OPOSSUM HUNTING. 263 



its deep recesses we were piloted by a stout negro bear- 

 ing a torch. Our dug.s — for there were two of them — 

 soon gave notice that we were in tiie vicinity of an opos- 

 sum, and finally, directed by their noses — for eyes were 

 of no use — they opened loud and strong, and satisfied us 

 that an opossum was over our heads. 



At this moment I was completely puzzled to know 

 how we were to get at the animal, I must confess ; we 

 had no axe, and a millstone intervening between the 

 oppossum and our eyes, could not have .shut it out of 

 sight more efi'cctually than did the surrounding darkness, 

 which seemed to be growing " thicker "' every moment, 

 by contrast with the glaring torch. 



The negro who accompanied us, without ceremony 

 kindled a large fire about twenty feet from the base of 

 the tree in which our game was lodged, and as soon as 

 it was well kindled and burning merrily, my companion 

 seated himself about forty feet from the base of the 

 tree, bringing the trunk of it directly between himself 

 and the fire. I took a seat by his side by request, and 

 waited patiently to see what would come next. The fire 

 continued to burn each moment more brightly, and the 

 tree that intervened between us and it became more pro- 

 minent, and its dark outline became more and more dis- 

 tinct, until the most minute branch and leaf was per- 

 fectly visible. 



" Now," said mine host, •' we will have the opos- 

 sum. Do you see that large knotty-looking substanct 



