82 THE mVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



and the timber land is good ; but that bottom land aint 

 wortli the first red cent.' " 



"'Why?' said I. 



" ' 'Cause,' said he. 



" ' 'Cause what ? ' said I. 



" ' 'Cause it's full of cedar stumps and Indian 

 mounds, and canH be cleared.'' 



" ' Lord,' said I, ' them ar " cedar stumps " is 

 beets, and them ar " Indian mounds " tater hills.' 



" As I had expected, the crop was overgrown and use- 

 less : the sile is too rich, a } id planting in Arkansaiv is 

 dangerous. 



" I had a good-sized sow killed in "that same bottom- 

 land. The old thief stole an ear of corn, and took it 

 down to eat where she slept at night. Well, she left a 

 grain or two on the ground, and lay down on them : be- 

 fore morning the corn shot up, and the percussion killed 

 her dead. I don't plant any more : natur intended 

 Arkansaw for a hunting ground, and I go according to 

 natur." 



The questioner, who had thus elicited the description 

 of our hero's settlement, seemed to be perfectly satis- 

 fied, and said no more ; but the " Big Bear of Arkansaw" 

 rambled on from one thing to another with a volubility 

 perfectly astonishing, occasionally disputing with those 

 around him, particularly with a '' live Sucker" from 

 Illinois, who had the daring to say that our Arkansaw 

 friend's stories " smelt rather tall." 



