hunting the grisly and other sketches-第26部分

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'70's；　and　even　in　the　early　'80's；　many　tens　of　thousands　of　wolves
were　killed　by　the　wolfers　in　Montana　and　northern　Wyoming　and　western
Dakota。　Nowadays　the　surviving　wolves　of　the　plains　have　learned
caution；　they　no　longer　move　abroad　at　midday；　and　still　less　do　they
dream　of　hanging　on　the　footsteps　of　hunter　and　traveler。　Instead　of
being　one　of　the　most　common　they　have　become　one　of　the　rarest　sights
of　the　plains。　A　hunter　may　wander　far　and　wide　through　the　plains　for
months　nowadays　and　never　see　a　wolf；　though　he　will　probably　see　many
coyotes。　However；　the　diminution　goes　on；　not　steadily　but　by　fits　and
starts；　and　moreover；　the　beasts　now　and　then　change　their　abodes；　and
appear　in　numbers　in　places　where　they　have　been　scarce　for　a　long
period。　In　the　present　winter　of　1892…'93　big　wolves　are　more
plentiful　in　the　neighborhood　of　my　ranch　than　they　have　been　for　ten
years；　and　have　worked　some　havoc　among　the　cattle　and　young　horses。
The　cowboys　have　been　carrying　on　the　usual　vindictive　campaign
against　them；　a　number　have　been　poisoned；　and　a　number　of　others　have
fallen　victims　to　their　greediness；　the　cowboys　surprising　them　when
gorged　to　repletion　on　the　carcass　of　a　colt　or　calf；　and；　in
consequence；　unable　to　run；　so　that　they　are　easily　ridden　down；
roped；　and　then　dragged　to　death。

Yet　even　the　slaughter　wrought　by　man　in　certain　localities　does　not
seem　adequate　to　explain　the　scarcity　or　extinction　of　wolves；
throughout　the　country　at　large。　In　most　places　they　are　not　followed
any　more　eagerly　than　are　the　other　large　beasts　of　prey；　and　they　are
usually　followed　with　less　success。　Of　all　animals　the　wolf　is　the
shyest　and　hardest　to　slay。　It　is　almost　or　quite　as　difficult　to
still…hunt　as　the　cougar；　and　is　far　more　difficult　to　kill　with
hounds；　traps；　or　poison；　yet　it　scarcely　holds　its　own　as　well　as　the
great　cat；　and　it　does　not　begin　to　hold　its　own　as　well　as　the　bear；
a　beast　certainly　never　more　readily　killed；　and　one　which　produces
fewer　young　at　a　birth。　Throughout　the　East　the　black　bear　is　common
in　many　localities　from　which　the　wolf　has　vanished　completely。　It　at
present　exists　in　very　scanty　numbers　in　northern　Maine　and　the
Adirondacks；　is　almost　or　quite　extinct　in　Pennsylvania；　lingers　here
and　there　in　the　mountains　from　West　Virginia　to　east　Tennessee；　and
is　found　in　Florida；　but　is　everywhere　less　abundant　than　the　bear。　It
is　possible　that　this　destruction　of　the　wolves　is　due　to　some　disease
among　them；　perhaps　to　hydrophobia；　a　terrible　malady　from　which　it　is
known　that　they　suffer　greatly　at　times。　Perhaps　the　bear　is　helped　by
its　habit　of　hibernating；　which　frees　it　from　most　dangers　during
winter；　but　this　cannot　be　the　complete　explanation；　for　in　the　South
it　does　not　hibernate；　and　yet　holds　its　own　as　well　as　in　the　North。
What　makes　it　all　the　more　curious　that　the　American　wolf　should
disappear　sooner　than　the　bear　is　that　the　reverse　is　the　case　with
the　allied　species　of　Europe；　where　the　bear　is　much　sooner　killed　out
of　the　land。

