464 AUDUBON 



horses and cattle. The husk consists of several thick leaves 

 rather longer than the corn-ear itself, and which secure it 

 from the weather. It is quite a labor to detach these leaves 

 from the ear when thousands of bushels of the corn are 

 gathered and heaped together. For this purpose, however, 

 and in the western country more especially, several neigh- 

 boring families join alternately at each other's plantations, 

 and assist in clearing away the husks, thus preparing the 

 maize for the market or for domestic use. 



The good people whom we met with at this hospitable 

 house were on the point of going to the barn (the farmer 

 here being in rather good condition) to work until towards 

 the middle of the night. When we had stood the few stares 

 to which strangers must accustom themselves, no matter 

 where, even in a drawing-room, we approached the fire. 

 What a shock for the whole party ! The scent of the Pole- 

 cat, that had been almost stifled on my companion's vest- 

 ments by the cold of the evening air, now recovered its 

 primitive strength. The cloak was put out of the house, 

 but its owner could not well be used in the same way. The 

 company, however, took to their heels, and there only 

 remained a single black servant, who waited on us till 

 supper was served. 



I felt vexed with myself, as I saw the good traveller dis- 

 pleased. But he had so much good-breeding as to treat 

 this important affair with great forbearance, and merely 

 said he was sorry for his want of knowledge in zoology. 

 The good gentleman, however, was not only deficient in 

 zoological lore, but, fresh as he was from Europe, felt more 

 than uneasy in this out-of-the-way house, and would have 

 proceeded towards my own home that night, had I not at 

 length succeeded in persuading him that he was in perfect 

 security. 



We were shown to bed. As I was almost a stranger to 

 him, and he to me, he thought it a very awkward thing to 

 be obliged to lie in the same bed with me, but afterwards 



