hunting the grisly and other sketches-第26章

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with　a　growth　of　ash　and　dwarf　elm　and　cedar；　thorny　underbrush
choking　the　spaces　between。　Posting　the　cowboy；　to　whom　he　gave　his
rifle；　with　two　greyhounds　on　one　side　of　the　upper　end；　and　old　man
Prindle　with　two　others　on　the　opposite　side；　while　I　was　left　at　the
lower　end　to　guard　against　the　possibility　of　the　wolves　breaking
back；　the　Judge　himself　rode　into　the　thicket　near　me　and　loosened　the
track…hounds　to　let　them　find　the　wolves'　trail。　The　big　dogs　also
were　uncoupled　and　allowed　to　go　in　with　the　hounds。　Their　power　of
scent　was　very　poor；　but　they　were　sure　to　be　guided　aright　by　the
baying　of　the　hounds；　and　their　presence　would　give　confidence　to　the
latter　and　make　them　ready　to　rout　the　wolves　out　of　the　thicket；
which　they　would　probably　have　shrunk　from　doing　alone。　There　was　a
moment's　pause　of　expectation　after　the　Judge　entered　the　thicket　with
his　hounds。　We　sat　motionless　on　our　horses；　eagerly　looking　through
the　keen　fresh　morning　air。　Then　a　clamorous　baying　from　the　thicket
in　which　both　the　horseman　and　dogs　had　disappeared　showed　that　the
hounds　had　struck　the　trail　of　their　quarry　and　were　running　on　a　hot
scent。　For　a　couple　of　minutes　we　could　not　be　quite　certain　which　way
the　game　was　going　to　break。　The　hounds　ran　zigzag　through　the　brush；
as　we　could　tell　by　their　baying；　and　once　some　yelping　and　a　great
row　showed　that　they　had　come　rather　closer　than　they　had　expected
upon　at　least　one　of　the　wolves。

In　another　minute；　however；　the　latter　found　it　too　hot　for　them　and
bolted　from　the　thicket。　My　first　notice　of　this　was　seeing　the
cowboy；　who　was　standing　by　the　side　of　his　horse；　suddenly　throw　up
his　rifle　and　fire；　while　the　greyhounds　who　had　been　springing　high
in　the　air；　half　maddened　by　the　clamor　in　the　thicket　below；　for　a
moment　dashed　off　the　wrong　way；　confused　by　the　report　of　the　gun。　I
rode　for　all　I　was　worth　to　where　the　cowboy　stood；　and　instantly
caught　a　glimpse　of　two　wolves；　grizzled…gray　and　brown；　which　having
been　turned　by　his　shot　had　started　straight　over　the　hill　across　the
plain　toward　the　mountains　three　miles　away。　As　soon　as　I　saw　them　I
saw　also　that　the　rearmost　of　the　couple　had　been　hit　somewhere　in　the
body　and　was　lagging　behind；　the　blood　running　from　its　flanks；　while
the　two　greyhounds　were　racing　after　it；　and　at　the　same　moment　the
track…hounds　and　the　big　dogs　burst　out　of　the　thicket；　yelling
savagely　as　they　struck　the　bloody　trail。　The　wolf　was　hard　hit；　and
staggered　as　he　ran。　He　did　not　have　a　hundred　yards'　start　of　the
dogs；　and　in　less　than　a　minute　one　of　the　greyhounds　ranged　up　and
passed　him　with　a　savage　snap　that　brought　him　too；　and　before　he
could　recover　the　whole　pack　rushed　at　him。　Weakened　as　he　was　he
could　make　no　effective　fight　against　so　many　foes；　and　indeed　had　a
chance　for　but　one　or　two　rapid　snaps　before　he　was　thrown　down　and
completely　covered　by　the　bodies　of　his　enemies。　Yet　with　one　of　these
snaps　he　did　damage；　as　a　shrill　yell　told；　and　in　a　second　an　over…
rash　track…hound　came　out　of　the　struggle　with　a　deep　gash　across　his
shoulders。　The　worrying；　growling；　and　snarling　were　terrific；　but　in
a　minute　the　heaving　mass　grew　motionless　and　the　dogs　drew　off；　save
one　or　two　that　still　continued　to　worry　the　dead　wolf　as　it　lay　stark
and　stiff　with　glazed　eyes　and　rumpled　fur。