Indeed　the　differences　of　this　sort　between　nearly　related　animals　are
literally　inexplicable。　Much　of　the　difference　in　temperament　between
such　closely　allied　species　as　the　American　and　European　bears　and
wolves　is　doubtless　due　to　their　surroundings　and　to　the　instincts
they　have　inherited　through　many　generations；　but　for　much　of　the
variation　it　is　not　possible　to　offer　any　explanation。　In　the　same　way
there　are　certain　physical　differences　for　which　it　is　very　hard　to
account；　as　the　same　conditions　seem　to　operate　in　directly　reverse
ways　with　different　animals。　No　one　can　explain　the　process　of　natural
selection　which　has　resulted　in　the　otter　of　America　being　larger　than
the　otter　of　Europe；　while　the　badger　is　smaller；　in　the　mink　being
with　us　a　much　stouter　animal　than　its　Scandinavian　and　Russian
kinsman；　while　the　reverse　is　true　of　our　sable　or　pine　marten。　No　one
can　say　why　the　European　red　deer　should　be　a　pigmy　compared　to　its
giant　brother；　the　American　wapiti；　why　the　Old　World　elk　should
average　smaller　in　size　than　the　almost　indistinguishable　New　World
moose；　and　yet　the　bison　of　Lithuania　and　the　Caucasus　be　on　the　whole
larger　and　more　formidable　than　its　American　cousin。　In　the　same　way
no　one　can　tell　why　under　like　conditions　some　game；　such　as　the　white
goat　and　the　spruce　grouse；　should　be　tamer　than　other　closely　allied
species；　like　the　mountain　sheep　and　ruffled　grouse。　No　one　can　say
why　on　the　whole　the　wolf　of　Scandinavia　and　northern　Russia　should　be
larger　and　more　dangerous　than　the　average　wolf　of　the　Rocky
Mountains；　while　between　the　bears　of　the　same　regions　the　comparison
must　be　exactly　reversed。

The　difference　even　among　the　wolves　of　different　sections　of　our　own
country　is　very　notable。　It　may　be　true　that　the　species　as　a　whole　is
rather　weaker　and　less　ferocious　than　the　European　wolf；　but　it　is
certainly　not　true　of　the　wolves　of　certain　localities。　The　great
timber　wolf　of　the　central　and　northern　chains　of　the　Rockies　and
coast　ranges　is　in　every　way　a　more　formidable　creature　than　the
buffalo　wolf　of　the　plains；　although　they　intergrade。　The　skins　and
skulls　of　the　wolves　of　north…western　Montana　and　Washington　which　I
have　seen　were　quite　as　large　and　showed　quite　as　stout　claws　and
teeth　as　the　skins　and　skulls　of　Russian　and　Scandinavian　wolves；　and
I　believe　that　these　great　timber　wolves　are　in　every　way　as
formidable　as　their　Old　World　kinsfolk。　However；　they　live　where　they
come　in　contact　with　a　population　of　rifle…bearing　frontier　hunters；
who　are　very　different　from　European　peasants　or　Asiatic　tribesmen；
and　they　have；　even　when　most　hungry；　a　wholesome　dread　of　human
beings。　Yet　I　doubt　if　an　unarmed　man　would　be　entirely　safe　should
he；　while　alone　in　the　forest　in　mid…winter　encounter　a　fair…sized
pack　of　ravenously　hungry　timber　wolves。

A　full…grown　dog…wolf　of　the　northern　Rockies；　in　exceptional
instances；　reaches　a　height　of　thirty…two　inches　and　a　weight　of　130
pounds；　a　big　buffalo　wolf　of　the　upper　Missouri　stands　thirty　or
thirty…one　inches　at　the　shoulder　and　weighs　about　110　pounds。　A　Texas
wolf　may　not　reach　over　eighty　pounds。　The　bitch…wolves　are　smaller；
and　moreover　there　is　often　great　variation　even　in　the　wolves　of
closely　neighboring　localities。

