AWAY TO THE FOREST. 83 



sounds capable, like the horn of Astolphus, of putting to 

 flight an army. 



All this had passed without a word being uttered, but 

 my host, now turning towards me, explained, that his 

 horrible tintamarre was designed to frighten the racoons 

 who were foraging in the maize-fields, and whom the 

 unwonted sounds would frighten back to the woods in 

 all haste. 



"It is in the forest, my friend," continued Mr. Daniel- 

 son, " that we must wage war against them, and not in 

 the middle of my corn and maize, where we and the dogs 

 would do more injury in half an hour than all the 

 racoons of the country in a twelvemonth." 



While we were thus conversing, Mr. Danielson's two 

 sons had hastened to the kennel and released the dogs ; 

 a negro, my host's favourite domestic, had lighted a torch 

 of resin to assist our progress through the wood ; each of 

 us was provided with a well-tempered and keen-edged 

 axe ; and we set out in the following order : the negro in 

 advance, whistling and leaping Mr. Danielson's two 

 sons as the main body my host and myself bringing up 

 the rear. 



The farmer's sons, however, soon outstripped the negro, 

 whose pace was neither as light nor as swift as theirs. 



" Trust to me, my dear friend," said Mr. Danielson, 

 " and let the two scatterbrains push on ahead ; they will 

 be compelled to wait for us, after all, when once they 

 have gained the rendezvous. Pay attention to all the 

 obstacles in the path, and, as far as possible, keep exactly 

 in my footsteps. The road is not one of the most prac- 

 ticable ; take care that you do not trip yourself up 

 against any old root or stump, or get entangled in the 



