WILD ANIMALS AND MEN 241 



envelope not only proved that the Indian was indignant, but 

 that he also possessed a sense of humour, for "Chief Squirrel" 

 had, in return, addressed the noted oculist as "Doctor 

 Chipmunk." 



While spending a couple of days at Tastowich's house the 

 subject of hunting was never long omitted from the general 

 conversation; and upon learning from the half-breed that cari- 

 bou were plentiful about a day's travel to the westward, noth- 

 ing would do but Oo-koo-hoo must take that route on his re- 

 turn home; though of course it meant many more miles 

 to cover. The excursion, however, was inviting, as a good 

 trail could be followed all the way to the caribou country, 

 as the Tastowichs had been hauling deer meat from that 

 region. 



By the evening of the first day, as good fortune would have 

 it, we halted among many signs of caribou, and not only were 

 fresh caribou tracks to be seen, but also those of wolves, for the 

 latter were trailing the deer. The incident reminded Oo-koo- 

 hoo of a former experience which he told as we sat by the fire. 



WOLVES RUNNING CARIBOU 



"It happened years ago. For weeks, my son, I had had ill 

 luck and my family were starving. For days I had hunted 

 first one kind of game and then another, but always without 

 success. Then, as a last resort, I started after caribou, though 

 I well knew that I should have to travel a long distance before 

 falling in with them. But in the end I was rewarded. The 

 going was bad, mostly through a dense growth of small black 

 spruce, where the trees stood so close together that I had 

 difficulty in hauling my sled, being compelled, at times, to turn 

 on edge, not only my toboggan, but also my snowshoes, in 

 order to pass between. After several hours' hard work the 

 forest grew more open and, about noon of the third day, I 



