166 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



with her back, and the very tip still curled to one side, 

 resumed her old-fashioned toddle and disappeared, 

 going exactly the same line as the wolf had gone in 

 the morning. About an hour afterwards, on the hill 

 south of post, I saw a magnificent fox ; he was travel- 

 ling along in a very decided manner, evidently tracking 

 something that I had missed seeing. He* disappeared 

 into the cutting fir path. He was a dark red -coloured 

 fox, much the shape of the old Abellio dog, with a 

 glorious thick coat and brush, with little or no white 

 on tip. About 8 P.M. it got so dark I put on the 

 night sight, and ate my sandwiches as cautiously as 

 possible. (I thought it was the safest time, but I am 

 now sure it was the unsafest, as decidedly the wolves 

 come generally a little after dark.) In half an hour 

 it got so dark (five days after full moon) that I thought 

 it was useless staying any longer, as I really could see 

 nothing, so took off the night sight preparatory to 

 getting down from the tree. I had just done so, when 

 within 100 yards of me, on the side of Patoglino just 

 above the path, a chorus broke out I shall never forget, 

 yapping, snarling, growling, howling, and half barking ; 

 in fact, with the exception of barking, every possible 

 canine noise. I am sure there were at least five or six 

 wolves, and probably more. They were coming to- 

 wards me, as I could hear distinctly the duration of 

 the howling, enabling me to perceive the change of 

 position of the howlers. After about two minutes all 

 was still, and I sat very quiet for about a quarter of 

 an hour. Not a move or sound indicated that there 

 was a wolf within miles of me. The darkness was so 

 dense that I made up my mind to go, as had twenty 

 wolves come I should not have seen them. I had 

 much difficulty clambering down from the tree in the 

 dark, with a topcoat, large plaid, a rifle, a gun, and 



