WOLVES ABOUT THE CABIN. 217 



fellow which the naturalist had killed when he first 

 came into the country. 



The rancheree was reached just at dusk, and Far- 

 rell soon had a smoking supper ready, which drove 

 from their minds the hardships of the trip. A week 

 was now spent in gathering large and small animals, 

 Dyche dressing and preparing the skins and skele- 

 tons supplied by the two mountaineers. Twenty- 

 one choice specimens of deer were added to the collec- 

 tion. Armstrong took all the extra meat, storing it 

 away for use in the spring, when venison would be 

 in bad condition. 



The woods abounded in the large timber-wolves, 

 which roamed about at night and remained well 

 hidden during the day. Every night they could be 

 heard howling just outside the tent, and they chased 

 Armstrong's dogs to his very door and attempted to 

 reach them under the shelter of the sheds. Poisoned 

 meat and traps had no terror for them, as they in- 

 stinctively shunned them. One evening Armstrong 

 heard an uproar outside of his door and opened it just 

 in time to shoot a large black wolf which was attempt- 

 ing to kill his dog within ten feet of the house. Thus 

 the week was passed, and at the close of the time al- 

 lotted for the stay the naturalist began to get his 

 specimens in order for the trip down the river. The 

 last evening Armstrong, Farrell, and McLaughlin 

 each brought in a deer. They were so peculiarly 

 marked that a discussion of deer was started at once. 



Armstrong's deer looked much like a common or 

 Virginia deer, but the tail was black on the outside 

 and white underneath. It was thought at first that 



