Indian Tallyman
from D.J. Allen, Superintendent Reserves and Trusts, Canada Department of Mines and Resources, Ottawa, ON, December 12, 1941
I think you are familiar
with our plan
of marking beaver houses
every beaver house is staked
just like a mineral claim
placed in charge
of the tallyman
for the group area
in which it is located
the house is numbered
and the tallyman has
in his pocket what is called
a beaver token, bearing
the same number,
the possession of this token,
is evidence
the tallyman can produce
guarantee he is
in fact the man
responsible for the house
the proof being
the marker on the house
bears the same number
as the beaver
token he has in his pocket