he beavers have long been destroyed.

Vast beaver meadows are still prized by the farmers for the hundreds of
acres of richest hay land that have been formed by the gradual filling
up of the rich lands, brought down in times of freshets from the high
regions beyond, and year after year deposited in these beaver ponds,
until at length they were so filled up that what was once like a great
inland lake has become a prairie or meadow of rich waving grass.

Their houses were in some instances not only larger, but in every case
much more cleverly and thoroughly built than were the habitations of the
pagan Indians.

Their forethought in cutting and depositing upon the bottoms of the
waters and ingeniously fastening there vast quantities of the birch or
willow, the bark of which was to serve as food during the long winter
months, was far ahead of the habits of the improvident people, who
literally took "no thought for the morrow," and so were often at
starvation point, while the industrious beavers in their warm, cozy
homes had enough and to spare.

As soon as it was decided to go the preparations were soon made, and,
bidding farewell to the noble missionary and his heroic wife, from whom
they parted with regret, the canoes were pointed to the east again, and
after some hours of hard paddling they reached a fairly large river, up
which they were to go to a large creek which entered into it, and upon
which the beaver dam now being constructed was to be found.

At the mouth of the river they went ashore for a rest and supper. Here
the whole program of the night was talked over and all arrangements
made. It was necessary that everything should be thoroughly understood
and carried out, as beavers are very watchful and timid animals; the
least alarm sends them to their retreat, and it is a long time ere they
resume their work. As a precaution against surprise from bears or
wolves, or even wolverines, who are very fond of beaver flesh, it was
decided to take their guns along.

The creek, which was more like a small river, ran through a beautiful
valley, and on either side were hills, some of which rose up so
precipitously from the water that they formed admirable positions from
which the cautious sightseers could watch the operations of the busy
toilers when they were at work in the waters below.

The wind was everything that could be desired, and so our three boys
were able to be together; but they had to wait quite a time