slanted toward the fire, with the wind in the rear,
that when roofed over with the big deerskin and a couple dropped each
side it is astonishing how comfortably sheltered a few persons thus can
be. The active Indians shook the dry snow off from some robes, and
placing them as a floor Mr Ross and the boys were soon under a storm-
tight roof and gazing into the great fire just before them, that gave
them both warmth and cheer. A hot breakfast was enjoyed as soon as the
Indians could cook it.
Some of the Indians improvised a similar lean-to for themselves, while
others stood out in the gale around the fire perfectly unconcerned. To
them the heavy storm was as little heeded as the songs of the robins in
springtime, or the summer zephyrs among the trees.
Owing to the delay of a half day on account of this disagreeable storm,
the party did not reach the vicinity of the beaver house until toward
evening. So it was resolved to find a good place for the camp, as the
Indian hunters who owned this house said they would not take the beavers
until the third day in the afternoon, and then they would take all they
decided to in a short time. This was, of course, all a mystery to the
boys, and so they were obliged to have patience, and witness the contest
between animal instinct and cunning, and man's reason, observation, and
ingenuity.
The spot selected for the camp was not far from the beaver house, which
stood in its symmetrical proportions well covered with snow, and looked
like a great haystack in some farmer's yard at home.
The boys had observed on the sled of these Indians who owned the beaver
house a little wicker-like basket well-lined with rabbit skin. One day,
when peering into it, two fierce little dogs snapped at them most
viciously, and seemed very much annoyed at their intrusion. In the
evening at the camp fire they asked Mr Ross about them, and were
surprised to hear that they are what are called beaver dogs. He said
they were valuable, for with their help the Indians would get the beaver
in a very novel which they would see commenced to-morrow. Mr Ross
cautioned the boys not to put their naked hands near the vicious brutes,
as they were very fierce, and especially disliked white people.
The camp was a well-sheltered, comfortable one for such a place, and as
the storm had completely passed away, the evening, although very cold,
was a fairly enjoyable one. The routine at this camp was similar to the
first. The only excitement the boys had, was when one of the Indians
came in from exploring the beaver house and dam, and told them that a
large wolverine was seen walking on the dam the heavers had made, and
then round and round the beaver house.
"Beaver plenty safe there," he added, in his broken English. "Wall four
feet thick. Frost make all like stone. Only one door, and that under
the thick ice and water. Wolverine no catch beaver in that house."
Then he added: "Beaver there for Injun to take. White boys see how him
do it quick, two days more. Plenty work first, then plenty beaver."
This picturesque talk to the boys was very interesting, and so they were
all eager to see, as Sam said, "the curtain go up and the show begin."
As nothing could be done the next day before daylight, there was no
particular hurry in getting up. After giving orders to the men who were
left in charge at the camp to see that the dogs there remained, and that
everything was kept in the best of order, and dinner ready at a certain
hour, Mr Ross and the boys, like the rest, strapped on their snowshoes
and away they tramped. The Indian hunters had the little dogs with
them. These they carefully carried and kept covered up when not at
work. The boys were first taken to the top of a hill, from which the
whole pond, dam, and beaver house could be distinctly seen. Then Mr
Ross explained that, while the beaver generally dwelt in their house
during the winter, they had in addition what the Indians called
kitchens. These were cunningly hid along the shore at the edge of the
ice. All were now out of sight and under the snow. They were
ingeniously made, in such a way that the beaver by frequently visiting
them and breaking away the ice, as it formed on the inside, could thus
keep them open. They were really breathing places for the beaver in
case they should be attacked in their houses and driven out.
Inexperienced hunters often try to get the beaver by chopping, digging,
or even blasting with gunpowder a hole into the beaver house. If the
pond is well supplied with kitchens, or breathing places, the beavers
need only laugh at such hunters, for just as soon as they become alarmed
by these outside noises they plunge into the water, which is always open
in the warm house, and dive out under the outer edge and away they go
under the thick ice to the kitchens, which are so cunningly hid away.
There they quietly remain and breathe the air, which is necessary as it
comes through the light snow, and through the rushes and reeds, from
which they keep the ice. When the noise is over and the beavers think
that their enemies have gone, they go back to the house. If the
invaders have much destroyed the house, the beavers desert it entirely
and live in these kitchens until the spring freshets come and melt and
carry away the ice.
