THE RACCOON. 65 



free run of the house, playing about like a cat. 

 The niggers called him Tommy, and they let him 

 lick the plates in the kitchen, and now and then 

 steal a bit of meat or fish. One day, his master saw 

 him sneaking up to some young chickens, ducks, and 

 other fowls in the poultry yard, and try the strength 

 of his claws upon their plumage. Instead of op- 

 posing this natural disposition of the creature, my 

 friend's overseer tied a rope to his collar, fastened 

 to a log of wood, so that it was impossible for 

 him to make a spring. "Whilst I was staying at the 

 farm, it occurred to my friend and myself to expe- 

 riment upon the wild nature of the young raccoon. 

 We let him loose in the yard, and when he felt quite 

 sure that no one was looking, he began to approach 

 the spot where the fowls and other birds were peck- 

 ing grain. These, having looked upon him as 

 harmless, indeed almost as a friend, showed no 

 signs of alarm, when suddenly the raccoon sprang 

 upon the back of an old cock, who, surprised at this 

 sudden attack, immediately began to run round the 

 yard, with his foe fixed upon his back. The whole 

 lot of fowls was now in a state of considerable 

 uproar, and were flying about in every direction. 

 At last, the cunning raccoon, still astride of the 

 cock, contrived to get hold of the bird's head 

 in its jaws, and crunched it up pitilessly and as 

 leisurely as possible, without allowing itself to be 

 unseated by the dying convulsions of the victim. 

 VOL. I. r 



