HUNTING OPOSSUMS AT NIGHT. 213 



* Pardon me,' said my host, ' it is neither the size of 

 the animal nor its value which gives me a zest for the 

 sport; it is because very few, perhaps none but myself, 

 have ever taken it into their heads to shoot opossums 

 on a dark night, and with a rifle.' 



' On a dark night, and with a rifle ? ' I said. 



' Yes ; the darker the better. To-night I wall con- 

 vince you, if you choose.' 



The night was ^ as black as a wolf's throat,' and I 

 could not help muttering to m3-self that ' I should as 

 soon expect to " catch a hare with a drum " as to 

 shoot a rifle successfully in such black darkness.' My 

 remark was overheard, and the reply was, ' They who 

 live longest will see the most ! ' 



Preceded by a negro with, a torch, who piloted us 

 into the depths of the forest, we soon got about a mile 

 away from the house ; and then the dogs, for we had 

 two of them, were encouraged to hunt about. Before 

 many minutes had passed, they gave notice that a 

 'possum was afoot, and presently they had ^ treed ' 

 it. Of course, seeing was out of the question, and we 

 could only, led by our ears, follow our noses, till we 

 came to the tree, at the foot of which, with their noses 

 high in the air, the dogs were dancing around and 

 ' barking up the right tree.' 



The darkness seemed to thicken each moment, and 

 I was fairly puzzled to tell how the game was to be 

 got at. Had a brick wall intervened, the tree tops 



