They Find This Game By Means Of A Mongrel Breed Of Dogs, Trained For That Purpose; The Squirrel, On Being Pursued, Immediately Ascends One Of The Most Lofty Trees He Can Find; The Dog Follows, And Makes A Point Under The Tree, Looking Up For His Game.

The squirrel hides himself behind the branches, and practises a thousand manoeuvres to avoid the shot; sometimes springing from one tree to another, with astonishing agility.

Nature has given him a thick fur; this circumstance, and the height of the trees, make a long barrel, and large shot, indispensable in this kind of shooting. The best method of cooking the squirrel is in a ragout; this I learnt of a french epicure, who always speaks with rapture of this _bonne bouche_: it has a high game flavour, and is justly thought by the Americans to be an excellent dish; but we have many English, who, through mere prejudice, never tasted this animal; their antipathy also extends to bear, opossum, racoon, and cat-fish: - "Oh!" say the english ladies, "the _sight_ of such frightful creatures is quite enough for me!"'

Fishing parties among the farmers, and in small towns in some parts of America, are very agreeably arranged: twelve or fourteen neighbours form themselves into a sort of club, and agree to fish one day in the week during the summer; previous: to which they fix on a romantic situation on the side of a wood commanding the intended scene of action. Under some of the large trees they erect a sort of hut, forming a dining-room and kitchen.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 58 of 128
Words from 15882 to 16148 of 35016