CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
A 'COON-CHASE.
"My 'coon-chase took place in Tennessee, where I was sojourning for sometime upon a plantation. It was the first affair of the kind I had beenpresent at, and I was somewhat curious as to the mode of carrying it on.My companion and inductor was a certain `Uncle Abe,' a gentleman verymuch after the style and complexion of our own Jake here.
"I need not tell you, gentlemen, that throughout the Western Statesevery neighbourhood has its noted 'coon-hunter. He is usually a waryold `nigger,' who knows all the tricks and dodges of the 'coon. Heeither owns a dog himself, or has trained one of his master's, in thatpeculiar line. It is of little importance what breed the dog may be. Ihave known curs that were excellent `'coon-dogs.' All that is wantedis, that he have a good nose, and that he be a good runner, and ofsufficient bulk to be able to bully a 'coon when taken. This a verysmall dog cannot do, as the 'coon frequently makes a desperate fightbefore yielding. Mastiffs, terriers, and half-bred pointers make thebest `'coon-dogs.'
"Uncle Abe was the mighty hunter, the Nimrod of the neighbourhood inwhich I happened to be; and Uncle Abe's dog--a stout terrier--wasesteemed the `smartest 'coon-dog' in a circle of twenty miles. In goingout with Uncle Abe, therefore, I had full confidence that I should seesport.
"On one side of the plantation was a heavily-timbered `bottom', throughwhich meandered a small stream, called, of course, a `creek.' Thisbottom was a favourite _habitat_ of the 'coons, as there were largetrees growing near the water, many of which were hollow either in theirtrunks or some of their huge limbs. Moreover, there were vast trellisesof vines extending from tree to tree; some of them, as the fox andmuscadine (_Vitis Labrusca_), yielding sweet grapes, of which theraccoons are very fond.
"To this bottom, then, we directed our course, Abe acting as guide, andholding his dog, Pompo, in the leash Abe carried no other weapon than anaxe, while I had armed myself with a double-barrel. Pompo knew as wellas either of us the errand on which we were bent, as appeared from hisflashing eyes and the impatient leaps which he now and then made to getfree.
"We had to cross a large corn-field, a full half-mile in breadth, beforewe reached the woods. Between this and the timber was a zigzag fence--the common `rail' fence of the American farmer. For some distancebeyond the fence the timber was small, but farther on was the creek`bottom,' where the 'coons were more likely to make theirdwelling-place.
"We did not, however, proceed direct to the bottom. Abe knew betterthan that. The young corn was just then `in the milk,' and the'coon-hunter expected to find his game nearer the field. It wassettled, therefore, that we should follow the line of the fence, inhopes that the dog would strike a fresh trail, leading either to or fromthe corn-field.
"It was now night--two hours after sundown. The 'coon-chase, I havealready said, is a nocturnal sport. The raccoon does range by day, butrarely, and only in dark and solitary woods. He often basks by day uponhigh limbs, or the broken tops, of trees. I have shot several of histribe while asleep, or sunning themselves in such situations. Perhapsbefore they knew their great enemy man, they were less nocturnal intheir activity. We had a fine moonlight; but so far as a view of thechase was concerned, that would benefit us but little. During the huntthere is not much to be seen of either dog or 'coon, as it is always ascramble through trees and underwood. The dog trusts altogether to hisnose, and the hunter to his ears; for the latter has no other guide savethe yelp or bark of his canine assistant. Nevertheless, moonlight, or aclear night, is indispensable; without one or the other, it would beimpossible to follow through the woods. A view of a 'coon-chase is aluxury enjoyed only by the hats and owls.
"Pompo was now let loose in the corn; while Abe and I walked quietlyalong the fence, keeping on different sides. Abe remained in the fieldfor the purpose of handing over the dog, as the fence was high--aregular `ten rail, with stalks and riders.' A 'coon could easily crossit, but not a dog, without help.
"We had not gone more than a hundred yards, when a quick sharp yelp fromPompo announced that he had come suddenly upon something in thecorn-field.
"`A varmint!' cried Abe; and the next moment appeared the dog, runningup full tilt among the maize plants and up to the fence. I could seesome dark object before him, that passed over the rails with a suddenspring, and bounded into the timbers.
"`A varmint, massa!' repeated Abe, as he lifted the dog over, andfollowed himself.
"I knew that in Abe's vocabulary--for that night at least--a `varmint'meant a 'coon; and as we dashed through the brushwood, following thedog, I felt all the excitement of a 'coon-chase.