The　wolves　of　the　southern　plains　were　not　often　formidable　to　large
animals；　even　in　the　days　when　they　most　abounded。　They　rarely
attacked　the　horses　of　the　hunter；　and　indeed　were　but　little　regarded
by　these　experienced　animals。　They　were　much　more　likely　to　gnaw　off
the　lariat　with　which　the　horse　was　tied；　than　to　try　to　molest　the
steed　himself。　They　preferred　to　prey　on　young　animals；　or　on　the　weak
and　disabled。　They　rarely　molested　a　full…grown　cow　or　steer；　still
less　a　full…grown　buffalo；　and；　if　they　did　attack　such　an　animal；　it
was　only　when　emboldened　by　numbers。　In　the　plains　of　the　upper
Missouri　and　Saskatchewan　the　wolf　was；　and　is；　more　dangerous；　while
in　the　northern　Rockies　his　courage　and　ferocity　attain　their　highest
pitch。　Near　my　own　ranch　the　wolves　have　sometimes　committed　great
depredations　on　cattle；　but　they　seem　to　have　queer　freaks　of
slaughter。　Usually　they　prey　only　upon　calves　and　sickly　animals；　but
in　midwinter　I　have　known　one　single…handed　to　attack　and　kill　a　well…
grown　steer　or　cow　disabling　its　quarry　by　rapid　snaps　at　the　hams　or
flanks。　Only　rarely　have　I　known　it　to　seize　by　the　throat。　Colts　are
likewise　a　favorite　prey；　but　with　us　wolves　rarely　attack　full…grown
horses。　They　are　sometimes　very　bold　in　their　assaults；　falling　on　the
stock　while　immediately　around　the　ranch　houses。　They　even　venture
into　the　hamlet　of　Medora　itself　at　nightas　the　coyotes　sometimes　do
by　day。　In　the　spring　of　'92　we　put　on　some　eastern　two…year…old
steers；　they　arrived；　and　were　turned　loose　from　the　stock…yards；　in　a
snowstorm；　though　it　was　in　early　May。　Next　morning　we　found　that　one
had　been　seized；　slain；　and　partially　devoured　by　a　big　wolf　at　the
very　gate　of　the　stockyard；　probably　the　beast　had　seen　it　standing
near　the　yard　after　nightfall　feeling　miserable　after　its　journey；　in
the　storm　and　its　unaccustomed　surroundings；　and　had　been　emboldened
to　make　the　assault　so　near　town　by　the　evident　helplessness　of　the
prey。

The　big　timber　wolves　of　the　northern　Rocky　Mountains　attack　every
four…footed　beast　to　be　found　where　they　live。　They　are　far　from
contenting　themselves　with　hunting　deer　and　snapping　up　the　pigs　and
sheep　of　the　farm。　When　the　weather　gets　cold　and　food　scarce　they
band　together　in　small　parties；　perhaps　of　four　or　five　individuals；
and　then　assail　anything；　even　a　bear　or　a　panther。　A　bull　elk　or　bull
moose；　when　on　its　guard；　makes　a　most　dangerous　fight；　but　a　single
wolf　will　frequently　master　the　cow　of　either　animal；　as　well　as
domestic　cattle　and　horses。　In　attacking　such　large　game；　however；　the
wolves　like　to　act　in　concert；　one　springing　at　the　animal's　head；　and
attracting　its　attention；　while　the　other　hamstrings　it。　Nevertheless；
one　such　big　wolf　will　kill　an　ordinary　horse。　A　man　I　knew；　who　was
engaged　in　packing　into　the　Coeur　d'Alenes；　once　witnessed　such　a　feat
on　the　part　of　a　wolf。　He　was　taking　his　pack　train　down　into　a　valley
when　he　saw　a　horse　grazing　therein；　it　had　been　turned　loose　by
another　packing　outfit；　because　it　became　exhausted。　He　lost　sight　of
it　as　the　trail　went　down　a　zigzag；　and　while　it　was　thus　out　of　sight
he　suddenly　heard　it　utter　the　appalling　scream；　unlike　and　more
dreadful　than　any　other　sound；　which　a　horse　only　utters　in　extreme
fright　or　agony。　The　scream　was　repeated；　and　as　he　came　in　sight
again　he　saw　that　a　great　wolf　had　attacked　the　horse。　The　poor　animal
had　been　bitten　terribly　in　its　haunches　and　was　cowering　upon　them；
while　the　wolf　stood　and　looked　at　it　a　few　paces　off。　In　a　moment　or
two　the　horse　partially　recovered　and　made　a　desperate　bound　forward；
starting　at　full　gallop。　Immediately　the　wolf　was　after　it；　overhauled
it　in　three　or　four　jumps；　and　then　seized　it　by　the　hock；　while　its
legs　were　extended；　with　such　violen