442 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 23, 1895. 



A LONG WILD NIGHT WITH WOLVES 

 IN THE ROCKIES. 



Vinton, la., Nov. 8, 1895.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Living in thiB town is a man, who with a companion had 

 an experience w ith wolves in Wyoming, whichj in the 

 way of numbers seen and killed surpasses anything that 

 I have seen recorded in book or paper, that was not given 

 in jest or that was worthy of belief, and I would not give 

 publicity to this story if I had any doubt as to its truth- 

 fulness. I have known him for a dozen years and during 

 this time he has had little to occupy his time but to exer- 

 cise his fishing rod and gun. I have hunted with him and 

 fished with him, and few are the pleasant days that his 

 tall figure cannot be seen along the banks of the Cedar 

 River. His name is Americus Campbell, but he is known 

 among the "boys" as the "Tall Sycamore" of the Cedar. 

 He is 6ft. 2Un. high, straight as an Indian and with some 

 gray hairs sprinkled over his head. He is not a brag. 

 Few people living in this town have heard his story, and 

 fewer still have lizard it from his lips. 



In the spring of 1806 Mr Campbell started for the West. 

 He went over the Union Pacific Rulroad to North Platte, 

 Nebraska, which was at that time the terminus of the 

 road. From there he went by ox team to Fort Laramie. 

 The following fail he contracted to make hay for the fort 

 at $65 a ton, and with a gang of ten men and a military 

 escort he would go down to the Platte River bottom, about 

 ten miles from the fort, and after setting the men at 

 work he and two others would ride around on the ridges 

 and high points, keeping a sharp lookout for Indians, and 

 shooting enough game to supply the camp with meat, 

 which latter was an easy thing to do. But the Indians 

 gave them much trouble and at times they would have 

 one or more brushes with them every day. 



During the next fall Mr. Campbell was at Red Buttes 

 getting out ties and telegraph poles for the Union Pacific 

 Company, which had its terminus then at Green River 

 Junction. It was during the fall of lb67, while at Red 

 Buttes and when Mr. Campbell was 25 years of age, that 

 be was employed by a party of six sportsmen, who he 

 thinks came from England and New York city, to supply 

 two double teams of oxen and take them up into Sheep 

 Mountain on a hunt. The sportsmen were to pay all 

 expenses and give Mr. Campbell |i0 a day. The season 

 was getting well along, there had been several snow 

 squalls, but Mr. Campbell employed Mr. R. J. Brown to 

 drive one team, and after packing the camp outfit they 

 started west for the mountains, one driver and three 

 sportsmen to a team. During the three days out they 

 came to a canon that ran from the Laramie River back 

 into the northeast side of the mountain, and after work- 

 ing up this canon for about a half -day they camped 

 near its head in some pine timber, where there was feed 

 and water for the oxen. There was Sin. of snow in the 

 mountains, which made good tracking, and a great deal of 

 game. The sportsmen used to hunt by themselves, while 

 Mr. Campbelf and his companion on many a hunt after 

 attending to the camp work would start out together. 



One morning the sportsmen started early after deer, 

 but Mr. ^ampbell and Mr. Brown thought they would 

 hunt for elk. So after doing up the work they ascended 

 a ridge to the north. From the top of the ridge they 

 looked down into a sort of valley, broad and well tim- 

 bered, and sloping from the river far back into the 

 mountain. Down near the river was a large hand of elk 

 quietly feeding, some of which had no doubt for many 

 years roamed through these valleys, where there was good 

 shelter and luxuriant grass, happy and contented, and at 

 this time were making part of a landscape scene, un- 

 touched as yet by the hand of civilization, and beautiful 

 beyond description — a scene that comparatively few will 

 look upon again, and only then unless they love nature 

 enough to push far back into the wild and rugged moun- 

 tain regions of the Northwest. 



The hunters were well equipped, each having a good 

 horse, a cartridge belt and vest filled with cartridges, and 

 a sack filled with loaded shells. They had learned long 

 before this never to be caught far from camp without 

 plenty of ammunition. They carefully worked down the 

 ridge toward the elk, which they estimated to be over 

 200, but the elk saw them before they got within range, 

 and away they went back into the valley. The hunters 

 followed the trail, which led them in among the ridges, 

 through belts of timber, and all the time further up into 

 the mountain. They seemed to keep traveling around in 

 a circle, yet kept moving back into the rough country. 

 All day long the hunters hung around that band of elk, 

 sometimes following on the trail, sometimes moving across 

 to a point which they thought the elk were making for; 

 now circling on one side and then the other, and not once 

 getting within rifle range. But now the hunters stop on 

 the trail; the day is far spent, the last shadows have 

 spanned the valleys, and daylight has changed to gloom. 



