SCALDING PIGS " AUKANSAS FASHION." 215 



into the enclosure, shot, stuck, scalded, cleaned, and 

 carried into the house. Not having any large caldron 

 to scald them, it was done Arkansas fashion. A cask 

 with the head out was half sunk in the earth, and 

 filled with cold water, and a large fire was made close 

 by and covered with stones. When these were hot 

 enough, they were thrown into the water, and the cask 

 covered with a blanket. The water was soon hot 

 enough for our purpose : the pig was dipped once or 

 twice hi the water, and five or six pairs of hands soon 

 removed all the bristles. By evening all was finished, 

 and part of the fat laid aside, out of reach of the dogs, 

 for making soap. The good people who came to help 

 us, now set-to to drink, assisted by Ilaller, so that in 

 the course of an hour and a half, none of them knew 

 exactly whether he was standing on his head or his 

 feet. As soon as they were all screwed up, I laid one 

 in each trough, and left them to repose. Before it 

 came to this, Hallcr and the, young American had 

 sworn eternal friendship, clasped each other round the 

 neck, mutually supported each other to prevent their 

 falling on the stupid staggering ground, till at last they 

 went down like a couple of flour-sacks. Next day the 

 pigs were cut up, salted, and suspended in the smoking 

 house. In the evening we went to our next neighbor 

 to borrow a caldron, to melt down the fat ; but when I 

 went to get it, a large quantity of fat had vanished, not 

 through the dogs, but through wolves, whose trail I 

 plainly traced through the soft sand near the river, not 

 fifteen paces from the house ; but enough was left for 

 our purpose. 



I was now well enough to shoot again, and had good 



