As The Paws Of This Creature, Are Held For The Best Bit
About Him, So Is The Head Esteem'd The Worst, And Always Thrown Away,
For What Reason I Know Not.
I believe, none ever made Trial thereof,
to know how it eats.
The Oil of the Bear is very Sovereign for Strains,
Aches, and old Pains. The fine Fur at the bottom of the Belly, is used
for making Hats, in some places. The Fur itself is fit for several Uses;
as for making Muffs, facing Caps, &c. but the black Cub-skin is preferable
to all sorts of that kind, for Muffs. Its Grain is like Hog-Skin.
{Panther.}
The Panther is of the Cat's kind; about the height of a very large Greyhound
of a reddish Colour, the same as a Lion. He climbs Trees
with the greatest Agility imaginable, is very strong-limb'd,
catching a piece of Meat from any Creature he strikes at.
His Tail is exceeding long; his Eyes look very fierce and lively,
are large, and of a grayish Colour; his Prey is, Swines-flesh, Deer,
or any thing he can take; no Creature is so nice and clean, as this,
in his Food. When he has got his Prey, he fills his Belly with the Slaughter,
and carefully lays up the Remainder, covering it very neatly with Leaves,
which if any thing touches, he never eats any more of it.
He purrs as Cats do; if taken when Young, is never to be reclaim'd
from his wild Nature. He hollows like a Man in the Woods, when kill'd,
which is by making him take a Tree, as the least Cur will presently do;
then the Huntsmen shoot him; if they do not kill him outright,
he is a dangerous Enemy, when wounded, especially to the Dogs
that approach him. This Beast is the greatest Enemy to the Planter,
of any Vermine in Carolina. His Flesh looks as well
as any Shambles-Meat whatsoever; a great many People eat him, as choice Food;
but I never tasted of a Panther, so cannot commend the Meat,
by my own Experience. His Skin is a warm Covering for the Indians
in Winter, though not esteem'd amongst the choice Furs. This Skin dress'd,
makes fine Womens Shooes, or Mens Gloves.
{Cat-a-Mount.}
The Mountain-Cat, so call'd, because he lives in the Mountainous Parts
of America. He is a Beast of Prey, as the Panther is, and nearest to him
in Bigness and Nature.
{Wild Cat.}
This Cat is quite different from those in Europe; being more
nimble and fierce, and larger; his Tail does not exceed four Inches.
He makes a very odd sort of Cry in the Woods, in the Night.
He is spotted as the Leopard is, tho' some of them are not,
(which may happen, when their Furs are out of Season)
he climbs a Tree very dexterously, and preys as the Panther does.
He is a great Destroyer of young Swine. I knew an Island,
which was possess'd by these Vermine, unknown to the Planter,
who put thereon a considerable Stock of Swine; but never took one back;
for the wild Cats destroy'd them all. He takes most of his Prey by Surprize,
getting up the Trees, which they pass by or under, and thence leaping
directly upon them. Thus he takes Deer (which he cannot catch by running)
and fastens his Teeth into their Shoulders and sucks them.
They run with him, till they fall down for want of strength,
and become a Prey to the Enemy. Hares, Birds, and all he meets,
that he can conquer, he destroys. The Fur is approv'd to wear
as a Stomacher, for weak and cold Stomachs. They are likewise used
to line Muffs, and Coats withal, in cold Climates.
{Wolf.}
The Wolf of Carolina, is the Dog of the Woods. The Indians had
no other Curs, before the Christians came amongst them.
They are made domestick. When wild, they are neither so large, nor fierce,
as the European Wolf. They are not Man-slayers; neither is any Creature
in Carolina, unless wounded. They go in great Droves in the Night,
to hunt Deer, which they do as well as the best Pack of Hounds.
Nay, one of these will hunt down a Deer. They are often so poor,
that they can hardly run. When they catch no Prey, they go to a Swamp,
and fill their Belly full of Mud; if afterwards they chance
to get any thing of Flesh, they will disgorge the Mud, and eat the other.
When they hunt in the Night, that there is a great many together,
they make the most hideous and frightful Noise, that ever was heard.
The Fur makes good Muffs. The Skin dress'd to a Parchment
makes the best Drum-Heads, and if tann'd makes the best sort of Shooes
for the Summer-Countries.
{Tyger.}
Tygers are never met withal in the Settlement; but are more to the Westward,
and are not numerous on this Side the Chain of Mountains. I once saw one,
that was larger that a Panther, and seem'd to be a very bold Creature.
The Indians that hunt in those Quarters, say, they are seldom met withal.
It seems to differ from the Tyger of Asia and Africa.
{Polcat.}
Polcats or Skunks in America, are different from those in Europe.
They are thicker, and of a great many Colours; not all alike,
but each differing from another in the particular Colour.
They smell like a Fox, but ten times stronger. When a Dog encounters them,
they piss upon him, and he will not be sweet again in a Fortnight or more.
The Indians love to eat their Flesh, which has no manner of ill Smell,
when the Bladder is out. I know no use their Furs are put to.
They are easily brought up tame.
{Otters.}
There have been seen some Otters from the Westward of Carolina,
which were of a white Colour, a little inclining to a yellow.
They live on the same Prey here, as in Europe, and are the same
in all other Respects; so I shall insist no farther on that Creature.
Their Furs, if black, are valuable.
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