Year: 1871

Did you over catch a coon? Z? Die
you evor hunt the 'possum? Perhaps
you will answer yes; if 70, you car
appreciate the narrative Of my adven
turc. If you answer no-if you
know nothing of hunting-then
indeed, it is time that I take up my
quill to give you a little light on the
subject.


The timo is August, 1870; place
central Ohio. During tho afternoon
there had been Il slight shower, which
served 10 lay the dust and cool tho
heated air. l had been promised a
coon hunt, and on this day asked my
host, the owner Of the log cabin
where Was sojourning during my
summer vacation, whether tonight
would not he good time to try our
luck.


"Wcll, yes Coons been at the corn
for sev'ral weeks. Tonight we'll
teach 'em the mcanin' of the Eight
Commandment, or my names not
Bill Black. Arter supper put on your
old duds, ar We'll 20 out wi the
dog"


The night was moonlight, so Bill
said we would need neither torches
nor lanterns. We waited till half
past eight, and then, whistling to
Rover, my friends trusty dog, we
made our way across the fields into u
thickIy wooded belt Of: country.


Rover was the best coon dog with
in the circuit of many miles. His
owner had been offered a large
sum for him, but would not think Of
parting with him. The dog was u
lean, lanll specimen of the canine
tribe, and was equally as trusty aud
valuable as a hunter and us watch
dog. His speciality was hunting coons
and his sagacity had won him rep
utation worth having. ....


AS we left the cabin and struck out
10 the direction Of the woods, Rover
exhibited his pleasure in his own
dumb. but expressive manner. lie
|eaped up, placing his four paws upon
OUR breasts, and repeatedly kissed US.
Not as daintily as you would kiss
charming maiden, and his breath had
a fishy odor, so that we were not in
consolable when be discontinued his
embraces. ..-. s'.. ..


Bill kindly patted his dogs head,
and pointed to the woods, saying:


"Hunt 'em out, old Rove.


Rover soon disappeared from view,
bis nose close to the ground, as if he
had struck the trail Of sonlo animal.
Bill and l kept on the outskirts Of the
forest waiting till Rovcr's bark should
tell US that he had trecd game.


Bill said that the most Of coon dogs
barkcd as soon as they scented the
trail and kept barking till they trced
their game but that Rover was ST.
ent as the grave till the game was
safe up some tree 1t is easily seen
hat the latter is the better plan, as a
logs bark give warning to the coon,
md enables it to obtain a better hi
ling place than it otherwise could.
Thus it could conceal itself in some
gigantic tree from which it would be
very difficult to dislodgc his coonship,
md which it would not pay to cut
down. The coon upon finding itself
pursued, will seek refuge in the top
Of some tree, and it is policy to force
it up small sapling where it stands
no chance Of escape. If the coon
hides in u hollow tree he can he driv-
en- out by smoking or by cutting the
tree down. Both methods are used
and it depends upon circumstances
whether the hunter tries the one or
the other. by either method it often
requires long time to dislodge the
coon, and even then it sometimes es-
capes into an adjoining tree, from
which it must again be dislodged.


While Bill was talking, we were
seated on Il fallen tree near clearing
which had been turned into corn
field. .


We heard a slight rustic in the
leaves few feet off; and the next
instant Rover appeared, but paying
no attention to us, followed the trail
up to the railfencc which shut out
the corn field. The dog jumped over
the fence aid snuffed for the contin-
uation of the trail. He was non-
pIussed; he could not find it,


In this extremity the sagacious dog
proved equal to tho task. He spang
up on the rail fence where the trail
ended. Eureka! He had it! The
game had run along the top rail for
several rods and then gone into the
corn field. Rover followed, running
along the fence top, and tracing the
coon through the field and back into
the forest again.


An interval of about ten minutes
ensued, the quiet vas broken by a
succession Of long, hoarse barl1s.


"Thats Rove! He's trecd coon,
sure |" ...


We bastened'in the direction from
which the sounds came, and found
the dog at the foot Of ayoung chest
nut tree. Rover gave a whine of
welcome as we came up, and Bill pat
ted him upon the head Of o mark, of
approval. My friend next threw of
his coat and hat and commenced
climbing up the tree. -a ... "a. ~.


"Got the dog all right ?" lie called
down to me. .: ,.... ..,..,,: .... .


'Yes-go ahead!" ~


The next moment limb of the
tree was violently shaken, and coon
came tumbling head over heels down
through the air. = +


| Immediately released Rover, who
caught the coon by the back of tho