On their arrival, the hospitable planter sent to his neighbours, and
arranged a grand hunt, to come off at an early day specified in the
invitation. Each was to bring with him such hounds as he was possessed
of--and in this way a large pack might be got together, so that a wide
extent of forest could be driven.
Among the planters of the Southern states this is a very common
practice: only a few of them keeping what might be called a regular
kennel of hounds, but many of them having five or six couples. In a
neighbourhood favourable to the chase, by uniting a number of these
little bands together, a pack may be got up large enough for any
purpose.
The usual game hunted in the Southern states is the American fallow-deer
(_cervus virginianus_), which is still found in considerable plenty in
the more solitary tracts of forest all over the United States. It is
the only species of deer indigenous to Louisiana: since, the noble stag
or "elk," as he is erroneously called (_cervus canadensis_), does not
range so far to the south. On the Pacific coast this animal is found in
much lower latitudes than on that of the Atlantic.
Besides the fallow-deer, the fox gives sport to the Louisiana hunter.
This is the grey fox (_vulpes virginianus_). The bay lynx also--or wild
cat, as it is called (_lynx rufus_)--and now and then, but more rarely,
the cougar (_felis concolor_), give the hounds a run before taking to
the tree.
Racoons, opossums, and skunks are common enough in the forests of
Louisiana; but these are regarded as "vermin," and are not permitted to
lead the dogs astray.
With regard to the other animals mentioned, they all rank as noble
game--especially the cougar, called "panther" by the backwoodsman--and
the pack may follow whichever is first "scared up."
The grand game, however, is the bear; and the capture of Bruin is not a
feat of everyday occurrence. To find his haunts it is necessary to make
an excursion into the more unfrequented and inaccessible solitudes of
the forest--in places often many miles from a settlement. Not
unfrequently, however, the old gentleman wanders abroad from his unknown
retreat, and seeks the plantations--where in the night-time he skulks
round the edges of the fields, and commits serious depredations on the
young maize plants, or the succulent stalks of the sugar-cane, of which
he is immoderately fond. Like his brown congener of Europe he has a
sweet tooth, and is greatly given to honey. To get at it he climbs the
bee-trees, and robs the hive of its stores. In all these respects he is
like the brown bear; but otherwise he differs greatly from the latter
species, so much indeed, that it is matter of surprise how any
naturalist should have been led to regard them as the same.
Not only in colour, but in shape and other respects, are they totally
unlike. While the fur of the brown bear is tossed and tufty--having
that appearance usually termed _shaggy_--that of the American black bear
is of uniform length, and all lying, or rather standing, in one
direction, presenting a smooth surface corresponding to the contour of
his body. In this respect he is far more akin to the bears of the
Asiatic islands, than to the _ursus arctos_. In shape, too, he differs
essentially from the latter. His body is more slender, his muzzle
longer and sharper, and his profile is a curve with its convexity
upward. This last characteristic, which is constant, proclaims him
indubitably a distinct species from the brown bear of Europe; and he is
altogether a smaller and more mild-tempered animal.
As the grand "chasse" had been arranged to come off on the third day
after their arrival, our young hunters determined to employ the interval
in ranging the neighbouring woods; not with any expectation of finding a
bear--as their host did not believe there was any so near--but rather
for the purpose of becoming acquainted with the character of the North
American _sylva_.
That of South America Alexis had carefully observed and studied in their
long journey across that continent. He had noted the grand tropical
trees--the palms and _pothos_ plants--the _mimosas_ and _musaceae_--the
magnificent forms of the _lombax_ and _bertholletia_--the curious
_cecropias_ and fig-trees--the giant _cedrelas_ and the gum-yielding
_siphonias_. On the Andes he had observed the agaves, the cycads, and
cactaceae--all strange to the eye of a Russian. He was now desirous of
making himself familiar with the forests of North America; which, though
of a sub-tropical character in Louisiana, contained forms altogether
different from those of the Amazonian regions. Here he would meet with
the famed magnolia, and its relative the tulip-tree; the catalpa and
flowering cornel, the giant cypress and sycamore, the evergreen oak, the
water-loving tupelo, and the curious fan-like palmetto. Of these, and
many other beautiful trees belonging to the North American _sylva_,
Alexis had read--in fact, knew them botanically; but he wished to
cultivate a still pleasanter acquaintance with them, by visiting them in
their own native home.
For this purpose he and Ivan set out alone, with only a negro for their
guide; the planter being engaged, visiting his different friends, and
warning them for the grand hunt.
Pouchskin remained behind. He had been left at the house--to do some
necessary repairs to the travelling traps both of himself and his young
masters, which, after their long South American expedition, needed
looking to. At this work had Pouchskin been left, surrounded by a
circle of grinning darkies, in whose company the old grenadier would
find material to interest and amuse him.
It was only for a stroll that our young hunters had sallied forth, and
without any design of entering upon the chase; but they had become so
accustomed to carrying their guns everywhere, that these were taken
along with them. Some curious bird or quadruped might be started--whose
fur or feathers they might fancy to make an examination of. For that
reason, both shouldered their guns.