THE "I5IG WOODS." 213 



venison, trout and luim ; Jim is plucking the feathers from 

 a partridge ; Sam, with Avettest side turned toward the fire, is 

 recounting his day's experience ; the dog sits on his haunches, 

 winning his impatience ; while the hunter-guest is hy this 

 time stretched full length upon the gi'ound, puflfing huge 

 clouds of tobacco-smoke that vie with the "smudges" for 

 density. From one corner of his half-closed eyelids he 

 silentl)', yet quizzically, regards the plucking process. Once 

 or twice he moves nervously, as though about to rise ; but it 

 is not until he has seen the last pin-feather singed from the 

 bare body of the bird, that his modesty permits him to ex- 

 press his feelings. 



"Look yere now — what's the sort of use o' spilin' good vit- 

 tles that-away ? Can't you see the bird aint no account after 

 it's been burnt to a cinder in the fire ? Go yonder to the 

 creek and bring me a peck of clay from the bank, and I'll 

 show yer how to cook a bird." 



While Jim obeys orders, though not without some sensa- 

 tions of injured dignity and incredulity combined, the old 

 hunter takes another partridge and whips off the legs and 

 Avings at the second joints. Then he raises the body -feathers 

 with his fingers, and having inlaid them with an abundance 

 of salt and pepper, gently strokes them back again. When 

 the clay is brought, he kneads it with water to the consis- 

 tency of stiff paste, and then plasters it all over the bird 

 thickly until it resembles a huge dumpling. Four others he 

 treats in the same manner. These jDreliminaries concluded, 

 he selects the hottest bed of coals, and raking out a hollow, 

 puts the dumplings in and covers them carefully. 

 • " There, I reckon that'll take the shine off country cook- 

 in'. Now, shng your vittles smartly, for I'm right near the 

 staiwing point, I'll just allow. When we've put away this 

 deer meat and pork fixins, you'll find them air birds wont 

 turn your stomicks much. You kin jist reckon on that." 



Not much persuasion does it require to bring the company 

 to their diet. For although the food is not over clean, or 



