600 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



crossed the track of a Wolverine with one of Mr. Calling- 

 ham's traps on his foot; the Foxes had followed his bleed 

 ing track. As this beast went through the thick of the 

 woods, under the north side of the hill, where the snow was 

 so deej) and light that it was with the greatest difficulty I 

 could follow him, even on Indian rackets, I was quite 

 puzzled to know how he had contrived to prevent the trap 

 from catching hold of the branches of trees, or sinking in 

 the snow. But on coming uj) with him, I discovered how 

 he had managed; for after making an attempt to fly at me, 

 he took the trap in his mouth and ran upon three legs. 

 These creatures are surprisingly strong in proi^ortion to 

 their size; this one weighed only twenty- six pounds, and 

 the trap eight, yet, including all the turns he had taken, he 

 had carried it six miles." 



The Earl of Southesk, in "Saskatchewan," has this to 

 say of his experience with the Wolverine, at Fort Pelly, on 

 December 11, 1859: 



"A few nights ago, Mr. Murray heard his dog barking 

 incessantly for no apparent reason. Happening next morn- 

 ing to open a half-finished store-house, the dog rushed 

 furiously in, but came out again with still greater quick- 

 ness, upon which his master looked into the shed, and 

 there beheld the cause of the disturbance in the sha^^e of 

 a Wolverine, who, after his nocturnal prowlings, had taken 

 refuge in this convenient hiding-place. The beast was 

 slowly retreating, with his face to the door through which 

 the dog had entered; but an ounce of shot soon tamed his 

 courage by ending his life. . . . No beast is so cunning 

 as the Wolverine — the Fox is a sucking dove compared to 

 him. . . . Where he haunts, it is useless to store meat 

 on stages, for. Beaver-like, he cuts through great trees 

 with his teeth, and soon brings down any edifice of wood. 

 His courage is dauntless; he flies neither from man nor 

 beast, and woe to the dog that comes within reach of his 

 jaws." 



In the ensuing description of a caclie^ in "Ocean to 

 Ocean," by the Rev. G. M. Grant, the above-mentioned 



