New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19
HUNTING THE 'POSSUM.
THE SPORT AS ENJOYED IN MIDDLE
GEORGIA IN SLAVERY DAYS.
TT is DESCRIBED BY RICHARD MALCOLM JOHN
sToN IN GOVERNMENT PAMPHLET ON
yearly EDUCATIONAL LIFE IN
GEORGIA.

Richard Malcolm johnston ~ tic duthoS VI
a Government pamphlet on Early EDUCATIONAL
Life in Middle Georgia" II is an exception 10
the general rule of Government pamphlets. and ia
genuine literature and full Of interest From 1t
the following account Of possum hunting is
extracted
"A sport which boys greatly delighted in was
ACCOMMODATING the negroes while hunting the
oposs1m It's relish was the dearer because or
the infrequency with which parents especially
mothers consented to It. or all delights to the
palate Of Southern negro, and. indeed. OF
many a Southern white man, the hesh or the
opossum, when baked to the proper degree OF
brown Is the dearest. Astounding In rat, per
haps beyond any other animal, its hesh re-
scmbles much that OF n sucking pig, only pehs
more soft 1t is so easily fattcned that on being
taken out Of the woods ii generally Is IN con-
dition fit for the Southerners regard IL OF
nil meats the least indgestihlc. and but Tor us
superabundant fat It would appear more fire.
auently on the tables OF the whites In some
houses this supcrnuity was disposed OF by placing
q layer or more OF oak or hickory sticks TO the
height of three or four inches at the bottom OF
the oven and upon the lattice work thus MADE
laying the opossun. BY such mode much OF the
oil was deposited on the bottom. The negro
when cooking for himself never resorts TO these
measures but takes his favorite as ne Is. IN
deed prefcrring him with all his imperfections
on his head.
"At every home whatever might be lacking
for making UP the full OF home comforts, IL
was never an opossum dog seldom was II with
out two or three These were not or the pack
of hounds from four TO eight and more-kep'
by the owner for the fox and the rabbit They
belonged to the negroes and were usually wei
trained. The hunter. providing himself with an
axe a torch OF lightwood sticks OF suitable
length about two feeD accompanied by at
least one other, bearing another axe and an
arnful OF other sticks sailed forth to the woods
Both ne and his dog we'll knew the most fire.
quented haunts Of the quarry along skirts OF
wood and meadow wherein grew the persiinmon.
the muscadine and the wild grape. A rabbit
starting I'D attracted little notice from the dog
which understood well enough that that sort OF
game was for the day. never for the night After
the trail was found the pursuit was usually
brief as the beast IL not swift OF foot and
travels over an inconsiderable space The dog
barks little none while PURSUING and so the
opossum. when about to be ovcrtakcn BY sur
prise makes with what speed IL possibl" 10
tree. In his emergency he sometimes has 10
take a small sapling up which he can mount
TO no higher than six or eight feet without bend
Ing the top II he Is not too hotly pressed he
will take to a large one. although he Is not az
particular in that matter az the raccoon. who.
being more swift OF foot and more capable in
general Of taking care Of himself Invariably
seeks the largest he can find In his flight There
was one exception. however. and that was In
the case Of an opossum Of smaller size. more
slender OF make. much more fleet Of foot and
with prcponderance OF black hairs In his skin.
Whenever it was a very large tree to which the
hunter called by his dog. he to
suspect that IT was either a raccoOn or "A Blue
Dick this variety was called Whether 1t
was Of a distinct species was not known. In
dividuaIs were not often met with. and a black
hunter always disappointed when one OF
them took the place Of It's betters. as. being
small and thin. II cost more to take him and to
fatten him aftcrward.
"Thc freeing was announced by bark
peculiar to that Office. and entirely different
from others There vas no sound OF eagerncss.
as in those Of pursuit. II was one brief utter
ance OF mere announcement, as II the dog had
finished the task assigned to him and would
now lie down and rest TIL hls owners came up
II his bark was hardened to ne gave more
If not he repeated II at intervals until II was
Then he sat or lay while the tree being
felled Just before this crisis, unless the tree
was very small one Of the axemen. quitting
that work repaired a short distance on the side
opposite to that In which the tree was to fall
and held the dog 10y the collar during the descent
This was done to secure him from being crushed
by rushing too speedily among the branches
Instantly upon the fall he was loosed and. rush
Ing forward seized his game. nearly always be
fore il could get to another tree. At that In
slant all the excitement ended. moment be
fore the seizure II he had 1t to spare. the opos-
sum, Offering no resistance laid itself down and