85 



prairie fire. I do not believe that any animal in America could stand 

 his ground and listen for two minutes to the Highland bagpipes. 



So far as I am personally concerned, if accompanied by two tho- 

 roughbred bull terriers, and armed with a good Winchester repeating 

 rifle, I shall be delighted at any time or place, in open daylight, to pay 

 my respects to six of the largest wolves in America. 



About twelve years ago, the hunting party to which I had the 

 pleasure to belong, was encamped on the bank of Bear brook, about 

 twelve miles from Ottawa. It was during a cold time in the month of 

 December, a fact which I distinctly remember, in consequence of having 

 had to cut a large supply of birch stovewood to keep the tent warm. 

 During our stay in camp on one occasion about midnight, we were 

 awakened by the howling of wolves near at hand, accompanied by a 

 noise like that produced by a large animal jumping through the snow. 

 Rifles were instantly grasped, but the noise suddenly ceased, and all 

 again was still. By the tracks found in the snow next morning, we 

 discovered that a large buck had galloped within less than one bound 

 of the back end of our tent, and had then turned aside. Upon follow- 

 ing the tracks of the deer a short distance, the fresh tracks of two wolves 

 were found on the trail. We did not follow them far. Had we done 

 so, we should, doubtless, soon have discovered the mangled remains of 

 the deer. Had the buck made one more bound in the direction in 

 which he was going, we should have had an immediate row in that 

 tent of more than ordinary interest and excitement. I have often re" 

 gretted that the deer and the wolves had not landed on top of us in the 

 tent. In that case I could have given you a true story eclipsing in 

 romantic interest the most florid imaginary efforts of the most ingenious 

 newspaper reporter of the present day. 



Wolves were very numerous in the Township of Gloucester up to 

 a few years ago, and doubtless there are many still in the solitudes of 

 the vast tamarac swamps still existing within less than twenty-five 

 miles of the City of Ottawa. 



During the winter of 1868, Doctor Bell, of New Edinburgh, was 

 driving through the long swamp east of Eastman's Springs. At .that 

 time there were lots of wolves within even ten miles of the city of Ottawa, 

 While jogging along at an ordinary gait, the Doctor's horse suddenly 



