264 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



on that big limb to the right ? It looks suspicious ; we 

 will speak to it." 



The sharp report of the rifle followed, and the negro 

 that accompanied us picked up a large piece of bark that 

 fell rattling to the ground. The rifle was reloaded, and 

 another suspicious-looking protuberance was fired at, and 

 another knot was shattered. Again was the rifle reloaded, 

 and the tree more carefully examined.** Hardly had its 

 shrill report awakened the echoes of the forest for the 

 third time, before a grunt that would have done honor 

 to a stuck pig was heard, and the solid fat body of the 

 'possum fell at our feet. The negro picked it up, relit 

 his torch, and we proceeded homeward. 



When reseated by a comfortable fire, we were asked 

 our opinion by our host of " a white man's 'possum 

 hunt; " we expressed our unqualified approbation of the 

 whole afi"air, although we thought at first that any im- 

 provement on the negro's mode of doing the business 

 would be " painting the lily ! " 



As an article of food the opossum is considered by 

 many a very great luxury : the flesh, it is said, tastes not 

 unlike roast pig. We should have liked very much to 

 have heard " Elia's " description of a dish of it ; he 

 found sentiment and poetry in a pig, — where would he 

 have soared to over a dish of 'possum ? 



In cooking the " varmint," the Indians suspend it on 

 a stick by its tail, and in this position they let it roast 

 before the fire ; this mode does not destroy a sort of 



