Their hides the Saluages use for cloathing, and will give for one hide killed in season, 2. 3. or 4. beaver skinnes, which will yeild pounds a peece in that Coun[{76}]try: so much is the Deares hide prised with them above the beaver. I have made good merchandize of these. The flesh is farre sweeter then the venison of England: and hee feedeth fatt and leane together, as a swine or mutton, where as our Deare of England feede fatt on the out side: they doe not croake at rutting time, nor spendle shafte, nor is their flesh discoloured at rutting. Hee, that will impale ground fitting, may be brought once in the yeare where with bats and men hee may take so many to put into that parke, as the hides will pay the chardge of impaleinge. If all these things be well considered, the Deare, as well as the Mose, may have a principall place in the catalogue of commodities.
The Humbles was the doggs fee.
I for my part may be bould to tell you, that my howse was not without the flesh of this sort of Deare winter nor summer: the humbles was ever my dogges fee, which by the wesell[350] was hanged on the barre in the chimney, for his diet only: for hee has brought to my stand a brace in a morning, one after the other before sunne rising, which I have killed.
Roe bucks or Rayne Deare.
There is likewise a third sorte of deare,[351] lesse then the other, (which are a kinde of rayne deare,) to the southward of all the English plantations: they are excellent good flesh. And these also bring three fawnes at a time; and in this particular the Deare of those parts excell all the knowne Deare of the whole world.
Wolfes pray upon Deare.
On all these the Wolfes doe pray continually. The best meanes they have to escape the wolfes is by swimming to Islands,[352] or necks of land, whereby [{77}] they escape: for the wolfe will not presume to follow them untill they see them over a river; then, being landed, (they wayting on the shore,) undertake the water, and so follow with fresh suite.
Beaver.
The next in mine opinion fit to be spoaken of, is the Beaver;[353] which is a Beast ordained for land and water both, and hath fore feete like a cunny, her hinder feete like a goese, mouthed like a cunny, but short eared like a Serat. [He feeds on] fishe in summer, and wood in winter; which hee conveyes to his howse built on the water, wherein hee sitts with his tayle hanging in the water, which else would over heate and rot off.
The Beavers cut downe trees, with his fore teeth.