WOLF-TRAPS. 77 



louder. We hurried on as fast as we could, and found 

 the wolf at his last gasp under the furious attack of the 

 dogs. They were immediately called off, and appeared 

 to have suffered considerably, particularly one, whose 

 ear the wolf, a great black beast, had bitten quite away. 



These traps are set with a bait, but not fastened, for 

 if the wolf is caught, and the trap should be immovable, 

 he would bite off his own leg sooner than let himself be 

 taken. So the trap is only fastened by a chain to an 

 iron clog with four hooks ; as soon as the wolf finds him- 

 self caught, he attempts to hurry away with the trap, but 

 is detained every moment by the hooks catching in the 

 roots and bushes ; yet he manages to get clear again, and 

 has been known to take the iron clog in his mouth but 

 the trap . still remains a hinderance, and he is easily 

 traced. 



By this time I had enjoyed Indian life long enough, 

 and wished myself back again in more civilized society ; 

 yet I remained another day with them, during which we 

 shot at a mark with bows and arrows, and I caused many 

 a smile among the Indians, as I shot a foot wide of the 

 mark, which they seldom missed. We next threw toma- 

 hawks at a tree, and in this practice I was rather more 

 successful. 



On the following morning I resumed my journey to the 

 east, provided with venison and coarse salt, and as I saw 

 the last Indians disappear behind the trees, it seemed as 

 if I was now for the first time alone in the forest ; but I 

 soon became reaccustomed to my former life, and slept 

 again this night, as well as a man can sleep, on grass and 

 fragrant moss. 



