"Of course, Mary was much pleased at hearing of the discovery we had
made. One of the first requisites of a housewife is a supply of good
salt; and that we promised to obtain for her on the morrow. It was our
intention to carry the kettle up to the salt stream, and there
manufacture the article--as that would be more convenient than to bring
the water down to the house. This piece of work we laid out for the
next day. Meanwhile, as it was not yet near night, we caught Pompo, and
set off again to bring home our black-tails. This required us to make
several journeys--as we had no cart by which we could bring the deer all
at once, and each of them was as large as a good-sized heifer. We
succeeded, however, in getting all to the house before sunset--except
the skins, which we left hanging on the trees for another day. While
the boys and I had been engaged at this work, Cudjo was not idle. It
was our intention to cure the venison--not by `jerking,' as we had done
the elk-meat, but with the salt, which we were about to make on the
morrow. For this purpose, we should require a large vessel capable of
holding the pickle. We had nothing of the sort; and, of course, we were
puzzled for a while as to how we should manage without it. It was early
in the day--before we had brought in the venison--that this difficulty
occurred to us.
"`Why could we not leave it in the stream itself?' asked Harry. `The
water is very clear, and there are clean hard rocks on the bottom. Why
could we not sink the quarters of venison on these rocks, and make them
fast, by placing great stones on them?'
"`Ha, ha!' laughed Frank, `trust the wolves for finding them there.
These gentry would soon empty your famous pickle barrel.'
"`Look yar, Massa,' said Cudjo; `this nigga sees no difficulty 'bout
dat. He soon make a place for de meat.'
"`How, Cudjo?' inquired Mary.
"`Why, Missa, same's dey make de ole dug-out in Vaginny--by hollering
out de log.'
"This was the very thing itself. A log hollowed out after the manner of
a canoe, or `dug-out,'--as Cudjo used to designate that species of
craft--would answer the purpose admirably; and Cudjo, having chosen a
section of a large tulip-tree, went to work. By the time we had got our
last load to the house, he had made a cavity in the tree, that was
capable of containing the three black-tails at once. A valuable idea
was also suggested by this operation. We remembered the wooden trays,
dishes, and other utensils--made in this way--that we had often seen
among the negroes on our plantation. These, however rude, we saw
answered the purpose well; and we might hereafter supply ourselves in a
similar manner.
"After breakfast the next morning, we started for the salt stream. We
all went together, Mary riding the horse, while Cudjo and I carried the
children in our arms. Frank and Harry took the kettle upon a long pole
between them--each, at the same time, having his rifle in the other
hand. The dogs of course followed us, and our house was left to take
care of itself. We had hung the venison up on high branches, lest the
wolves might take a fancy to it in our absence.
"Mary was charmed with the scenery as we passed along, particularly
where the woods began to open, as they did, towards the upper end of the
valley. She noticed the various kind of trees as we advanced, and at
one time uttered a joyous exclamation, as though she had seen something
that pleased her more than common.
"We questioned her as to what it was; but she would satisfy us no
farther than by telling us, that she had made a discovery of nearly as
much importance as our salt river. We were curious to know what it was,
but my wife checked our curiosity by observing, very justly, that as we
were happy enough at that time, she might make us too happy; and she
should therefore reserve her secret until we got back to our house in
the evening. `We may then be weary and out of spirits,' added she, `but
I have something to tell you that will make you all merry again.'
"I could not help admiring the good sense and patience of my wife, thus
reserving pleasant news for a time when they might be more available in
producing a happy effect.
"As we were marching through a small glade, talking and laughing in high
glee, an animal leaped out of some bushes before us, and ran slowly off
to one side. It was a beautiful little creature, about the size of a
cat, with dark glossy hair, spotted about the head and neck, and with
clear white stripes running along its back. It did not go far before it
stopped; and, throwing up its long bushy tail, looked back at us with
the playful and innocent air of a kitten. I knew very well what the
pretty creature was. Not so the impetuous Harry, who, thinking that
here was the very `pet' he wanted, dropped his pole, kettle, and all,
and made after it.
"I cried out to him to desist; but the boy, either not hearing me--on
account of the yelping of the dogs, who had also started in pursuit--or
being too intent on making a capture, ran on after the animal. But the
chase did not last long. The little creature, apparently not the least
frightened at the terrible enemies that were so close upon its heels--
stood near the edge of the glade, as if to await its pursuers Harry, as
he ran, was all the while eagerly scolding off the dogs. He wanted to
take the little beauty alive; and he feared that the mastiffs would kill
it before he could come up. It looked, too, as if they would, for they
were now almost on top of it yelping with open mouths. Just at this
moment, the strange animal was seen to elevate its hind-quarters, throw
its long tail forward over its back, and give a sudden jerk of its body,
as if by way of an insult to its pursuers. But it meant something more
than a mere insult. It meant to punish them for their audacity. The
effect of that singular movement was at once apparent. The dogs
suddenly wheeled in their tracks. Their victorious yelping was changed
to a fearful howling; and both of them ran back thrusting their noses
into the grass, and capering over the ground as if they had either been
stung by wasps, or had suddenly fallen into convulsions! Harry stopped
for a moment wondering at this. He did not stop long. The next moment
we saw him throw his hands up to his face, and uttering a cry that
betokened pain and terror, come running back as quick as he had gone
off.
