"My 'coon-chase took place in Tennessee, where I was sojourning for some
time upon a plantation. It was the first affair of the kind I had been
present at, and I was somewhat curious as to the mode of carrying it on.
My companion and inductor was a certain `Uncle Abe,' a gentleman very
much after the style and complexion of our own Jake here.
"I need not tell you, gentlemen, that throughout the Western States
every neighbourhood has its noted 'coon-hunter. He is usually a wary
old `nigger,' who knows all the tricks and dodges of the 'coon. He
either owns a dog himself, or has trained one of his master's, in that
peculiar line. It is of little importance what breed the dog may be. I
have known curs that were excellent `'coon-dogs.' All that is wanted
is, that he have a good nose, and that he be a good runner, and of
sufficient bulk to be able to bully a 'coon when taken. This a very
small dog cannot do, as the 'coon frequently makes a desperate fight
before yielding. Mastiffs, terriers, and half-bred pointers make the
best `'coon-dogs.'
"Uncle Abe was the mighty hunter, the Nimrod of the neighbourhood in
which I happened to be; and Uncle Abe's dog--a stout terrier--was
esteemed the `smartest 'coon-dog' in a circle of twenty miles. In going
out with Uncle Abe, therefore, I had full confidence that I should see
sport.
"On one side of the plantation was a heavily-timbered `bottom', through
which meandered a small stream, called, of course, a `creek.' This
bottom was a favourite _habitat_ of the 'coons, as there were large
trees growing near the water, many of which were hollow either in their
trunks or some of their huge limbs. Moreover, there were vast trellises
of vines extending from tree to tree; some of them, as the fox and
muscadine (_Vitis Labrusca_), yielding sweet grapes, of which the
raccoons are very fond.
"To this bottom, then, we directed our course, Abe acting as guide, and
holding his dog, Pompo, in the leash Abe carried no other weapon than an
axe, while I had armed myself with a double-barrel. Pompo knew as well
as either of us the errand on which we were bent, as appeared from his
flashing eyes and the impatient leaps which he now and then made to get
free.
"We had to cross a large corn-field, a full half-mile in breadth, before
we reached the woods. Between this and the timber was a zigzag fence--
the common `rail' fence of the American farmer. For some distance
beyond the fence the timber was small, but farther on was the creek
`bottom,' where the 'coons were more likely to make their
dwelling-place.
"We did not, however, proceed direct to the bottom. Abe knew better
than that. The young corn was just then `in the milk,' and the
'coon-hunter expected to find his game nearer the field. It was
settled, therefore, that we should follow the line of the fence, in
hopes that the dog would strike a fresh trail, leading either to or from
the corn-field.
"It was now night--two hours after sundown. The 'coon-chase, I have
already said, is a nocturnal sport. The raccoon does range by day, but
rarely, and only in dark and solitary woods. He often basks by day upon
high limbs, or the broken tops, of trees. I have shot several of his
tribe while asleep, or sunning themselves in such situations. Perhaps
before they knew their great enemy man, they were less nocturnal in
their activity. We had a fine moonlight; but so far as a view of the
chase was concerned, that would benefit us but little. During the hunt
there is not much to be seen of either dog or 'coon, as it is always a
scramble through trees and underwood. The dog trusts altogether to his
nose, and the hunter to his ears; for the latter has no other guide save
the yelp or bark of his canine assistant. Nevertheless, moonlight, or a
clear night, is indispensable; without one or the other, it would be
impossible to follow through the woods. A view of a 'coon-chase is a
luxury enjoyed only by the hats and owls.
"Pompo was now let loose in the corn; while Abe and I walked quietly
along the fence, keeping on different sides. Abe remained in the field
for the purpose of handing over the dog, as the fence was high--a
regular `ten rail, with stalks and riders.' A 'coon could easily cross
it, but not a dog, without help.
"We had not gone more than a hundred yards, when a quick sharp yelp from
Pompo announced that he had come suddenly upon something in the
corn-field.
"`A varmint!' cried Abe; and the next moment appeared the dog, running
up full tilt among the maize plants and up to the fence. I could see
some dark object before him, that passed over the rails with a sudden
spring, and bounded into the timbers.
"`A varmint, massa!' repeated Abe, as he lifted the dog over, and
followed himself.
"I knew that in Abe's vocabulary--for that night at least--a `varmint'
meant a 'coon; and as we dashed through the brushwood, following the
dog, I felt all the excitement of a 'coon-chase.
