658 THE DOG. 



which they encountered for the domestic dogs of an Indian 

 party, The animals howl in the same manner, and exhibit 

 the same habits ; and that they breed with one another, is 

 indisputable. Captain Back informs us, that the mixed pro- 

 geny of wolves and dogs are perfectly known to the natives, 

 and are valued by them as being stronger, as beasts of draught, 

 than the ordinary dogs. No doubt, then, exists, that the 

 large dogs of these people are true wolves, and wolves not 

 less fierce and strong than those which have been reclaimed 

 by the Laplanders and northern inhabitants of Europe. The 

 American wolves, indeed, are not so ready to attack human 

 beings as those of Europe and the more populous parts of 

 Asia, but this is not because they are less fierce and strong, 

 but because they have fewer opportunities of trying their 

 powers on man. In the spring of 1826, a large gray wolf 

 was driven by hunger to prowl amongst the huts erected in 

 the vicinity of Port Franklin ; but he did not venture upon 

 an attack, and being foiled in his endeavours to procure food, 

 was found a few days afterwards dead upon the snow. Yet 

 Dr Richardson was informed that a poor Indian woman had 

 been some time before strangled by a wolf, before the husband, 

 who saw the attack, could hurry to the rescue. Of the bold- 

 ness of these animals, numerous examples might be given. 

 Captain Lyon, speaking of the wolves of Melville Island, says, 

 " The wolves had now grown so bold as to come alongside, 

 and on this night they broke into a snow-hut, in which a couple 

 of newly purchased Esquimaux dogs were confined, and car- 

 ried them off, but not without some difficulty, for in the day- 

 light we found even the ceiling of the hut sprinkled with 

 blood and hair. When the alarm was given, and the wolves 

 were fired at, one of them was observed carrying a dead dog 

 in his mouth, clear of the ground, at a canter, notwithstand- 

 ing the animal was of his own weight. Before morning they 

 tore a quantity of canvass off the observatory, and devoured 

 it." At Cumberland House, a wolf, which was seen prowling 

 about the fort, was fired at, struck by a musket-ball, and 



