A retrograde move--Channel of a mountain torrent-- Alpinescenery--Cascades--Beaver valleys--Beavers at work--Their architecture--Theirmodes of felling trees--Mode of trapping beaver--Contests of skill-- A beaver "up totrap"--Arrival at the Green River caches THE VIEW from the snowy peak of the Wind River Mountains, while it had excitedCaptain Bonneville's enthusiasm, had satisfied him that it would be useless to force apassage westward, through multiplying barriers of cliffs and precipices. Turning hisface eastward, therefore, he endeavored to regain the plains, intending to make thecircuit round the southern point of the mountain. To descend, and to extricate himselffrom the heart of this rock-piled wilderness, was almost as difficult as to penetrate it.
Taking his course down the ravine of a tumbling stream, the commencement of somefuture river, he descended from rock to rock, and shelf to shelf, between stupendouscliffs and beetling crags that sprang up to the sky. Often he had to cross and recrossthe rushing torrent, as it wound foaming and roaring down its broken channel, or waswalled by perpendicular precipices; and imminent was the hazard of breaking the legsof the horses in the clefts and fissures of slippery rocks. The whole scenery of thisdeep ravine was of Alpine wildness and sublimity. Sometimes the travellers passedbeneath cascades which pitched from such lofty heights that the water fell into thestream 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 pitchof the mountains, came to where the deep and rugged ravine began occasionally toexpand into small levels or valleys, and the stream to assume for short intervals a morepeaceful character. Here, not merely the river itself, but every rivulet flowing into it, wasdammed up by communities of industrious beavers, so as to inundate theneighborhood, and make continual swamps.
During a mid-day halt in one of these beaver valleys, Captain Bonneville left hiscompanions, and strolled down the course of the stream to reconnoitre. He had notproceeded far when he came to a beaver pond, and caught a glimpse of one of itspainstaking inhabitants busily at work upon the dam. The curiosity of the captain wasaroused, 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 withoutmaking any noise, until having attained a position commanding a view of the wholepond, he stretched himself flat on the ground, and watched the solitary workman. In alittle 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 perceivedwas in need of repair. Having deposited their loads upon the broken part, they divedinto the water, and shortly reappeared at the surface. Each now brought a quantity ofmud, with which he would plaster the sticks and bushes just deposited. This kind ofmasonry was continued for some time, repeated supplies of wood and mud beingbrought, and treated in the same manner. This done, the industrious beavers indulgedin a little recreation, chasing each other about the pond, dodging and whisking abouton the surface, or diving to the bottom; and in their frolic, often slapping their tails onthe water with a loud clacking sound. While they were thus amusing themselves,another of the fraternity made his appearance, and looked gravely on their sports forsome time, without offering to join in them. He then climbed the bank close to where thecaptain was concealed, and, rearing himself on his hind quarters, in a sitting position,put his forepaws against a young pine tree, and began to cut the bark with his teeth. Attimes he would tear off a small piece, and holding it between his paws, and retaininghis sedentary position, would feed himself with it, after the fashion of a monkey. Theobject of the beaver, however, was evidently to cut down the tree; and he wasproceeding with his work, when he was alarmed by the approach of CaptainBonneville's men, who, feeling anxious at the protracted absence of their leader, werecoming in search of him. At the sound of their voices, all the beavers, busy as well asidle, dived at once beneath the surface, and were no more to be seen. CaptainBonneville regretted this interruption. He had heard much of the sagacity of the beaverin cutting down trees, in which, it is said, they manage to make them fall into the water,and in such a position and direction as may be most favorable for conveyance to thedesired point. In the present instance, the tree was a tall straight pine, and as it grewperpendicularly, and there was not a breath of air stirring the beaver could have felled itin any direction he pleased, if really capable of exercising a discretion in the matter. Hewas evidently engaged in "belting" the tree, and his first incision had been on the sidenearest to the water.