Sometimes a large colony of beavers with a big house will have twenty
kitchens. If one is discovered they swim to another. We must remember
that the beaver, although an amphibious animal and able to remain quite
a time under water, requires fresh air, and so must go where he can get
it, or he will die. The length of time that a beaver can live under the
ice without air is a matter of dispute, even among the experienced
hunters themselves. They all, however, agree in saying that, when
beavers find all of their retreats cut off, as a last resort they come
up to the ice and breathe out the air in their lungs against the ice,
and then, when it is good, they breathe it in again. But the trouble is
that they lose some air bubbles each time, and so they soon become
exhausted and die.
In the meantime, while these interesting explanations were being made to
the boys the Indians had commenced their operations. They had cut down
a couple of small green birch trees which were eight or ten inches in
diameter. Then they cut off lengths of about eight feet each. On these
they vigorously set to work with their axes, and so cut or trimmed these
down, except a foot or fifteen inches at one end, so that when finished
they were like gigantic pounders.
With these made and thrown over their shoulders they took their way to
the pond, only carrying in addition the two little dogs. When the pond
was reached the little dogs were set down in the snow near the edge. At
first they only moaned and shivered and begged to be again taken up by
their masters. These, however, had no intention of doing anything of
the kind.
"Umisk! Umisk!" they excitedly cried, and soon this Indian word for
"beaver" began to have its effect upon the dogs. Pricking up their
ears, they began running about, until at length, with a couple of yelps
of triumph, they were off. They hurried away as fast as their little
legs could carry them through the light snow to a spot near the shore.
Here they began making the snow fly as rapidly as was possible with
their fore paws. One of the Indians assisted them by utilising his
snowshoe as a shovel, and, sure enough, there at the very edge of the
ice they found a mass of rushes and grass most cunningly arranged, with
a little space in the centre where it was open water. This was a
beaver's kitchen that had been so cunningly discovered by the keen scent
of the little dogs.
As soon as it had been discovered the Indians quickly picked up the
little dogs and stowed the shivering creatures in warm bags on their
backs. Now the boys were able to see the use to which these great big
pounders, hewn out of the young birch trees, were put. With both of
them the men began vigorously pounding down the coarse grass and rushes,
and left the place so exposed that in a few hours it would be so solidly
frozen over that not a particle of air could enter.
Leaving this kitchen now completely destroyed, they began skirting the
shore for a little distance up farther from the beaver house. Once more
they lifted the little dogs out of the warm bags and placed the
shivering animals on the ice. Then again the cry rang out, "Umisk!
Umisk!" The result was as before. Like as an electric shock these
words acted upon these queer little dogs, and at once they seemed to
forget all about the cold and most vigorously set to work, and in a very
few minutes had discovered another kitchen. This one was destroyed in
the same manner as was the first.
Thus on and on they cautiously prospected and worked. At one place
where they had gone but a short distance from the last kitchen
destroyed, suddenly one of the little dogs obstinately turned back and
rushed to a spot where even the most experienced Indian had not the
slightest suspicion of anything being, until the keen instinct of the
dog discovered it. Following up the little fellow to the spot where he
was now barking most furiously, the men had not dug long in the snow
before they found the most cunningly hid away kitchen on the whole pond.
So large was it, and so well arranged as the breathing place of a large
number of beavers, that the hunters declared that if they had let that
single one escape them they would have completely failed when they made
their attack upon the beaver house. This sharpness on the part of the
little dog made the men the more careful, and so it was noon ere the end
of the pond was reached and about half of this work was completed.
Dinner was ready for all when they returned to the camp. The boys were
hungry and the cold had helped to sharpen their appetites.
"How is it?" said Sam, "that I find myself picking out the fattest part
of the meat and hardly caring to eat anything else?"
"That is," said Mr Ross, "because you are in first-class health. And
Nature, true to her instincts, is giving you and the rest of us the
craving for just the kind of food that is now best adapted to our
requirements. Fat food has more heat in it than any other kind, and so
that which you here crave is that which is really the most suitable.
Living as we now are, day and night, out in the open air in this sharp
cold weather, we require much more heat to keep us up to our normal
temperature than if we were inside of the warm walls of Sagasta-weekee."
