238 INGRATITUDE OF A WOLF. 



over a hundred feet, while from every crack and 

 fissure hung luxuriant evergreen shrubs, inducing in 

 the mind of the spectator a feeling of astonishment 

 that they could retain their position in situations 

 apparently so ill adapted for their growth. 



While engaged in cooking, a very large grey 

 wolf came out of the bush, and, coolly seating him- 

 self in the open, viewed with envious eyes our pro- 

 visions. As he was probably hungry, like our- 

 selves, I conquered for the moment my feelings of 

 hostility, and left him unmolested to enjoy a feast in 

 imagination. 



When we had finished supper, I was generous 

 enough to leave the refuse for his use. Having col- 

 lected the fragments, I placed them on a rock about 

 fifty yards from our camp, and the moment after I 

 retired the powerful jaws of the beggar were hard at 

 work, performing their labours so satisfactorily that in 

 a few minutes not a particle remained. Like all his 

 race, however, he was incapable of any feeling but 

 that of the basest ingratitude, for not half-an-hour 

 after my act of charity, the skulking scoundrel was 

 seen in such close proximity to one of the horses 

 and with such an unmistakable look of guilty inten- 

 tions in his countenance, that I had not the slightest 

 doubt he was only waiting for an opportunity to 

 convert the quadruped into carrion. 



So disreputable a scoundrel was not fit to live, 

 and his death-warrant was signed, the sentence 



