The Wolf 315 



as they said, that in this case the companion wolf usually 

 succeeded in carrying off another of their children in the 

 confusion, while the first was so injured as to be beyond 

 recovery, they ended, like impassive Hindus as they were, 

 by just letting the wolves take away as many of their oflf- 

 spring as they wanted. 



" A child of a few years of age had thus been carried off 

 the morning of my arrival. It is scarcely credible that I 

 could not at first get enough beaters to drive the cover 

 where these atrocious brutes were gorging on their unholy 

 meal. At last a few of those outcast helots, who act as 

 village drudges in these parts, were induced to take sticks 

 and accompany my horse keeper, with a hog spear, and my 

 Sikh orderly, with his sword, through the belt of grass, 

 while I posted myself, with a double rifle, behind a tree at 

 the other end. In about five minutes the pair walked 

 leisurely out into the open space within twenty yards of 

 me. They were evidently mother and son; the latter 

 about three parts grown, with a reddish-yellow, well-furred 

 coat, and plump appearance ; the mother, a lean and griz- 

 zled hag, with hideous pendant dugs, and slaver dropping 

 from her jaws. I gave her the benefit of my first barrel, 

 and she dropped with a shot through both shoulders. The' 

 whelp started off, but the second barrel stopped him also, 

 with a bullet in the neck." 



Whenever wolves hunt in numbers, it is that one part 

 may lie in ambush, and the other drive the game, or 

 because they design to assail enemies they are well aware 

 a few could not overcome. These packs only hold to- 

 gether for a short time, and their formation depends upon 



