liar to the backwoods of
America, and which, on account of its peculiarity, deserves a word or
two of description.

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

THE SQUATTER'S BARGAIN.

As we have just said, the barbecue is a festival which especially
belongs to the backwoods settlements, although it has now become known
even in the older States, and often forms a feature in the great
political meetings of an election campaign--losing, however, much of its
true character in the elaborate adornments and improvements sometimes
bestowed upon it.

When Alexis and Ivan strolled down in the early morning to the quiet
glade which had been selected as the scene of this rural festivity, they
found there a noisy and bustling crowd. A monstrous fire of logs,
enough to roast not only a single ox, but a hecatomb of oxen, was
blazing near the edge of the glade, while a half-dozen chattering
negroes were busy digging a great pit close by. This pit, when entirely
excavated, measured some ten or twelve feet in length, by five or six in
width, and perhaps three in depth; and was lined with smooth flat
stones. As soon as the logs had ceased to flame and smoke, and were
fast falling into a mighty heap of glowing ruddy coals, they were
shovelled hastily into the pit. Another party of negroes had been busy
in the woods, searching out the tall slender saplings of the pawpaw
(_asimina triloba_), and now returned, bringing their spoil with them.
The saplings were laid across the top of the pit, thus extemporising
over it a huge gridiron. The ox, which was to form the staple of the
day's feast, had been killed and dressed; and, having been split in
halves after the fashion of the barbecue, was laid upon the bars to
roast. Proudly presiding over the operation was the major-domo of the
planter's household, assisted by several celebrated cooks of the
neighbourhood, and a score of chosen farm-hands, whose strength was ever
and anon invoked to turn the beef; while the _chef_ ordered a fresh
basting, or himself sprinkled the browning surface with the savoury
dressing of pepper, salt, and fine herbs, for the composition of which
he had attained a grand reputation.

The morning wore swiftly on in the observation of these novel
manoeuvres; and with the noon came the guests in numbers from the
neighbouring plantations and settlements. Even the determined
resistance of the toughest beef must have failed before the hot attack
of such an army of live coals, as had