"Americus, we have got to quit." 



"Well, I suppose we have, but it is pretty rough. Which 

 way is cam pi'' 



"Blest if I know, you tell!" 



"Well, Brown, the camp is sure enough at the head of 

 an all fiivd handsome valley that runs down to the Lara- 

 mie River, and if we can find the river we can find the 

 head of that valley, and I think those ridges you see over 

 there run down to the river. Come on; wait a minute; 

 there is some venison for our supper." 



As Mr. Campbell's rifle rane out a blacktail deer leaped 

 from among some bushes and stretched out on the ground. 

 He disembowled it and tied iton his horse. Theyhadmany 

 chances to shoot, dper that day, but deer was not what 

 they were alter. They thought they would find camp if 

 possible, so they pushed auead, saying but little, but 

 keeping a sharp lookout for a game trail which they knew 

 would lead to the river. For several minutes they had 

 heard a howl of a lone wolf far back on their trail and 

 it sounded dismal enough in the gathering twilight. 

 Soon they heard other wolves on either side and they 

 knew by the sound that they were closing in on their trail, 

 and in a short time ttiey caughtsightof the pack, keeping 

 however at a respectful distance behind, ana as they went 

 on they would etch glimpses of other wolves galloping 

 abreast of thnm. The number was continually increasing 

 and the howling by this- time was anything but pleasing, 

 but the belated huuters p stied ahead as fast as ttiey could, 

 now in the deep gloom of the overhanging pines, their 



heads bent far down on their horses 1 npeks so as not to 

 miss the trail that they expected soon to fiad; now hurry- 

 ing across the openings, somewhat lit up by the refh ctions 

 from the distant peaks; now peering into the gloom ahead, 

 carefully, cautiously, the "Tall Sycamore" of the Cedar 

 and his trusty companion hastened along the mountain 

 ridge. They had now given up all hope of finding camp. 

 They saw that the wolves had made a circle around them, 

 some even galloping along in front, and as the gloom in- 

 creased the wolves were moving in closer to them and 

 the hunters were getting somewhat anxious to find a good 

 place to camp for the night. 



The wolves were now following a little too close, and 

 Mr. Campbell reached down and tearing out the liver 

 from the deer tossed it back, and as the wolves began 

 fighting for it Mr. Brown said, "Americus, do not do tnat, 

 it will make them all the more bold. You had better 

 drop the whole deer; those wolves may give us some 

 trouble yet." 



Mr. Brown was four years older than Mr. Campbell and 

 had had more experience with gray wolves, and there 

 wag something in the way he spoke that made Mr. Camp- 

 bell feel it was growing chilly quite fast. H« loosened 

 his lariat and tied one end around his horse's neck, so if 

 he had to take to the trees he could hold his horse and 

 fight the wolves as long as possible. Then he beg .n to 

 saw away at one of the shoulders of the deer, and when 

 it dropped on the ground and the wolves rushed for it 

 with an uproar Mr. Campbell began to feel for the lock 

 of his rifle and Mr. Brown's voice grew more in earnest, 

 "I say drop off the deer; those wolves will make it hot for 

 us if we do not find dry wood tn camp by soon. We 

 cannot take to the trees, we would freeze to death before 

 morning." 



"Brown, it may be you don't know how a fellow feels 

 when between 6 and 7ft. of him is craving for something 

 to eat. I say when I go into camp, whether it is in a 

 snow drift or up a tree, my supper and breakfast will go 

 with me." 



Then another chunk of venison dropped to the ground 

 and the howling and uproar was fearful to hear. They 

 had now left the timber and were descending into a draw. 

 As they settled down between the ridges the gloom turned 

 to darkness and the wolves were quick to take advantage 

 and closed right in. And now the rifles began to speak, 

 Bang! bang! 



"Americus," bang! bang! — "I say, Americus, look out 

 for a dead log." 



Bang! bang! "See here, we must find a dead log quick 

 (bang!) and make a fire at once." Bang! bang! 



"My heavens, Brown, we can't find one and make a fire 

 too quick to Buit me." Bang! bang! 



"Look out there, Americus, they are coming up back of 

 you! Eheu! man, eheu! I say, drop that deer you long- 

 legged " Bang! 



"Whoa! whoa! ' yelled the hunters as their horses stum- 

 bled into some dry timber. In an instant the hunters 

 were on the ground and for a moment they stood and 

 sent lead, thunder and streams of fire into the very teeth 

 of the mad brutes; they were cowed and settled back a 

 little. And now while Mr. Brown was scrabbling some 

 dry twigs together Mr. Campbell kept the wolves back. 

