Original - North Central Michigan College Library

antiSlfctoenturegraccoon he gives notice by a cry, and immediatelypursues. His barking enables the hunter tofollow. The raccoon, which travels slowly andis soon overtaken, makes for a tree on whichhe remains till shot.After the falling of the snow nothing more isnecessary for taking the raccoon than to followthe track of his feet. In this season he seldomleaves his habitation; and he never lays up anyfood. I have found six at a time in the hollowof one tree lying upon each other, and nearlyin a torpid state. In more than one instanceI have ascertained that they have lived sixweeks without food. The mouse is their principalprey.Raccoon hunting was my more particular anddaily employ. I usually went out at the firstdawn of day and seldom returned till sunset, oranimals astill I had laden myself with as manyI could carry. By degrees I became familiarizedwith this kind of life ;and had it not been forthe idea of which I could not divest my mind,that I was living among savages, and for thewhispers of a lingering hope that I should oneday be released from it or if I could haveforgotten that I had ever been otherwise thanas I then was I could have enjoyed as muchhappiness in this as in any other situation.129