110 "WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



frees with his tomahawk as we retiimed. The last 

 prize we came to was my buck, and on liim we saw a 

 Avikl-cat preparing to enjoy itself. The Indian rushed 

 forward, and the cat, whix^li did not perceive him till too 

 late, flew up a tree, whence an arrow from the sure 

 hand of my companion soon brought it to the ground. 

 It was of a gray color, and larger than the domestic 

 cat. "When these animals are irritated they will attack 

 m(_'n : my comrade caiTied off the skin. 



We rode back with our booty to the camp, and were 

 received with cheers. The party all returned one 

 after the other, most of them with game, one with an 

 immense bear that he had killed, the largest I had yet 

 seen. 



^Yhl\e cooking was going on, the young men danced 

 and sang, the women taking no part in their amuse- 

 ments, but quietly continuing their occupations. 



On the following morning the chief said that he had 

 set a wolf-trap, and we went to see if any thing had 

 been caught. -As there was plenty of food in the 

 camp, we all went together, except three, who, having 

 killed nothing yesterday, set off to try their luck again 

 to-day. We took four large strong dogs with us, and 

 followed the chief. With a triumphant smile he 

 showed me where he had set the trap, and near it a 

 trace of blood; it was shown to the dogs, and they 

 followed it up in full cry. 



After running about a mile, they barked louder and 

 louder. We hurried on as fast as w^e could, and found 

 the wolf at his last gasp under the furious attack of 

 the dogs. They were immediately called off, and 

 appeared to have suffered considerably, particularly 



