140 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



denser and bushier hair behind the cheeks. The largest of 

 the family is from thirty-four to thirty-six inches in height; 

 is about four feet long; and weighs from ninety to one 

 hundred and twenty pounds, and even more where food is 

 abundant. The tail is carried straight, except when the 

 animal is frightened ; and then it crams it between the 

 legs, like a terror-stricken cur, and carries it in that posi- 

 tion for some distance if hotly pursued. 



Large, gaunt, and fierce as it looks, it is one of the great- 

 est cowards known, even when assembled in numbers, and 

 seldom has the courage to face even a boy. When assailed 

 by dogs it manifests a stronger desire to flee than to fight 

 gallantly for life, and to show its teeth rather than use 

 them. A couple of staunch hounds will cause one to scam- 

 per off in a tremendous hurry ; and should they overtake 

 and assail it, the probability would be that it would only 

 snarl at them and try to escape, instead of closing and kill- 

 ing them at once, as it could readily do, owing to its weight, 

 great strength, and long fangs. When it does bite, how- 

 ever, it inflicts a very severe wound, as its lancet-like teeth 

 can cut clean through the leg of a dog; hence, hounds 

 devoid of courage do not care to attack it after they 

 have once felt its power, unless they are in sufficient num- 

 bers to make an assault successful. It does not show any 

 fear of a single dog, unless it be a very large one, and 

 does not hesitate a moment to gobble up an Indian cur 

 and devour it in sight of its yelping, impotent kindred. I 

 have known tribes to lose several dogs by these lupine 

 prowlers, and they sometimes had the audacity to make a 

 raid on the encampment for them and boldly bear them 

 away to safe quarters, where they could eat them at their 

 leisure. 



While out on a hunting expedition along the Loup Riv- 

 er, the wolves pounced on a valuable pointer and terrier 

 belonging to our party, as they were on their way to visit 

 some of their kindred in an Indian village, and actually de- 

 voured them in sight of our camp. We had so little fear 

 of the scavengers assailing our dogs, when they crowded 



