e sky. Often he had to cross and recross the rushing
torrent, as it wound foaming and roaring down its broken channel, or
was walled by perpendicular precipices; and imminent was the hazard of
breaking the legs of the horses in the clefts and fissures of slippery
rocks. The whole scenery of this deep ravine was of Alpine wildness
and sublimity. Sometimes the travellers passed beneath cascades which
pitched from such lofty heights that the water fell into the stream like
heavy rain. In other places, torrents came tumbling from crag to crag,
dashing into foam and spray, and making tremendous din and uproar.

On the second day of their descent, the travellers, having got beyond
the steepest pitch of the mountains, came to where the deep and rugged
ravine began occasionally to expand into small levels or valleys, and
the stream to assume for short intervals a more peaceful character.
Here, not merely the river itself, but every rivulet flowing into it,
was dammed up by communities of industrious beavers, so as to inundate
the neighborhood, and make continual swamps.

During a mid-day halt in one of these beaver valleys, Captain Bonneville
left his companions, and strolled down the course of the stream to
reconnoitre. He had not proceeded far when he came to a beaver pond, and
caught a glimpse of one of its painstaking inhabitants busily at work
upon the dam. The curiosity of the captain was aroused, to behold
the mode of operating of this far-famed architect; he moved forward,
therefore, with the utmost caution, parting the branches of the water
willows without making any noise, until having attained a position
commanding a view of the whole pond, he stretched himself flat on the
ground, and watched the solitary workman. In a little while, three
others appeared at the head of the dam, bringing sticks and bushes. With
these they proceeded directly to the barrier, which Captain Bonneville
perceived was in need of repair. Having deposited their loads upon the
broken part, they dived into the water, and shortly reappeared at the
surface. Each now brought a quantity of mud, with which he would plaster
the sticks and bushes just deposited. This kind of masonry was continued
for some time, repeated supplies of wood and mud being brought, and
treated in the same manner. This done, the industrious beavers indulged
in a little recreation, chasing each other about the pond, dodging and
whisking about on the surface, or diving to the b