When dinner was ended the party returned to the pond, and the work of
discovering and destroying the remaining beavers' kitchens went on all
the afternoon. The following night the two Indian hunters, upon whom so
much depended, did not take any sleep, but with their heavy pounders
kept on the alert against the efforts of the clever beavers. When they
returned to the camp for a hasty breakfast in the morning they reported
that they had had a very busy night, as the beavers seemed to have
become possessed with the idea that an attack was soon to be made upon
them in their house. The result was they were very active all night,
and persistent in their efforts to break through the new ice as it
formed, and thus, if possible, keep some of their kitchens available in
case of need. Some were so bold that if the Indians had been so
inclined they could easily have speared them, as they so bravely charged
the new ice with their heads and broke it up. They said that at that
largest kitchen, which they so nearly overlooked, the beavers made their
most persistent attacks. At times as many as a half dozen would
together strike bravely at the ice. However, they thought that they had
now succeeded in getting every place frozen air-tight and they could
safely begin the work of attack upon the house, so that they would be
ready by to-morrow to begin the capture of the beaver.
Axes and ice chisels were the powerful tools required to-day. Beginning
at the shore on each side of the beaver house, the Indians cut two
channels in the ice about a foot wide, and so converging that they met
about six feet in front of the house. Then the ice was cut out about
ten feet further into the pond directly in front of the house. The
capital letter Y will give a correct idea of the cuttings thus made.
The upper two lines are the ones from the shore on each side of the
beaver house; the lower and wider part of the letter represents the
channel cut in front. This was perhaps ten feet long and about two feet
in width.
The next step was by careful measurement with a long pole to find the
depth of the water in these channels thus free of ice. When this was
done everybody able to handle an axe was soon busily at work cutting
down small trees into poles not less than four inches in diameter, and
so long that when well driven in the mud the tops would still be
considerably above the ice. None but straight, strong ones were of any
use. Then, beginning close to the shore, the Indians, using, of course,
the shorter poles where the water was shallow, began driving them in the
mud through the channels cut in the ice. They worked very carefully,
for the beaver when aroused is a strong as well as a cunning animal, and
the hunter who would not fail must be prepared for every emergency. The
poles were driven in the two upper sides until the approaching columns
of them came within about two feet of each other at the front. From
this point the Indians turned and began driving the poles in the mud in
two lines, parallel to each other, running out into the pond. This left
a channel, allowing for the diameter of the poles, of, say, from twelve
to fifteen inches wide and ten feet long.
Carefully examining and testing over and over again the grip of each
pole which had been driven into the mud at the bottom of the pond, the
men were at length well satisfied with their work and said: "Very good.
Injun have much fine beaver this time. We will have beavers' tails for
supper to-morrow night."
So anxious were those Indian hunters that even during the second night
they slept but little, and several times slipped away from the camp and
walked around from kitchen to kitchen to see that in every place the ice
was firm and unbroken. In the morning, when all were at breakfast, they
reported that as the cold had become so intense they felt confident of
success and anticipated the capture of a large number of beaver. For
days they had been working up to this consummation. Experienced men
grimly and remorselessly had pitted their long years of experience
against the instincts and cunning of a colony of beavers, and, as it
always is, in the end, man must conquer.
"What are you going to do next?" is the question of the boys. All the
answer, however, they receive, is to be patient and they will soon see
for themselves. Their interest, however, is increased when to all is
uttered the command, "Get all the guns ready, and load them heavily with
powder." With several extra charges they are all soon on their way to
the beaver house. When there they find that the water in the channel
cut in the front yesterday has ice on it fully six inches in thickness.
This will give some idea of the severity of the cold, but nobody seems
to notice it in the excitement of the hour. Very quickly is this ice
broken up and thrown out on the frozen surface of the pond.
One of the Indians has in his hand a long, stiff rod about the size of a
bamboo fish pole. This will play an important part in the capture of
the beaver, as we shall see later on. The next part of the program is
of great interest to the boys. Everybody now goes to the land side of
the beaver house, and at once there begins the greatest din and racket
it is possible for the whole party to make. The guns are all fired off,
and loaded and fired again and again. The men with their great pounders
most vigorously beat against the solid walls on the land side, as though
they would burst in upon the now terrified inhabitants. This attack and
noise continued until it is supposed that all of the frightened animals
have fled away from the house, which they must have imagined was about
being knocked to pieces about their ears. The result is the house is
deserted, and the now frightened beaver are away out somewhere in the
pond, swimming under the ice.