No　sooner　were　we　satisfied　that　it　was　dead　than　the　Judge；　with
cheers　and　oaths　and　crackings　of　his　whip；　urged　the　dogs　after　the
other　wolf。　The　two　greyhounds　that　had　been　with　old　man　Prindle　had
fortunately　not　been　able　to　see　the　wolves　when　they　first　broke　from
the　cover；　and　never　saw　the　wounded　wolf　at　all；　starting　off　at　full
speed　after　the　unwounded　one　the　instant　he　topped　the　crest　of　the
hill。　He　had　taken　advantage　of　a　slight　hollow　and　turned；　and　now
the　chase　was　crossing　us　half　a　mile　away。　With　whip　and　spur　we　flew
towards　them；　our　two　greyhounds　stretching　out　in　front　and　leaving
us　as　if　we　were　standing　still；　the　track…hounds　and　big　dogs　running
after　them　just　ahead　of　the　horses。　Fortunately　the　wolf　plunged　for
a　moment　into　a　little　brushy　hollow　and　again　doubled　back；　and　this
gave　us　a　chance　to　see　the　end　of　the　chase　from　nearby。　The　two
greyhounds　which　had　first　taken　up　the　pursuit　were　then　but　a　short
distance　behind。　Nearer　they　crept　until　they　were　within　ten　yards；
and　then　with　a　tremendous　race　the　little　bitch　ran　past　him　and
inflicted　a　vicious　bite　in　the　big　beast's　ham。　He　whirled　around
like　a　top　and　his　jaws　clashed　like　those　of　a　sprung　bear…trap；　but
quick　though　he　was　she　was　quicker　and　just　cleared　his　savage　rush。
In　another　moment　he　resumed　his　flight　at　full　speed；　a　speed　which
only　that　of　the　greyhounds　exceeded；　but　almost　immediately　the
second　greyhound　ranged　alongside；　and　though　he　was　not　able　to　bite；
because　the　wolf　kept　running　with　its　head　turned　around　threatening
him；　yet　by　his　feints　he　delayed　the　beast's　flight　so　that　in　a
moment　or　two　the　remaining　couple　of　swift　hounds　arrived　on　the
scene。　For　a　moment　the　wolf　and　all　four　dogs　galloped　along　in　a
bunch；　then　one　of　the　greyhounds；　watching　his　chance；　pinned　the
beast　cleverly　by　the　hock　and　threw　him　completely　over。　The　others
jumped　on　it　in　an　instant；　but　rising　by　main　strength　the　wolf　shook
himself　free；　catching　one　dog　by　the　ear　and　tearing　it　half　off。
Then　he　sat　down　on　his　haunches　and　the　greyhounds　ranged　themselves
around　him　some　twenty　yards　off；　forming　a　ring　which　forbade　his
retreat；　though　they　themselves　did　not　dare　touch　him。　However　the
end　was　at　hand。　In　another　moment　Old　Abe　and　General　Grant　came
running　up　at　headlong　speed　and　smashed　into　the　wolf　like　a　couple
of　battering…rams。　He　rose　on　his　hind…legs　like　a　wrestler　as　they
came　at　him；　the　greyhounds　also　rising　and　bouncing　up　and　down　like
rubber　balls。　I　could　just　see　the　wolf　and　the　first　big　dog　locked
together；　as　the　second　one　made　good　his　throat…hold。　In　another
moment　over　all　three　tumbled；　while　the　greyhounds　and　one　or　two　of
the　track…hounds　jumped　in　to　take　part　in　the　killing。　The　big　dogs
more　than　occupied　the　wolf's　attention　and　took　all　the　punishing；
while　in　a　trice　one　of　the　greyhounds；　having　seized　him　by　the　hind…
leg；　stretched　him　out；　and　the　others　were　biting　his　undefended
belly。　The　snarling　and　yelling　of　the　worry　made　a　noise　so　fiendish
that　it　was　fairly　bloodcurdling；　then　it　gradually　died　down；　and　the
second　wolf　lay　limp　on　the　plains；　killed　by　the　dogs；　unassisted。
This　wolf　was　rather　heavier　and　decidedly　taller　than　either　of　the
big　dogs；　with　more　sinewy　feet　and　longer　fangs。

I　have　several　times　seen　wolves　run　down　and　stopped　by　greyhounds
after　a　break…neck　gallop　and　a　wildly　exciting　finish；　but　this　was
the　only　occasion　on　which　I　ever　saw　the　dogs　kill　a　big；　full…grown
he…wolf　unaided。　Nevertheless　various　friends　of　mine　own　packs　that
have　performed　the　feat　again　and　again。　One　pack；　formerly　kept　at
Fort　Benton；　until　wolves　in　that　neighborhood　became　scarce；　had
nearly　seventy…five　to　its　credit；　most　of　them　killed　without　any
assistance　from　the　hunter；　killed　moreover　by　the　greyhounds　alone；
there　being　no　other　dogs　with　the　pack。　These　greyhounds　were　trained
to　the　throat…hold；　and　did　their　own　killing　in　fine　style；　usually
six　or　eight　were　slipped　together。　General　Miles　informs　me　that　he
once　had　great　fun　in　the　Indian　Territory　hunting　wolves　with　a　pack
of　greyhounds。　They　had　with　the　pack　a　large　stub…tailed　mongrel；　of
doubtful　ancestry　but　most　undoubted　fighting　capacity。　When　the　wolf
was　started　the　greyhounds　were　sure　to　overtake　it　in　a　mile　or　two；
they　would　then　bring　it　to　a　halt　and　stand　around　it　in　a　ring　until
the　fighting　dog　came　up。　The　latter　promptly　tumbled　on　the　wolf；
grabbing　him　anywhere；　and　often　getting　a　terrific　wound　himself　at
the　same　time。　As　soon　as　he　had　seized　the　wolf　and　was　rolling　over
with　him　in　the　grapple　the　other　dogs　joined　in　the　fray　and
dispatched　the　quarry　without　much　danger　to　themselves。

