LARGE-TAILED SKIJNK. 
15 
m keeping perfectly still, for it was quite probable that the animal, after 
having satisfied his curiosity, would, if itninterrupted, quietly take his' 
departure. The trial was a severe one, for the next moment the upright 
white tail was passing within a foot of my very face. I did not flinch, but 
kept my eye upon it, although the cold sweat broke out upon my forehead 
in great globules. At length the fellow finding nothing to alarm him, 
turned about and with a sidelong motion danced back again to the mess- 
basket. Finding now that he had no thought of taking himself away, I 
exclaimed internally, ‘ Mortal man cannot bear a repetition of what I have 
just experienced !’ and laid my hand upon my rifle, which stood at my head. 
I weighed the chances of killing the animal so instantly dead that no dis- 
charge of odour would take place ; but just at this moment he succeeded in 
raising the top of the basket and I heard his descent among the spoons. 
‘ Ha ! ha ! old fellow, I have you now !’ I said to myself ; and the next 
instant I was standing on the top of the mess-basket, whither I had got 
without the slightest noise, and where I now heard the rascal rummaging 
my things little suspecting that he was at the time a prisoner. I called 
my servant — a negro. George made his appearance, and as he opened the 
front of the tent paused in surprise at seeing me standing en dishabille 
on the top of the mess-basket. ‘ George,’ said I, in a quiet tone, 1 buckle 
the straps of this basket.’ George looked still more surprised on receiving 
the order, but obeyed it in silence. I then stepped gently off, and said, 
‘ Take this basket very carefully, and without shaking it, out yonder, in 
front, and set it down easily.’ George looked still more bewildered ; but, 
accustomed to obey without question, did as he was directed. After he 
had carried the basket off to a considerable distance, and placed it on the 
ground, he looked back at the door of the tent, where I still stood, for 
further orders. ‘Unbuckle the straps,’ said I; it was done. ‘Raise the 
top of the basket :’ he did so ; while at the same time, elevating my voice, 
I continued, ‘ and let that d d Skunk out !’ As the last words escaped 
from my lips the head and tail of the animal appeared in sight, and 
George, giving vent to a scream of surprise and fear, broke away like a 
quarter-horse, and did not stop until he had put a good fifty yards between 
himself and the mess-basket. Meanwhile, the Skunk, with the same 
deliberation that had marked his previous course (and which, by the way, 
is a remarkable trait in the character of this animal), descended the side 
of the basket, and, with tail erect, danced off in a direction down the 
creek, and finally disappeared in the bushes. I then, having recovered 
from a good fit of laughter, called to George, who rather reluctantly made 
his appearance before me. He was still a little out of breath, and with 
some agitation, thus delivered himself, ‘ Bless God, massa, if I had known 
