SAVAGE DOGS OF FOREST AND PLAIN. 53 



made ready to spring on him, but he shot her quickly in 

 the head, and was hauled out again, nearly deaf with the 

 noise, and choked with the smoke. After the smoke had 

 cleared away, he crawled down a third time, took the dead 

 wolf by the ears, and the two were pulled out by the peo- 

 ple above with much joy. 



9. " When the wolves get into the habit of visiting a 

 particular neighborhood, they continue the practice for 

 several nights almost consecutively, and the farmers there 

 become very vigilant, getting all animals safely housed 

 before dark. The wolf comes into the farm-yard, and the 

 creatures in the buildings know that he is there, and pass 

 wakeful and anxious hours. One night in winter, when 

 there were wolves about the farm I live on, I went, about 

 midnight, to the stable, and, just on coming out, I met a 

 fine wolf face to face. We were not more than six or 

 eight feet from each other, and both rather taken by sur- 

 prise. I had no weapon, but remembered the tradition 

 that you must never turn your back upon a wolf, so I 

 stood still and asked him what he wanted. 



10. " The sound of a human voice seems to have af- 

 fected the wolf's mind, for he turned round and slinked 

 away into the dark shades of a neighboring wood. The 

 morning after, I learned that he had killed a goat on the 

 next farm. I exactly remember what passed in my mind 

 during our brief meeting : ' That's a large dog ; no, it is not 

 a dog, it is something else ; what else ? wolf no weapon 

 must keep my face to him.' Then, aloud, < Well, sir, 

 what do you want here ? ' On which he looked stead- 

 fastly at me for a second or two without stirring, then 

 made a rapid right-about-face, and cantered woodward in 

 perfect silence." 