 There was a little blaze, and as it caught the eyes of the 

 wolves there was a lull in the howling, and as the tongue 

 of fire lapped the air they let loose a roar long and savage 

 as they saw that they were baffled. And now with their 

 backs to the fire the hunters drove back the wolves 

 to a safe distance, then after unsaddling their tired 

 horses they made camp as secure and comfortable as pos- 

 sible. 



Brown was arranging the saddles and horses when he 

 saw Mr. Campbell sitting on a log roasting a big slab of 

 venison. "Well, I swear to gracious." 



"Sit right down, Brown, I will let you have all you 

 want." 



And the two hunters with their rifles across their lap3 

 roasted venison and ate a hearty supper after their long 

 day's ride. Then cutting off enough for their breakfast 

 they threw the rest out to the wolves, thinking that after 

 they had eaten it they would not smell meat and would 

 go away, but the wolves stayed right with them all night. 

 Mr. Campbell says there were 200 wolves, and that they 

 formed a circle around the camp, but the most of theua 

 stayed on the same side of the fire that the hunters were 

 on. Some were trotting around, some were having a free 

 fight, some were sitting in a circle, while all were fight- 

 ing or howling like mad. 



Mr. Campbell says that frequently a swarm of the gray 

 brutes would come rushing by at full gallop, and when 

 opposite the camp would make a dash at them, sometimes 

 coming within 20ft, of them, and then sweep away and 

 turn and dash back again like a hawk circling for its prey. 

 A movement among the horses or a little carelessn ss by 

 the hunters and the wolves would spring forward and come 

 on pell mell as though they understood that "first come, 

 first served," and "tha devil take the hindmost." At 

 these times the hunters would back up to the fire as close 

 as possible and shoot among them, and the wolvts would 

 hustle back to a respectful, distance. The wolves on the 

 outside of the circle would work in and sit down ahead 

 of those in front and so the circle continually grew 

 smaller, and sometimes it would get within 40:t. of them 

 before they would drive them back. There was a good 

 deal of dry wood scattered around and the hunters would 

 watch for a chance to get it, and when the chance came 

 they would take a brand from the fire and run but to the 

 stick, grab it up and hustle back to camp, and always 

 with a howling mob close on their heels. 



Throughout the long might sat the lost hunters with 

 their rifles across their knees, their eyes unceasingly 

 watching the circle of savage beasts as they moved in 

 closer to them. The horses backed up to the tire as close 

 as they could and shook like aspen leaves. But now the 

 line has moved in too near, and as the hunters' eyes run 

 along it and catch the gleam from theirs they snarl and 

 show their teeth, Now Mr. Campbell begins to feel the 

 lock of his rifle; his tall form straightens; he speaks a few 

 quieting words to his horse as his rifle comes to his shoul- 

 der and a crash breaks on the night air, and another and 

 another follows in quick succession, and as the report rolls 

 along the mountain sides and dies away in the can >us the 

 air is rent with the death cries of the wounded wolves and 

 the savage howls of the uninjured ones as the latter rush 

 upon their more unfortunate companions and tear them 

 to pieces. It was a fearful night; a fearlul scene for the 

 lost hunters, within a circle of 200 hungry timber wolves 

 around their cheerless camp in tne snow, some of which 



would be trotting around with their sharp noses pointed 

 toward them, their eyes glaring and their teeth snapping, 

 while others, gathered in little knots, were snarling and 

 fitting an I yelping with pain as they tore pieces of flesh 

 from and held a hullabaloo around some fallen wolf, 

 while others were sitting on their haunches with their 

 noses pointed skyward, howling out their impatience to 

 get at the throats of the hunters. The frequent report of 

 the rifles, followed with shrill cries of pain, the gaunt 

 forms standing around with heads erect lapping blood 

 from their fangs and eager for more, frightened horses 

 and blood-stained snow, all lit up with the unsteady light 

 from the camp-fire, together with the general row and 

 uproar, made a night of horror upon that mountain side 

 that is seldom seen or heard by man or savage beast. 



Ob, for a brave dog during such a night, one that would 

 not tremble, but that would take part in the watch and 

 show his teeth and snarl back. But with watching and 

 shooting and keeping up the fire the night wore away, 

 and with the first gleam in the sky the wolves became 

 restless, and as daylight came on they began to skulk 

 away singly, in pairs and in picks, and long before the 

 first rays of sunlight came streaming over the ridge the 

 last wolf had disappeared, and soon a calm had settled 

 over the place that had been made so grewsome and un- 

 canny through the darkness of night. And now the 

 6ft. 2£in. of Iowa manhood for the first time since going 

 into camp breathed easy. H i straightened up, stretched 

 out his arms, kindly called his horse by name, patted him 

 on the bafck, took a few steps, grinned and kicked the first 

 dead wolf that he came to, and with Mr. Brown com- 

 menced to drag them together. They piled up eighteen 

 wolves that they found close around the camp and that 

 did not have their skins injured by the other wolves. 

