New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-25
THE NEGRO AS A HUNTER.
he DELIGHTS IN Staying THE 'POSSUM
AND THE COON-HIS Gun HIS
CHIEF TREASURE.
Jarl!son's. s. G.. Nov. 10.


pensation for al his hardships and dslrivations.
Passing the avcraCc reg~o house at dusk OF 4
winters evening one viii find the large ana small
boys Of the family. often he sober father himself.
engaged in selecting choice pieces of "ligh;wood'
t. Go duty as ;ochcs for Use on possun o.
coon hunt. They Will start an hour Or 50 a.ter
dark and BE- gone all night. perhaps taking oc-
casiona maps in the warmth % a newly built
nv wherever they may chance II b., while
waiting for the dogs t. 'trcc." Passing the same
n"fro house a spring evening. or any time
after the fish have begun 10 run up stream. one
Will see the dark.es fixing their nets. fishing
canes lines and hooks hunting up cans for bait.
etc. t. set out for the adjacent ponds and creeks.
there to spend the greater part Of the night ang-
ling FOR the fish which abound in the Southern
waters.
Probably II Is the abundance Of game II all
kinds and of fish which makes the plantation
negroes so improvident. TIE love Of hunting is
passion with the Sou,herncr and with all the
negroes on his place. II one ~ the field hands
ploughnr. hoeng. or harvesting sees n chance for
q good shot such ~ evidences Of the close
proximity Of a fox. wild turkeys tracks n
the soft soil Indication that 'possum lodges in
some tree. or big owl caught far from its
haunts by daylight. he tcegraphs his valuable
employers up at tho house. In twnkng guns
are loaded horses are mounted. the dogs are set
on the trail. and master ana workmen are in hot
pursuit of The lately discovered dcniZen Of the
woods The first time in his life that negro
boy has anything which ne can call his own he
swans il FOR dog that can run rabbits. u"
trains the dog To bring these rabbits To- him
when trey are caught. M matter how much the
dog might like the taste Il rabbit flesh him
self When Tho negro boy has attained the I'M
portance Of being able 10 earn little "oui-
side monoy"-that Is. money made by h'oinS
or picking cotton. gathering peas breaking
com. driving wagon. OF other ''cu-
pati1us which he has been smart
enough % take up i'm addition to his regular
work he buys gun. usually cheap one" wan
a sincl. barrel This weapon Is likely io oNpl"d"
when not expected to d. ST., and not To explode
when f. ought 10. huf nevertheless 10 is q gun.
precious beyond compare I'm it's owners es'ima-
ton II is kept up in the lof' or in some secret
corner e the cotton house whore thieves may
no., break I'm and steal Every saturday after
,h. clnl. laws are scout" these firearms ar" pop
nina, and cracking IN every direction on tn plan
tati.u dogs are barking and running n'her ana
th,ber iu pursuit ~ rabbits squirrels partridge
or doves All he boys ON the place are 90 mana,
FIR those not foriunat. enough 10 possess guns
themselves are almost as delighted To- attend ih'
lucky sportsman who is o. hrne down th' F"h'
H.sil,+ his hunting. plgrimas"s 20 the country
town On Saturdays and sale days ar" source
If uover-failiug diversion 10 the k"'oHS negro.
What are known a. SALE days occur on '''
frs, Monday In each month. when any i"h'7'
houses animals. ETC.. which az" "n'r'1 ''' '''
ar. disposed ~ a. auction in Inc pup
lie plaza or cpurthous" square. On sue"
DAYS the square Itself and the streets
leading t. II teen with tumultu'us humanity
and mixed up with the thfong is m"'I'N ''"'
to, III, hprr4es wagons carts and miserable.
dcjcctcd-looking horses and mul"' when some
how as the Xew-Englauder, SAY seem to "s"ns"'
the untowarI fate in store f0r them 70" i"'' "'
finding a now owner who will De- even more care
loss # their welfare. u possible. than the mas
ter who that day Will trade them yn
The negroes will talk flr weeks - tho Incidents
- q sale dav" They are close Observers an!
,re unevcniful lives they lead cause them - i'-
member and attach much importance T. uNl"
harp.ning-. which people differently situated
would NOT note Occasionally on th"s" sale
DAVIS" a veniuresonr young negro ".N invest -
ON 4 poor wr,.k 1f IAN animal "h'rh bears inc
resemblance ~ a horse ana which seems f'f NOR"
lI.l, To- air than live Iif CAREFUL J"1i' l"uS
feeding. an occasional rubbing DOWN 'i'.. 'h'
NOR, vii restore fhr creature apparently 2" h''
mai health and vlg0r Then b" SELLS u ~ i''h'
: speculative success ~ this KIND mas u" 'h'
fascination 10 gambling for him who rsk'd On"
S. and make him hero in tho eyes "' ms '''-
loy farmer. Sometimes. tol. d mule which has
had in. rl-lnck - lose an eye or PERHAPS h''h
OWES from blows or reckless racing through bush
and ,h-ket is bought for scarcely ANYTHING h'
9 humane negro and aferwar.. as II e. show his
At fu, OF he
..i..d. makes for his nov master several crops
g, hi. unsocing condition. nav. even assumes
= ialntv. aurightly air whom mitchell 'o mat own
,r,s wagon ON = SUNDAY. b, airing i0aI ~ ra'ly
corbod laughing darkies To- church or camp
meeting.
There is another affair hrimfm ~ excitement
and eager interest which cntc"s into the III" IF
tho plantation negro. and that Is working thr
road" Twice a year. sometimes "ficn"r. all IN"
abe-bodicl men between certain ages ar" sum
moncd out - work the particular section Of road
near which they live. the Road Commissioners %
the county having appointed some resident "f
that ncighborhood 10 oversee the others. The ne
procs assemble carly in the morning. many
among them being from other parts Of the coun-
try hired as substitutes for white men VII" TO not
care t. engage in the work, and armed with hoes,
shovels axes. spades any implement nTSt AT
hand-procecd down the road. or up. a. the case
may be- singing jpvial songs ana apparently
sweeping all obstacles from their path ana max
Ing II their task grand triumphal march &c
c,einnally where Tn" highway is badly washed
they may deepen ditch 10 drain off the water
or make n Kind 81 imprDmpiu foriiiication across
: he middle Of the road which will turn the cur
roni from its chosen course ana cause every
driver who has tho pleasure If humping his vrhi-
,,. over II t. anathematizc the system Of road
working But usually the lettering Of the con
dltion of the driveway for publlc convenience Is
loss tho object II the days outing than the fun
and frcuc which the hands have So much at
heart.
when ore watches a group # plantation
negroes many If whom are mildle-aecd men,
or even grandfaihcrs. assembled at the mll
where they have taken their corn 10 b" ground.
ON = winters evening. their marvellous vitality,
1,n.nunIlcl gnnl- nAlmI md molAmrolcss c-m-