LIFE IN WOODS OF NORTH MICHIGAN 273 



ping of their dung, &c. Wolves, like dogs, are incessantly 

 shedding their urine, and it is often easy to follow them 

 by the rank odour alone. In the pure air of the woods 

 and prairies, every sense is fully developed and has fair 

 play. There are not such a number of cross-scents and 

 confusing odours as mislead the nose in cities and populous 

 places, and any unusual scent is noticed at once. There 

 is nothing that the hunter has to more carefully guard 

 against than letting his scent be borne on the wind 

 to his prey. The wolves we had been tracking be- 

 came thoroughly alarmed and soon forsook the neigh- 

 bourhood, apparently making for the shores of Lake 

 Superior. 



About this time a strange and painful incident oc- 

 curred. While I was wandering in the forest according 

 to my usual custom I one day met a man running through 

 a narrow ravine. At sight of me he drew his six-shooter, 

 which naturally induced me to place myself behind a tree 

 and demand what he wanted. He said he had made a 

 mistake, and begged if I had any food about me for the 

 love of God to give it to him, for he was starving. No 

 one could resist such an appeal as that, and I gave him 

 the small quantity of bread and pork I had brought for 

 my lunch. He devoured it ravenously and drained my 

 whisky flask, listening attentively while he was thus 

 engaged, and holding up his hand for silence when I at- 

 tempted to question him. I took him for a tender-foot, 

 or tramp, who had been guilty of some depredation; 

 especially when, as he went away, he said the sharks were 

 after him, and begged me if they came up not to tell 

 them which direction he had taken. Shortly afterwards 

 I met several members of a sheriff's posse, and of course 

 told them this little incident as the man was evidently 

 a fugitive from justice. Half-an-hour later I heard several 

 distant shots, and curiosity induced me and my com- 

 panions, who were now with me, to make for the spot 

 whence the sound came. 



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