7.V THE FAR WEST. 115 



a single dog, unless it be a very large one, and does not 

 hesitate a moment to gobble up an Indian cur and devour it 

 in sight of its yelping, impotent kindred. I have known 

 tribes to lose several dogs by these lupine prowlers, and they 

 sometimes had the audacity to make a raid on the encampment 

 for them, and boldly bear them away to safe quarters, where 

 they could eat them at their leisure. 



While out on a hunting expedition along the Loup River, 

 the wolves pounced on a valuable pointer and terrier belonging 

 to our party, as they were on their way to visit some of their 

 kindred in an Indian village, and actually devoured them in 

 sight of our camp. We had so little fear of the scavengers 

 assailing our dogs, that when they crowded around the camp at 

 night, to the number of two or three hundred apparently, and 

 their glittering eyes peered at us out of the darkness, that we did 

 not molest them unless they threatened our edibles, but after 

 that incident we kept them at a safe distance, and showed 

 them no quarter wherever we met them. Though willing 

 enough to scamper away before a small pack of hounds-, a 

 party of them treat a single dog, even of large size, with 

 contemptuous indifference. I remember hearing a hunter 

 telling me that he owned an immense dog whose greatest 

 pleasure was to fight with every one of his own species lie 

 met, and this propensity of his got him into many scrapes 

 with their owners, for he was always the conqueror in a few 

 moments. As he had never been defeated he had such an 

 overweening confidence in himself that he was ready to meet 

 all foes, but the wolves taught him that he could not triumph 

 over them as he had done over his civilized congeners. Felix, 

 the canine hero, saw three wolves one day on a hillock, and 

 thinking they afforded him an excellent opportunity for in- 

 dulging in a victorious contest, he advanced towards them with 

 hairs bristled up like the quills of a porcupine ; and they, on 

 seeing his combative attitude, trotted away. This retrograde 

 movement so encouraged him that he dashed after them at 

 full speed, and whining with excitement ; but when he was next 

 seen he was retreating as rapidly as his legs could carry him, his 

 tail was tucked between his legs, and he was ki-yi-ing fearfully, 



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