"It was not a long one--I should think of about five minutes' duration;
at the end of which time the yelp of the dog which had hitherto guided
us, changed into a regular and continuous harking. On hearing this, Abe
quietly announced--
"`The varmint am treed.'
"Our only thought now was to get to the tree as speedily as possible,
but another thought entered our minds as we advanced; that was, what
sort of a tree had the 'coon taken shelter in?
"This was an important question, and its answer involved the success or
failure of our hunt. If a very large tree, we might whistle for the
'coon. Abe knew this well, and as we passed on, expressed his doubts
about the result.
"The bark of Pompo sounded some hundred yards off, in the very heaviest
of the bottom timber. It was not likely, therefore, that the 'coon had
taken to a small tree, while there were large ones near at hand. Our
only hope was that he had climbed one that was not `hollow.' In that
case we might still have a chance with the double-barrel and buck-shot.
Abe had but little hope.
"`He hab reach him own tree, massa; an' that am sartin to be a big un
wi' a hole near um top. Wagh! 'twar dat ar fence. But for de dratted
fence ole Pomp nebber let um reach um own tree. Wagh!'
"From this I learned that one point in the character of a good 'coon-dog
was speed. The 'coon runs well for a few hundred yards. He rarely
strays farther from his lair. If he can beat his pursuer for this
distance he is safe, as his retreat is always in a hollow tree of great
size. There is no way of getting at him there, except by felling the
tree, and this the most zealous 'coon-hunter would not think of
attempting. The labour of cutting down such a tree would be worth a
dozen 'coons. A swift dog, therefore, will overtake the raccoon, and
force him to the nearest tree--often a small one, where he is either
shaken off or the tree cut down. Sometimes the hunter climbs after and
forces him to leap out, so as to fall into the very jaws of the watchful
dog below.
"In Abe's opinion Pompo would have `treed' his 'coon before reaching,
the bottom, had not the fence interfered, but now--
"`Told ye so, massa!' muttered he, interrupting my thoughts. `Look dar!
dar's de tree--trunk thick as a haystack. Wagh!'
"I looked in the direction indicated by my companion. I saw Pompo
standing by the root of a very large tree, looking upward, shaking his
tail, and barking at intervals. Before I had time to make any farther
observations Abe's voice again sounded in my ears.
"`Gollies! it am a buttonwood! Why, Pomp, ole fellur, you hab made a
mistake--de varmint ain't dar, 'Cooney nebber trees upon buttonwood--
nebber--you oughter know better'n dat, ole fool!'
"Abe's speech drew my attention to the tree. I saw that it was the
American sycamore (_Platanus Occidentalis_), familiarly known by the
trivial name, `buttonwood,' from the use to which its wood is sometimes
put. But why should the 'coon not `tree' upon it, as well as any other?
I put the question to my companion.
"`'Cause, massa, its bark am slickery. De varmint nebber takes to 'im.
He likes de oak, an' de poplum, an' de scaly-bark. Gosh! but he am
dar!' continued Abe, raising his voice, and looking outward--`Look
yonder, massa! He had climb by de great vine. Dat's right, Pomp! you
am right after all, and dis nigga's a fool. Hee--up, ole dog! hee--up!'
"Following the direction in which Abe pointed, my eyes rested on a huge
parasite of the lliana kind, that, rising out of the ground at some
distance, slanted upward and joined the sycamore near its top. This had
no doubt been the ladder by which the 'coon had climbed.
"This discovery, however, did not mend the matter as far as we were
concerned. The 'coon had got into the buttonwood, fifty feet from the
ground, where the tree had been broken off by the lightning or the wind,
and where the mouth of a large cavity was distinctly visible by the
light of the moon. The trunk was one of the largest, and it would have
been sheer folly (so we concluded) to have attempted felling it.
"We left the spot without farther ado, and took our way back to the
corn-field.
"The dog had now been silent for some time, and we were in hopes that
another `varmint' might have stolen into the corn.
"Our hopes were not doomed to disappointment. Pompo had scarcely
entered the field when a second 'coon was sprung, which, like the other,
ran directly for the fence and the woods.
"Pomp followed as fast as he could be flung over; and this 'coon was
also `treed' in a few minutes.
"From the direction of the barking, we calculated that it must be near
where the other had escaped us; but our astonishment equalled our
chagrin, when upon arriving at the spot, we found that both the
`varmints' had taken to the same tree!
