Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

PESTS OF THE WOODS 261beast, got my tobacco, and retired like a ghost tothe other end of the cabin to warm myself at thefire. We were prisoners; for the only door was aclapboard affair on wooden hinges that skreekedlike a dry axle.The visitor, having made its bed, did not yetfeel like turning in, but decided to find out whatfor a bare-legged, white-faced critter I was, anyhow.It came straight over to the fireplace andsniffed my toes. The other boys offered all sortsof advice, and I talked brimstone back at them —we had found that pussy didn't care a hang forhuman speech so long as it was gently modulated.That was a most amiable female of her species.True, she investigated all our property that waswithin reach, but she respected it, and finally shecuddled up in the excelsior, quite satisfied with hernew home.To cut an awfully long story short, the polecatheld us spellbound until daybreak. Then shecrawled out through her burrow, and we instantlyfled through our skreeky door. Doc had a shotgunin his hand and murder in his heart. Not beingwell posted on skunk reflexes, he stepped up withinten feet and blew the animal's head clean off by asimultaneous discharge of both barrels. Did thatheadless skunk retaliate? It did, brethren, it did!Many methods have been reported effective indeodorizing clothing that has been struck by theskunk's efliiuvium. Burying the clothes In earth isof no use unless they are leftthere long enough torot them (they will smell again every time they getwet). Chloride of lime Is objectionable for thesame reason. Ammonia Is said to neutralize theodor, and benzine or w^ood alcohol to extract it.An old trappers' remedy Is to wrap the clothes infresh hemlock boughs and leave them out-of-doorsfor twenty-four hours. A writer in one of thesportsmen's magazines states that, having met disasterIn the shape of a skunk, he took an old farmer'sadvice, put some cornmeal on top of a hot stove,