438 SPOUTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



The negroes of the South are the greatest coon-hunters, 

 and they spend many an hour of the night in the woods 

 with dogs and guns to obtain the animal, whose flesh is 

 considered by them to be unexcelled in delicacy of flavor. 

 Coon-stew is a favorite dish with them ; and so highly is it 

 prized that I heard a negro preacher say that "Heaven is 

 sweeter dan a coon-stew, or cabbage biled wid a hog's back- 

 bone." 



As a specimen of how fond they are of it, the whites 

 relate an anecdote about two of them who were out until 

 morning in search of their beloved game, but captured 

 only one. When they returned to the house they were 

 very sleepy; but Jem told Sam that if he would sleep for 

 awhile and then relieve him, both could have a nice nap 

 before the coon, which was in the pot, could be cooked. 

 Sam complied with this, and was soon fast asleep and snor- 

 ing loudly. As the flesh of the coon began to get digesti- 

 ble, the pot- watcher commenced tasting it and drinking the 

 soup ; and so interested was he in his work that he forgot 

 all about the sleeper, and devoured every bit of the animal. 

 When that was done, the fear of the consequences caused 

 him a great deal of tribulation, as he did not know how to 

 escape from his difficulty. Finally, a bright idea struck 

 him, and he carried it into effect at once. He rubbed 

 Sam's lips with some fat, placed all the bones and the pot 

 in front of him, taking care that a bone was also put into 

 his hand, and then retired to rest, conscious of the effica- 

 cy of his stratagem. When Sam woke up, he was amazed 

 at the condition of affairs, and his huge eyeballs rolled in 

 astonishment as he gazed first at the bones, and then at 

 his sleeping companion. He, at length, became both be- 

 wildered and angry, and laying his hand heavily on the 

 shoulder of the sleeper, yelled out, " Come, Jem, none ob 

 you foolin' wid dis chile ; what's you done wid de coon ?" 



Jem stared at him with a look of blank surprise, and 

 said, " Why, Sam, is you crazy ? Dat coon ? why you eat 

 it all up in you sleep, and you wouldn't gi' me a moufful 

 when I axed it, 'cause you said you was asleep." 