"With some rather emphatic ejaculations we returned to the corn-field,
and after a short while a third 'coon was raised, which, like the
others, made of course for the timber.
"Pomp ran upon his trail with an angry yelping, that soon changed into
the well-known signal that he had treed the game.
"We ran after through brush and brake, and soon came up with the dog.
If our astonishment was great before, it was now beyond bounds. The
identical buttonwood with its great parasite was before us, the dog
barking at its foot! The third 'coon had taken shelter in its capacious
cavity.
"`Wagh! massa!' ejaculated Abe, in a voice of terror, `its de same
varmint. It ain't no 'coon, it's de debil! For de lub o' God, massa,
let's get away from here!'
"Of course I followed his advice, as to get at the 'coons was out of the
question.
"We returned once more to the corn-field, but we found that we had at
last cleared it of 'coons. It was still early, however, and I was
determined not to give up the hunt until I had assisted in killing a
'coon. By Abe's advice, therefore, we struck into the woods with the
intention of making a circuit where the trees were small. Some 'coon
might be prowling there in search of birds' nests. So thought Abe.
"He was right in his conjecture. A fourth was started, and off went
Pompo after him. In a few minutes the quick constant bark echoed back.
This time we were sure, from the direction, in a new tree.
"It proved to be so, and such a small one that, on coming up, we saw the
animal squatted upon the branches, not twenty feet from the ground.
"We were now sure of him, as we thought; and I had raised my gun to
fire; when all at once, as if guessing my intent, the 'coon sprang into
another tree, and then ran down to the ground and off again, with Pompo
veiling in his track.
"Of course we expected that the dog would speedily tree him again, which
after a few minutes he did, but this time in the heavy timber.
"We hastened forward, guided by the barking. To the extreme of my
astonishment, and I fancy to the very extreme of Abe's terror, we again
found ourselves at the foot of the buttonwood.
"Abe's wool stood on end. Superstition was the butt-end of his
religion; and he not only protested, but I am satisfied that he
believed, that all the four 'coons were one and the same individual, and
that individual `de debil.'
"Great 'coon-hunter as he was, he would now have gone home, if I had let
him. But I had no thoughts of giving up the matter in that easy way. I
was roused by the repeated disappointment. A new resolve had entered my
mind. I was determined to get the 'coons out of the buttonwood, cost
what it might. The tree must come down, if it should take us till
morning to fell it.
"With this determination I caught hold of Abe's axe, and struck the
first blow. To my surprise and delight the tree sounded hollow. I
repeated the stroke. The sharp axe went crashing inwards. The tree was
hollow to the ground; on the side where I had commenced chopping, it was
but a shell.
"A few more blows, and I had made a hole large enough to put a head
through. Felling such a tree would be no great job after all, and I saw
that it would hardly occupy an hour. The tree must come down.
"Abe seeing me so resolute, had somewhat recovered his courage and his
senses, and now laid hold of the axe. Abe was a `first hand' at
`chopping,' and the hole soon gaped wider.
"`If de hole run clar up, massa,' said he, resting for a moment, `we can
smoke out de varmint--wid de punk and de grass here we can smoke out de
debil himself. S'pose we try 'im, massa?'
"`Good!' cried I, catching at Abe's suggestion; and in a few minutes we
had made a fire in the hole, and covered it with leaves, grass, and
weeds.
"The smoke soon did its work. We saw it ooze out above at the entrance
of the 'coon hole--at first in a slight filmy stream, and then in thick
volumes. We heard a scraping and rattling within the hollow trunk, and
a moment after a dark object sprang out upon the lliana, and ran a short
way downward. Another followed, and another, and another, until a
string of no less than six raccoons squatted along the parasite
threatening to run downward!
"The scene that followed was indescribable. I had seized my gun, and
both barrels were emptied in a `squirrel's jump.' Two of the 'coons
came to the ground, badly wounded. Pompo tackled another, that had run
down the lliana, and was attempting to get off; while Abe with his axe
clove the skull of a fourth, that had tried to escape in a similar
manner.
"The other two ran back into the `funnel,' but only to come out again
just in time to receive a shot each from the reloaded gun, which brought
both of them tumbling from the tree. We succeeded in bagging the whole
family; and thus finished what Abe declared to be the greatest
`'coon-chase on de record.'
"As it was by this time far in the night, we gathered up our game, and
took the `back track to hum.'"