THE CAMP FIRE. 21 



um in de grog or de bread, and don't he work um ? 

 Din't ole Ma'm Lize, on de Robinson plantation, take off 

 Maussa Robinson? She be real nigger witch! Ole 

 man, he took sick, and all ee doctors in Swanna couldn't 

 cure him all winter, an' in de spring he die ob turkey 

 beard. Dat's Gospel !" 



" You nigga, mussen come cooking 'fore our fire, or 

 we be habin' turkey beard too," retorts Caesar, as with 

 his black muscular arms, bare to the shoulder, he elbowed 

 his darky brother aside to put a dish of meat before the 

 party. 



The sight of the smoking food brought every man's 

 thoughts and fingers to the subject before him. The 

 huge roll of cookery smelled good, but was by no means 

 comely to look at. As layer after layer of green leaves 

 were pulled off, there presently rolled out what might 

 have been a pig in civilized life, but which we immedi- 

 ately recognized as an oppossum. His skin and hair 

 adhered to the wrappings that had been bound around 

 him, and which kept him from the ashes and the burning 

 coals, and nothing now remained but the steamy fat 

 little carcass that would have made a vegetarian forego 

 his creed. Added to this there Avas a venison steak and 

 some corn-bread, and Poke had a canteen of whisky hid 

 away (the sensual dog!) and we feasted like kings, or 

 rather as kings are supposed to feast, with great good 

 humor and monstrous appetites, but which I verily sus- 

 pect kings rarely have. Each one pulled at the 'possum, 

 or cut strips from the venison, as he liked, and as fast 



