350 Wild Beasts 



military encampment, and carry off food from beside watch- 

 fires. They do this ; they do everything that requires 

 enterprise, judgment, and skill, and this to an extent that, 

 in the mind of an unprejudiced savage, has gained them a 

 place among his gods. 



Once the writer saw as much of the temper of coyotes 

 in their natural state towards man as it is possible for 

 anybody to see at one time. It befell that he was badly 

 hurt in front of General Treveno's cavalry brigade, then 

 holding the line of the Rio Caiia Dulce. When conscious- 

 ness returned, horse and arms were gone, and the bushes 

 around swarmed with these wolves. There may not, how- 

 ever, have been so many as there appeared to be, for the 

 animals moved in and out of cover constantly, and the 

 same one was probably seen several times. The thirst that 

 always follows hemorrhage, and the heat of the sun, were 

 distressing, neither was it pleasant to be an object of so 

 much attention to a troop like this, while almost completely 

 disabled. An overhanging bank lay near, and was reached 

 with great difficulty. Here one could lean up against the 

 side and contemplate them from a shady place. They 

 behaved very curiously, and if the attendant circumstances 

 had been at all conducive to mirth, their spiteful antics, 

 the pretences of attack they made, and the absurd way in 

 which some of them assumed an air of boldness, and 

 apparently sought to inspire their companions with reso- 

 lution, would no doubt have been amusing. It was abun- 

 dantly shown that these creatures looked upon the inert and 

 blood-soaked individual before them as a prey, and were 

 consequently in a high state of excitement. Their eyes 