During　the　last　decade　many　ranchmen　in　Colorado；　Wyoming；　and
Montana；　have　developed　packs　of　greyhounds　able　to　kill　a　wolf
unassisted。　Greyhounds　trained　for　this　purpose　always　seize　by　the
throat；　and　the　light　dogs　used　for　coursing　jack…rabbits　are　not　of
much　service；　smooth　or　rough…haired　greyhounds　and　deer…hounds
standing　over　thirty　inches　at　the　shoulder　and　weighing　over　ninety
pounds　being　the　only　ones　that；　together　with　speed；　courage；　and
endurance；　possess　the　requisite　power。

One　of　the　most　famous　packs　in　the　West　was　that　of　the　Sun　River
Round　Club；　in　Montana；　started　by　the　stockmen　of　Sun　River　to　get
rid　of　the　curse　of　wolves　which　infested　the　neighborhood　and　worked
very　serious　damage　to　the　herds　and　flocks。　The　pack　was　composed　of
both　greyhounds　and　deer…hounds；　the　best　being　from　the　kennels　of
Colonel　Williams　and　of　Mr。　Van　Hummel；　of　Denver；　they　were　handled
by　an　old　plainsman　and　veteran　wolf…hunter　named　Porter。　In　the
season　of　'86　the　astonishing　number　of　146　wolves　were　killed　with
these　dogs。　Ordinarily；　as　soon　as　the　dogs　seized　a　wolf；　and　threw
or　held　it；　Porter　rushed　in　and　stabbed　it　with　his　hunting…knife；
one　day；　when　out　with　six　hounds；　he　thus　killed　no　less　than　twelve
out　of　the　fifteen　wolves　started；　though　one　of　the　greyhounds　was
killed；　and　all　the　others　were　cut　and　exhausted。　But　often　the
wolves　were　killed　without　his　aid。　The　first　time　the　two　biggest
houndsdeer…hounds　or　wire…haired　greyhoundswere　tried；　when　they
had　been　at　the　ranch　only　three　days；　they　performed　such　a　feat。　A
large　wolf　had　killed　and　partially　eaten　a　sheep　in　a　corral　close　to
the　ranch　house；　and　Porter　started　on　the　trail；　and　followed　him　at
a　jog…trot　nearly　ten　miles　before　the　hounds　sighted　him。　Running　but
a　few　rods；　he　turned　viciously　to　bay；　and　the　two　great　greyhounds
struck　him　like　stones　hurled　from　a　catapult；　throwing　him　as　they
fastened　on　his　throat；　they　held　him　down　and　strangled　him　before　he
could　rise；　two　other　hounds　getting　up　just　in　time　to　help　at　the
end　of　the　worry。

Ordinarily；　however；　no　two　greyhounds　or　deer…hounds　are　a　match　for
a　gray　wolf；　but　I　have　known　of　several　instances　in　Colorado；
Wyoming；　and　Montana；　in　which　three　strong　veterans　have　killed　one。
The　feat　can　only　be　performed　by　big　dogs　of　the　highest　courage；　who
all　act　together；　rush　in　at　top　speed；　and　seize　by　the　throat；　for
the　strength　of　the　quarry　is　such　that　otherwise　he　will　shake　off
the　dogs；　and　then　speedily　kill　them　by　rabid　snaps　with　his　terribly
armed　jaws。　Where　possible；　half　a　dozen　dogs　should　be　slipped　at
once；　to　minimize　the　risk　of　injury　to　the　pack；　unless　this　is　done；
and　unless　the　hunter　helps　the　dogs　in　the　worry；　accidents　will　be
frequent；　and　an　occasional　wolf　will　be　found　able　to　beat　off；
maiming　or　killing；　a　lesser　number　of　assailants。　Some　hunters　prefer
the　smooth　greyhound；　because　of　its　great　speed；　and　others　the　wire…
coated　animal；　the　rough　deer…hound；　because　of　its