 There were a good many others that had been more or 

 less torn that they left, while many a bloody trail leading 

 into the timber told of others beyond the camp, and Mr. 

 Campbell has no doubt but that they killed thirty-five or 

 forty wolves. They could have shot many more. They 

 did not use near all their ammunition, and did not shoot 

 once for amusement, nor once think of making a record. 

 They only shot when they thought they must to drive 

 back the wolves that were moving in too close t© their 

 camp. They first skinned the wolves, then ate their 

 breakfast, rolled up the pelts and put them on their 

 horses, and had but barely left their unsightly camp be- 

 hind when they came to a game trail, which they fol- 

 lowed to the river, and soon got into camp, where the 

 rest of the party were waiting and fearful tnat the two 

 hunters had lost their lives. 



The party stayed in the mountains a week and were 

 gone from "Red Butte thirteen days. They shot seven elk, 

 a good many deer, several bighorns and two white goats. 

 In fact, both wagons were loaded with game when they 

 left the mountains. 



It is often said that wild beasts will not go near a fire. 

 That may be, but sometimes some beasts under some cir- 

 cumstances will go in pretty close. There was danger 

 around that camp that night. A few careless steps and 

 they would have been dragged down. 



In answer to a question Mr. Campbell said, "No, I will 

 not say that the horses backed up to the fire so close as 

 to scorch their tails, but I will say that at times my own 

 back got a mighty sight hotter than I ever want to have 

 it again." 



"Say, what would you think of a man that was situated 

 as I was and would say that he was not frightened when 

 he saw a swarm of timber wolves come rushing toward 

 him as if they would overrun him, his camp-fire and all, 

 and no way for the man to run, no tree to climb up, or 

 hole to climb down?" Mr. Campbell had had many a 

 fight with the Indians; he had been roused from sound 

 sleep in the dead of night by raiding Sioux warriors, who 

 bore down upon him, whooping and yelling and firing 

 their guns, and did not lose his nerve, but rushed out the 

 door of his tent, hatless and shoeless, and gave them bul- 

 let for bullet, until some rode away holding others on their 

 horses; but Mr. Campbell does not hesitate to say that this 

 affair with the wolves was the worst piece of bad business 

 that he ever sat up with. 



During the Rebellion Mr. Campbell enlisted as a private. 

 He was shot through the right arm, the bullet also mak- 

 ing a deep gash across his breast; again he was shot 

 through the left shoulder. A bullet cut the rim of his hat 

 so it lopped down on his neck. He was made color bearer, 

 and this with his unusual height made him a marked 

 man. During one battle thirteen bullets went through - 

 the flag he carried. 



He says he liked Mr. Brown because he was bold and 

 cool in danger, and they were together several years in 

 the West. This is the kind of stuff that faced 200 blood-, 

 thirsty wolves on that open mountain side, with nothing 

 but a camp-fire standing between them and certain death, 

 and at times there was nothing certain about keeping up 

 the fire. They began to think that they would have to 

 roast or be eaten raw. In fact, they stood "between the 

 devil and the deep sea," and if they had been made of 

 different material this story of one of the most dreadful 

 nights that a hunter ever went through would never have 

 been written. 



Mr. Campbell says that some of the wolves that drove 

 them into camp that night were buffalo wolveB; that they 

 were larger than gray wolves; that they had hunches be- 

 tween their shoulders up an which grew long hair, and 

 that they also had long hair on their breasts. 



Two years ago Mr. Campbell heard that his old friend 

 was living in Helena, Mont. , and he often wishes that they 

 were again roaming in the Western mountains. 



Modnt Tom. 



The Big Buck of Chesuncook. 



Crosby, the Bangor taxidermist, writes me that he has 

 received for mounting what he believes to be the largest 

 moose head ever seen in Maine. The animal was shot by 

 T. D. M. Cardeza, of Philadelphia, at the foot of Chesun- 

 cook Lake. The spread of the antlers is 62in., just two 

 inches more than the great moose head belonging to Hon. 

 C. B. Hazeltine, of Belfast, Me., which has previously 

 held the record. 



A 2001bs. buck deer and a large score of partridges 

 are the fruits of a trip into the Machias region made by 

 W. P. Whitman, of Campello, Mass. This gentleman re- 

 turned but a few days ago and has nothing but praise to 

 bestow on the country he has visited. Hackle. 



The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday 

 Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at the 

 i atest.by Monday and as much earlier at practicable. 



