CAMP. 97 



serious, nor did any ill effect result from them. A surgeon 

 of the United States army for some years stationed at 

 various posts in the Department of the Platte informed 

 me that he had never heard in that section of a fatal case 

 of skunk- bite. I am constrained, therefore, to believe 

 that this singularly fatal result is confined to the section 

 of country heretofore described, the valley of the Ar- 

 kansas being about its centre. 



In many years of frontier life I have never personally 

 known of a single case of rabies in any animal except man. 

 The fondness of soldiers for dogs is proverbial ; and many 

 frontier military posts might well, from the number and 

 variety of the canine species, be mistaken for dog-breed- 

 ing establishments. 



Indians say that wolves not unfrequently go mad, 

 rush into their villages, and do great damage. The fol- 

 lowing most interesting and perfectly authenticated facts 

 are taken from the records of the hospital at Fort Larned, 

 on the Arkansas Eiver : 



' On the 5th August, at 10 P.M., a rabid wolf, of the 

 large grey species, came into the post and charged round 

 most furiously. He entered the hospital and attacked 

 Corporal - , who was lying sick in bed, biting him 

 severely in the left hand and right arm. The left little 

 finger was nearly taken off. The wolf next dashed into 

 a party of ladies and gentlemen sitting in Colonel - -'s 



porch, and bit Lieut. severely in both legs. 



Leaving there, he soon after attacked and bit Private 

 in two places. This all occurred in an incre- 

 dibly short space of time; and, although those above- 

 mentioned were the only parties bitten, the animal left 

 the marks of his presence in every quarter of the garri- 

 son. He moved with great rapidity, snapping at everything 

 within his reach, tearing tents, window- curtains, bed- 

 clothing, &c., in every direction. The sentinel at the 

 guard-house fired over the animal's back, while he ran 

 between the man's legs. Finally he charged upon a 



H 



