182 ON THE FBONTIEE. 



doubt destroyed his confidence in jungle-paths. He probably 

 feared a trap in each of them. 



As I emerged into the level valley the wolf was in full view 

 about a quarter of a mile in front of me, going very slowly 

 towards the river-bank in a direction that I knew would lead 

 him to a place where it was high and precipitous. He was 

 still some distance from the edge, and it seemed quite possible 

 to come up with him before he could reach it. There was no 

 need for me to call upon my horse. He saw the object of 

 our pursuit as soon as I did, and like the gallant hunter he 

 was, laying back his ears and giving a toss of his head, he 

 dashed after him. 



If the wolf had had a couple of hundred yards farther to 

 go the chase would have ended then and there ; as it was 

 he disappeared over the edge of the river's bank about fifty 

 yards in front of me. When I arrived at the spot and looked 

 down, I found there was a perpendicular descent there of 

 about twenty feet, with a mass of matted brushwood and 

 grape-vines drifted full of snow at the foot of it. On this 

 the wolf had boldly thrown himself down, and was doubt- 

 lessly resting and getting his wind beneath it. It had been 

 a jump for his life. 



It became necessary for me to go half-a-mile up stream 

 to where, the river bending, the steep bank would be on its 

 other side, and the side on which I was, sloping enough to 

 permit me to descend with my horse into the creek-bottom. 

 I was satisfied that what the wolf had just done had been an 

 act of strategy, that he knew no horse could follow him 

 straight down the bank ; and I was also tolerably sure he 

 would not stir for some time, most likely not until he should 