"The pole-cat (for it was a pole-cat--the _mephitis chinga_, or American
skunk) after he had discharged the fetid shower, stood for an instant
looking over his shoulder, in such a way that we could almost fancy he
was laughing. Then jerking his tail from side to side in a frolicksome
manner, he made a bound into the bramble, and disappeared.
"Whether the skunk laughed or not, _we_ did--especially Frank, who took
this method of retaliating upon his brother for dropping the great
kettle against his shins. But we had no time to lose in talk, until we
could get some distance from the glade, which was now filled with the
suffocating smell; so, calling upon Harry to lay hold of his burden, we
hurried as quickly as possible from the spot. The dogs, however,
brought the effluvium along with them; and it required unusual scolding
and pelting of stones to keep them at a respectful distance. Harry had
come off better than I expected--as the animal had directed its battery
against the dogs; and he had only received enough of the discharge to
punish him for his rashness and disobedience.
"As we continued our journey, I took the opportunity to instruct my
children in the habits of this singular animal.
"`You have seen,' said I, addressing myself to Frank and Harry, `that it
is about the size of a cat, although broader and fleshier in the body,
lower upon the limbs, and with a sharper and more elongated snout.
"`You have seen that it is a spotted and striped animal--and in this
respect it also resembles the cat, as these spots and stripes are
different upon different individuals of the same species--so much so
that no two skunks are exactly alike in colour.
"`You have witnessed the efficient means with which Nature has armed it
against its enemies; and I shall now tell you all the rest that is known
of its habits.
"`It is a _carnivorous_ creature--destroying and eating many other
beings that have life as well as itself. For this purpose it is
furnished with strong, sharp claws, and three kinds of teeth, one of
which--termed canine, or tearing teeth--is a certain symptom of its
being a carnivorous, or flesh-eating animal. You must know, that the
shape of the teeth will always prove this. Animals that feed upon
vegetables, such as horses, sheep, rabbits, and deer, have none of these
canine teeth. Well, the skunk has four of them--two in each jaw, and
very sharp ones, too,--and with these he kills and eats (whenever he is
lucky enough to get hold of them) rabbits, poultry, birds, mice, frogs,
and lizards. He is very fond of eggs, too; and frequently robs the
farm-yard, and the nests of the ruffed grouse and wild turkey--killing
these birds whenever he can catch them. The killing, however, is not
all upon his side--as the wolf, the horned owl, the wolverene, and the
farmer, in their turn, lull _him_ whenever they can catch him. He is
not by any means a fast runner, and his safety does not lie in his
swiftness of foot. His defensive armour is found in the fetid effluvium
which, by a muscular exertion, he is capable of ejecting upon his
pursuer. This he carries in two small _sacs_ that lie under his tail,
with ducts leading outward about as large as the tube of a goose-quill.
The effluvium itself is caused by a thin fluid, which cannot be seen in
daylight, but at night appears, when ejected, like a double stream of
phosphoric light. He can throw it to the distance of five yards; and,
knowing this, he always waits till the pursuer has fairly got within
range--as the one we have just seen did with Castor and Pollux. The
discharge of this fluid rarely fails to drive off such enemies as
wolves, dogs, and men. Sometimes it occasions sickness and vomiting;
and it is said that there are Indians who have lost their eyesight from
inflammation caused by it. Dogs are frequently swollen and inflamed for
weeks, after having received the discharge of a skunk. In addition to
the disagreeableness of this odour, there is no getting rid of it after
the fluid has once been sprinkled over your garments. Clothes may be
washed and buried for months, but it will still cling to them; and where
a skunk has been, killed, the spot will retain the scent for many months
after, even though deep snow may have been lying upon it.
"`It is only when attacked or angered that the animal sends forth his
offensive fluid; and when killed suddenly, or before he has had time to
"fire it off," nothing of the kind is perceived upon his carcass.
"`The skunk is a burrowing animal, and in cold countries he enters his
hole, and sleeps in a half-torpid state throughout the winter. In warm
climates, however, he continues to prowl about all the year round,
generally at night--as, like most predatory creatures, the night is his
day. In his burrow, which runs several yards underground, he lives, in
company with ten or a dozen of his companions. The female has a nest in
one part, made of grass and leaves, where she brings forth her young--
having from five to nine kittens at a birth.
"`Strange as it may appear, the Indians, as well as many white men--
hunters and others--eat the flesh of this animal, and pronounce it both
savoury and agreeable--equal, as they allege, to the finest roast pig.
So much for the skunk and his habits. Now to the making of our salt.'"