14 
LARGE-TAILED SKUNK. 
lioises, get their breakfast, and be ready to take the road as soon as it 
was fairly daylight. After a refreshing sleep, I awoke about an hour before 
day, and the familiar sound of my horse munching his corn by the side of 
my tent, where he was usually picketed, informed me that my men were 
already astir. At this hour, the moon, almost at the full, was low in the 
west, and flung its mellow light adown the mountain gorge, in rays that 
were nearly horizontal. And therefore, not finding it necessary to strike 
a light, I was on the point of rising, when I heard, as I thought, my 
servant opening the mess-basket, which stood near the foot of my bed. 
I spoke to him ; but receiving no answer, I turned my eyes in that direc- 
tion, and discovered on the front wall of my tent a little shadow playing 
fantastically over the canvas, upon which the moon’s rays fell, after passing 
over my head. With a hunter’s eye, I at once recognized in this shadow 
the outline of the uplifted tail of a Mephitis Macroura, vulgo Large-Tailed 
Skunk , whose body was concealed from my view behind the mess-basket. 
Into this, doubtless attracted by the scent of a cold boiled bacon-ham, he 
was evidently endeavouring to effect an entrance. 
“ Bein g weB acquainted with his habits and character, I knew 1 must 
manage to get rid of my visitor without seriously alarming or provoking 
him, or I should in all probability be the sufferer. I therefore thought 1 
would at first, merely in a quiet way, signify my presence ; on discovering 
which, perhaps, he would take the hint, and his departure at the same time” 
So, ‘ I coughed and cried hem !’ but my gentleman only raised his head 
above the top of the basket for a moment, and then renewed his efforts to 
lift the lid. I now took up one of my boots that lay by my bed, and 
struck the heel smartly against the tent-pole. Again the intruder raised 
his head, and regarded me for a moment ; after which he left the basket 
and passed round the foot of my bed, which, I should mention, was spread 
upon the ground. At first, I thought he had, indeed, taken the hint, and 
was about to slope off. But I had, in fact, only excited his curiosity ; and 
the next moment, to my horror, I saw him turn up by the side of my bed, 
and come dancing along with a dainty, sidling motion, to examine into the 
cause of the noise. His broad white tail was elevated, and jauntily flirted 
from side to side as he approached. In fact, his approach was the sauciest 
and most provokingly deliberate thing conceivable. As every step 
brought him nearer to my face, the impulse I felt to bolt head-foremost 
through the opposite side of the tent, was almost irresistible : but I well 
knew that any sudden motion on my part, whilst in such close proximity 
to the rascal, would be very apt so to startle him as to bring upon me that 
which I was seeking to escape, and of which I was, in truth, in mortal 
dread ; whilst, on the other hand, I was equally aware that my safety lay 
