EPISODES 



331 



hummock where they were engaged in preparing live-oak 

 timber for a man-of-war. Provided with axes and guns, 

 we left the house to the care of the wife and children, and 

 proceeded for several miles through a pine-barren, such 

 as I have attempted to describe. One fine Wild Turkey 

 was shot, and when we arrived at the shanty put up near 

 the hummock, we found another party of wood-cutters 

 waiting our arrival, before eating their breakfast, already 

 prepared by a negro man, to whom the Turkey was con- 

 signed to be roasted for part of that day's dinner. 



Our repast was an excellent one, and vied with a Ken- 

 tucky breakfast ; beef, fish, potatoes, and other vegetables, 

 were served up, with coffee in tin cups, and plenty of bis- 

 cuit. Every man seemed hungry and happy, and the con- 

 versation assumed the most humorous character. The sun 

 now rose above the trees, and all, excepting the cook, 

 proceeded to the hummock, on which I had been gazing 

 with great delight, as it promised rare sport. My host, 

 I found, was the chief of the party; and although he also 

 had an axe, he made no other use of it than for stripping 

 here and there pieces of bark from certain trees which he 

 considered of doubtful soundness. He was not only well 

 versed in his profession, but generally intelligent, and 

 from him I received the following account, which I noted 

 at the time. 



The men who are employed in cutting the live-oak, 

 after having discovered a good hummock, build shanties 

 of small logs, to retire to at night, and feed in by day. 

 Their provisions consist of beef, pork, potatoes, biscuit, 

 flour, rice and fish, together with excellent whiskey. 

 They are mostly hale, strong, and active men, from the 

 eastern parts of the Union, and receive excellent wages, 

 according to their different abilities. Their labors are 

 only of a few months' duration. Such hummocks as are 

 found near navigable streams are first chosen, and when 

 it is absolutely necessary, the timber is sometimes hauled 



