152 THIEVES IN A POULTRY- YARD. 



passed between the branch on which the cat reposed and 

 the body of the animal. Twining round the poplar, it de- 

 scended to the ground. After unfolding it carefully, we pro- 

 ceeded to separate the parasitical plant into two portions, 

 and so well contrived our measures that, by giving them 

 a violent shake, we sent the cat flying into the air, and 

 had the pleasure of seeing him, after several revolu- 

 tions, fall plump upon the ground, in the very midst 

 of our dogs, whose teeth quickly finished him. I must 

 confess that I never laughed so much in all my life, 

 and my comrades did not fail to give free course to their 

 hilarity. 



I shall terminate this chapter on the wild cat by relat- 

 ing one of the incidents of my residence on a plantation of 

 South Carolina, situated at no great distance from Beau- 

 fort, the most picturesque town in that state, built in 

 the centre of the island of Port Royal. 



The hour of eight was sounded one morning by the 

 great clock in the house of Mr. Potter, the host to whom 

 I had been introduced by a friend, with the view of join- 

 ing in an exterminating foray against some wild cats, 

 whose murderous fangs had committed great ravages in 

 Mr. Potter's poultry-yard. Our horses had been saddled 

 and bridled, and we set out, five in number, including 

 the doctor of the plantation and myself, and accompanied 

 by a mounted huntsman and an outrider, holding in leash 

 four bloodhounds, before whom frisked and gambolled 

 three pointers and a spaniel. At about a mile from the 

 house we entered into the wood, where the dogs, con- 

 tinuing to advance as we did, soon started, now a snipe, 