As soon as the Indians feel confident that all have forsaken the house
they hurry out on the pond in the front. Here in the open water, in the
space between the poles which were so solidly driven, the long slender
pole is pushed down firmly through the water into the mud at the bottom
of the pond. One of the Indians now quickly pulls off his shirt sleeve,
as well as that of his coat, and throws himself down on the ice close to
the open channel which has been described. His comrade quickly throws a
warm blanket over him to at least partly protect him from the intense
cold. Then, arming himself with a heavy axe, this second Indian quietly
steps back a pace or two.
"Hush! Everybody keep still or sit down on the ice, and do not utter a
word. Do not move your feet on the ice; do not even breathe heavily,
for beavers have wonderful powers of hearing."
Promptly had everyone obeyed Mr Ross, who had uttered these commands.
He had placed the boys where they could easily see the wonderful way, in
which these experienced hunters would quickly gather up their beaver
harvest, after all their effort and toil.
But where are the beavers? They are in all probability out under the
ice, swimming about from one kitchen to another, vainly trying to find
one in which they can get their lungs full of fresh air. If the men and
those saucy little dogs have been successful in closing up all of these
resorts, vain are the beavers' efforts. For a long time these wonderful
creatures are able to keep alive under water, but there is a limit to
this ability, and then it becomes a matter of life or death to them.
Thus it now was with these beavers. They had been frightened from their
home, and had hoped to be able to obtain fresh air at places carefully
prepared for just such emergencies. But, alas! these have failed them,
and now there is nothing else to do but to make the effort to get back
to their home as soon as possible. This, they now find, is no easy
matter. A strange barricade of stakes is in the way, and there is only
one opening, and even that is a very narrow one. But they are now in
such sad straits for fresh air that they must try that one place and get
to their home or perish.
Meanwhile the boys, sitting so still and quiet on the ice, began to
think that it was getting very monotonous, especially Sam, who found it
to be extremely difficult to have to hold his tongue so long. But look!
The top of that long slender twig is being roughly shaken, and quick as
a flash down goes the naked arm of the alert Indian, and as rapidly does
it come up again, and in the strong grasp of his hand is a fine, large
beaver. With a sudden swinging movement he sends it sprawling out on
the ice, where his comrade is waiting to dispatch it with his axe.
Now the boys see the important part played by that little stick. See,
it moves again, and once more the long, naked arm is thrust down and
another great beaver is thrown out on the ice. This one, like his
predecessor, is quickly dispatched. For a time all is still again. The
beavers crowding behind these two that have been so readily captured
have been frightened by their sudden movements, so unnatural, and so
they hesitated to follow. But others are closely following behind, and
all are suffering acutely now for the want of fresh air, and thus it is
only a minute or two before the moving stick tells the story that
another beaver is making the attempt to reach a spot where he can get
some fresh air. Vain indeed are his efforts, for no sooner does he
touch that fatal stick than down goes that strong, muscular hand and arm
and he is thrown out on the ice, to be killed in the same manner as were
his fellows.
See what a splendid black beaver that is! But, O dear! he has lost him.
Yes, he has. That is too bad, and he brought him up far enough for his
head to be out of the water, and so he once more filled up his lungs,
and as he tumbled in he fell beyond the stick. So that one is lost for
this year.
But there is no time for mourning over the loss of one, even if he was a
beauty. They crowd up quickly now, and the Indians are busy. They keep
cool and alert, for the harvest is increasing.
The condition of the beavers is now so desperate that recklessly they
are crowding on, and although the man is pulling them out as rapidly as
possible it is evident that numbers, especially of the smaller ones, are
slipping by, and thus are lost for that year. In order to secure a
greater number the second Indian gives his axe to Mr Ross and goes to
the help of his comrade.
No need of quiet now. The remaining beavers must get by that stick or
perish, and as they make the attempt, while some are captured, many
others escape. Thus it goes on until the last one has either been
secured by the Indians or has eluded them. Let us hope that he escaped
to live another year.
"Count the spoils, boys," shouts Mr Ross. No second command is needed.
They collect them together and find that there are forty-seven of them,
and not a small one among them. In addition, there were plenty that
escaped to restock the house, and in two years it will in all
probability be as rich a beaver harvest field as it has been to-day.