"It was not a long one--I should think of about five minutes' duration;at the end of which time the yelp of the dog which had hitherto guidedus, changed into a regular and continuous harking. On hearing this, Abequietly announced--
"`The varmint am treed.'
"Our only thought now was to get to the tree as speedily as possible,but another thought entered our minds as we advanced; that was, whatsort of a tree had the 'coon taken shelter in?
"This was an important question, and its answer involved the success orfailure of our hunt. If a very large tree, we might whistle for the'coon. Abe knew this well, and as we passed on, expressed his doubtsabout the result.
"The bark of Pompo sounded some hundred yards off, in the very heaviestof the bottom timber. It was not likely, therefore, that the 'coon hadtaken to a small tree, while there were large ones near at hand. Ouronly hope was that he had climbed one that was not `hollow.' In thatcase we might still have a chance with the double-barrel and buck-shot.Abe had but little hope.
"`He hab reach him own tree, massa; an' that am sartin to be a big unwi' a hole near um top. Wagh! 'twar dat ar fence. But for de drattedfence ole Pomp nebber let um reach um own tree. Wagh!'
"From this I learned that one point in the character of a good 'coon-dogwas speed. The 'coon runs well for a few hundred yards. He rarelystrays farther from his lair. If he can beat his pursuer for thisdistance he is safe, as his retreat is always in a hollow tree of greatsize. There is no way of getting at him there, except by felling thetree, and this the most zealous 'coon-hunter would not think ofattempting. The labour of cutting down such a tree would be worth adozen 'coons. A swift dog, therefore, will overtake the raccoon, andforce him to the nearest tree--often a small one, where he is eithershaken off or the tree cut down. Sometimes the hunter climbs after andforces him to leap out, so as to fall into the very jaws of the watchfuldog below.
"In Abe's opinion Pompo would have `treed' his 'coon before reaching,the bottom, had not the fence interfered, but now--
"`Told ye so, massa!' muttered he, interrupting my thoughts. `Look dar!dar's de tree--trunk thick as a haystack. Wagh!'
"I looked in the direction indicated by my companion. I saw Pompostanding by the root of a very large tree, looking upward, shaking histail, and barking at intervals. Before I had time to make any fartherobservations Abe's voice again sounded in my ears.
"`Gollies! it am a buttonwood! Why, Pomp, ole fellur, you hab made amistake--de varmint ain't dar, 'Cooney nebber trees upon buttonwood--nebber--you oughter know better'n dat, ole fool!'
"Abe's speech drew my attention to the tree. I saw that it was theAmerican sycamore (_Platanus Occidentalis_), familiarly known by thetrivial name, `buttonwood,' from the use to which its wood is sometimesput. But why should the 'coon not `tree' upon it, as well as any other?I put the question to my companion.
"`'Cause, massa, its bark am slickery. De varmint nebber takes to 'im.He likes de oak, an' de poplum, an' de scaly-bark. Gosh! but he amdar!' continued Abe, raising his voice, and looking outward--`Lookyonder, massa! He had climb by de great vine. Dat's right, Pomp! youam right after all, and dis nigga's a fool. Hee--up, ole dog! hee--up!'
"Following the direction in which Abe pointed, my eyes rested on a hugeparasite of the lliana kind, that, rising out of the ground at somedistance, slanted upward and joined the
sycamore near its top. This hadno doubt been the ladder by which the 'coon had climbed.
"This discovery, however, did not mend the matter as far as we wereconcerned. The 'coon had got into the buttonwood, fifty feet from theground, where the tree had been broken off by the lightning or the wind,and where the mouth of a large cavity was distinctly visible by thelight of the moon. The trunk was one of the largest, and it would havebeen sheer folly (so we concluded) to have attempted felling it.
"We left the spot without farther ado, and took our way back to thecorn-field.
"The dog had now been silent for some time, and we were in hopes thatanother `varmint' might have stolen into the corn.
"Our hopes were not doomed to disappointment. Pompo had scarcelyentered the field when a second 'coon was sprung, which, like the other,ran directly for the fence and the woods.
"Pomp followed as fast as he could be flung over; and this 'coon wasalso `treed' in a few minutes.
"From the direction of the barking, we calculated that it must be nearwhere the other had escaped us; but our astonishment equalled ourchagrin, when upon arriving at the spot, we found that both the`varmints' had taken to the same tree!
