The road proceeding north from the village descends into the valley of the Beaver dam, (Cisqua,) watered by a beautiful stream of the same name, which rises in the adjoining town of Poundridge. In its progress to the Croton the Beaver dam is fed by the waters of broad and muddy brooks. By the process of gauging in 1833, (at a fair minimum,) the Beaver dam and Broad brook yielded four million nine hundred and sixty-three thousand four hundred and eighty gallons per diem.'i

The former stream appears to have been in a peculiar manner the haunt of the beaver ; hence the origin of the name Beaver dam. This timid animal, (says Van der Donck,) " always constructed its dwellings over running streams, having apertures in the lower stories which communicated with the water from which they could more easily retreat under water to places of safety which they have always prepared near their houses ; these consist of a hollow or hole entwining under water from the side of the stream whereon their house was erected, and adjoining under the bank into which they retreat on the approach of danger, wherein they seem to be safe and secure that no person can molest them. Eighty thousand beavers (the same authority asserts,) were killed

=1 Heath's Mem. p. 268. b Heath's Mem. p. 274.

c 11th May, 1772, John Farnam conveys to James Holmes a lot of land lying in Bedford near a place called Aspetong. d Report of water commissioners.