Photo by George Shiras, 3rd 



the: white-taii. skunk which visited our camp on the vSame night (see . 



PAGE 788) 



A series of ten pictures of skunks were taken in a week (see adventures with skunks, 



pages 790-795) 



felt that this might result in the loss of 

 all the other supplies. Just then our In- 

 dian guide, Dan, returned from the land- 

 ing, where he had been cleaning trout, 

 and without a moment's hesitation he 

 went to the camp-fire, scooped out a full 

 dipper of boiling water, and approached 

 the little tent with the evident purpose of 

 scalding the trespasser. 



Then a greater consternation seized 

 us, for it seemed highly probable that not 

 only the tent and its contents would be 

 lost, but the animal would soon be in our 

 midst, anxious to retaliate with a fluid 

 worse than that with which he was as- 

 sailed. Dan, seeing our fear, said : 

 "Don't be scared ; he won't even raise his 

 tail when I swat him." This Indian had 

 been a trapper from boyhood, and as he 

 was one of a few of his kind, I had con- 

 fidence in him regarding animal life ; so 

 he was allowed to proceed. The instant 

 the steaming water struck, the skunk ab- 

 jectly hurried from the tent and disap- 

 peared in the brush. The next day the 



same method was tried on another one 

 feeding behind a log on bacon rind, and, 

 like the other, he immediately left with- 

 out causing trouble. 



The following season the colored cook 

 was employed at a fishing club on Lake 

 Superior, where he was greatly annoyed 

 by a large number of skunks coming 

 about the kitchen after sundown. Re- 

 calling the successful dispersal of these 

 creatures the year before, he devoted 

 many evenings to pouring the contents 

 of the camp kettle on them as they as- 

 sembled below the porch at the garbage 

 can, and in no instance did any of these 

 animals offensively resent the scalding. 

 Later he reported that occasionally bald- 

 headed skunks were seen eyeing the cabin 

 from a distance; but the kettle proved 

 mightier than the garbage can. 



That a skunk when suddenly injured, 

 but suspecting an unseen foe, will some- 

 times fire a broadside in hope of relief 

 may be shown by another incident. 

 Campmg one stormy night in an aban- 



793 