"With some rather emphatic ejaculations we returned to the corn-field,and after a short while a third 'coon was raised, which, like theothers, made of course for the timber.
"Pomp ran upon his trail with an angry yelping, that soon changed intothe well-known signal that he had treed the game.
"We ran after through brush and brake, and soon came up with the dog.If our astonishment was great before, it was now beyond bounds. Theidentical buttonwood with its great parasite was before us, the dogbarking at its foot! The third 'coon had taken shelter in its capaciouscavity.
"`Wagh! massa!' ejaculated Abe, in a voice of terror, `its de samevarmint. It ain't no 'coon, it's de debil! For de lub o' God, massa,let's get away from here!'
"Of course I followed his advice, as to get at the 'coons was out of thequestion.
"We returned once more to the corn-field, but we found that we had atlast cleared it of 'coons. It was still early, however, and I wasdetermined not to give up the hunt until I had assisted in killing a'coon. By Abe's advice, therefore, we struck into the woods with theintention of making a circuit where the trees were small. Some 'coonmight be prowling there in search of birds' nests. So thought Abe.
"He was right in his conjecture. A fourth was started, and off wentPompo after him. In a few minutes the quick constant bark echoed back.This time we were sure, from the direction, in a new tree.
"It proved to be so, and such a small one that, on coming up, we saw theanimal squatted upon the branches, not twenty feet from the ground.
"We were now sure of him, as we thought; and I had raised my gun tofire; when all at once, as if guessing my intent, the 'coon sprang intoanother tree, and then ran down to the ground and off again, with Pompoveiling in his track.
"Of course we expected that the dog would speedily tree him again, whichafter a few minutes he did, but this time in the heavy timber.
"We hastened forward, guided by the barking. To the extreme of myastonishment, and I fancy to the very extreme of Abe's terror, we againfound ourselves at the foot of the buttonwood.
"Abe's wool stood on end. Superstition was the butt-end of hisreligion; and he not only protested, but I am satisfied that hebelieved, that all the four 'coons were one and the same individual, andthat individual `de debil.'
"Great 'coon-hunter as he was, he would now have gone home, if I had lethim. But I had no thoughts of giving up the matter in that easy way. Iwas roused by the repeated disappointment. A new resolve had entered mymind. I was determined to get the 'coons out of the buttonwood, costwhat it might. The tree must come down, if it should take us tillmorning to fell it.
"With this determination I caught hold of Abe's axe, and struck thefirst blow. To my surprise and delight the tree sounded hollow. Irepeated the stroke. The sharp axe went crashing inwards. The tree washollow to the ground; on the side where I had commenced chopping, it wasbut a shell.
"A few more blows, and I had made a hole large enough to put a headthrough. Felling such a tree would be no great job after all, and I sawthat it would hardly occupy an hour. The tree must come down.
"Abe seeing me so resolute, had somewhat recovered his courage and hissenses, and now laid hold of the axe. Abe was a `first hand' at`chopping,' and the hole soon gaped wider.
"`If de hole run clar up, massa,' said he, resting for a moment, `we cansmoke out de varmint--wid de punk and de grass here we can smoke out dedebil himself. S'pose we try 'im, massa?'
"`Good!' cried I, catching at Abe's suggestion; and in a few minutes wehad made a fire in the hole, and covered it with leaves, grass, andweeds.
"The smoke soon did its work. We saw it ooze out above at the entranceof the 'coon hole--at first in a slight filmy stream, and then in thickvolumes. We heard a scraping and rattling within the hollow trunk, anda moment after a dark object sprang out upon the lliana, and ran a shortway downward. Another followed, and another, and another, until astring of no less than six raccoons squatted along the parasitethreatening to run downward!
"The scene that followed was indescribable. I had seized my gun, andboth barrels were emptied in a `squirrel's jump.' Two of the 'coonscame to the ground, badly wounded. Pompo tackled another, that had rundown the lliana, and was attempting to get off; while Abe with his axeclove the skull of a fourth, that had tried to escape in a similarmanner.
"The other two ran back into the `funnel,' but only to come out againjust in time to receive a shot each from the reloaded gun, which broughtboth of them tumbling from the tree. We succeeded in bagging the wholefamily; and thus finished what Abe declared to be the greatest`'coon-chase on de record.'
"As it was by this time far in the night, we gathered up our game, andtook the `back track to hum.'"