“They have thus dammed all the larger lakes, raising their broad surfaces many feet ... thus turning the forces of nature against herself, that they might float their spoils out of the country. They rapidly run out of these immense forests all the finer, and more accessible pine timber, and then leave the bears to watch the decaying dams, not clearing nor cultivating the land, nor making roads, nor building houses, but leaving it a wilderness as they found it. Inmany parts, only these dams remain, like deserted beaver-dams. Think how much land they have flowed, with out asking Nature's leave!”
