50 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



Regarding distribution and numbers, that has almost 

 become matter of past history. At the time of which I 

 am writing wipiti and moose had aheady begun to show 

 signs of a serious falHng off in numbers. Cariboo were 

 still abundant ; but all three had forsaken certain spots 

 which were much frequented by white trappers from the 

 settlements. In the United States, wipiti were found, in 

 places, in large herds. Here I never saw any number 

 greater than what seemed to be a family party together ; 

 that is, six or eight. Their habits, in this respect, 

 resembled those of the moose. Single deer and pairs 

 were most frequently met with. 



I do not think that wolves ever succeed in pulling 

 down these deer, except, perhaps, old or injured indi- 

 viduals; but they try to capture the calves; and the 

 cows have desperate fights in defence of their progeny. 

 I once witnessed an encounter between a wipiti cow 

 and about thirty wolves. The poor mother was furious, 

 and though she did not actually kill any of the wolves, 

 she tossed one and crippled him. I think it is probable 

 that the wolves would have ultimately destroyed the calf; 

 for they were so many that the cow could not keep them 

 all ensraofed in front of her, and some attacked the calf 

 while others yelped at the mother's front. At length 

 one of the wolves made a grab at the calf, inflicting a 

 severe bite ; and I thought it high time to interfere. 

 From my place of concealment I shot three of the wolves, 

 and while the remainder scampered off in one direction, 

 the cow and her calf retreated in another. The maimed 

 wolf was unable to follow his comrades, and he also went 

 to increase the weight of my " bag," though the cow had 

 mauled him so that his pelt was little worth. 



