The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-02-04
Wolf Generalship.

Two very remarkable instances of Ian
guage and combination are given by
Col. w. Campbell in his Indian Journal.
The writer is perhaps better known by
his nom de plume, The old Forest Rang
err He was at Rance Kenmore on a
hunting expedition:
witnessed this morning curious
instance of wolfish generalship that in
terested me much, and which, in nay
humble opinion, goes far to prove that
animals are endowed to certain extent
with reasoning faculties, and have means
of communicating their ideas to each
other.
"a was, as usual, scanning the horizon
with my telescope at daybreak to see if
any game was in sight. had discovered
a small herd of antelope feeding in a
field from which the crop had lately
been removed, and was about TO take
the glass from my eye for the purpose
OF accommodating the ground, when, in
a remote quarter of the field, concealed
from the antelopes by few intervening
bushes, family discerned In the gray
twilight a pack of six wolves seated on
their headquarters like dogs, and appar-
emily in deep consultation.
at appeared evident that, like my
self, they wanted venison, and had some
design upon the antelopes; and, being
anxious to witness the mode of proceed
ing adopted by these urlegged poach-
ers, | determined to watch their mo-
tons. ! accordingly disnounted, leav-
ing my horse in charge of the sowar,
and, creeping as near the scene of &C
ton as | could without being discovered,
concealed myself behind bush.
" Having apparently decided on their
plan of attack, the wolves separated, one
remaining stationary and the other five
creeping cautiously round the edge of
the field, like settlers drawing in a shy
covey of birds. In this manner they
surrounded the unsuspecting herd, one
wolf lying down at each corner of the
field, and the fifth creeping silently
toward the center of it, where he con
cealed himself in a deep furrow.
The sixth wolf, which had not yet
moved, now started from his hiding place
and made dash at the antelopes. The
graceful creatures, confident in their
matchless speed, tossed their heads as if
in disdain, and started off in a series of
flying bounds that soon left their pur-
suer far behind. But no sooner did
they approach the edge of the field than
one of the crouching wolves started up,
turned them, and chased them in a con-
trary direction, while his painting accom-
plice lay down in his place to secure
wind for a fresh burst. Again the bound.
ing herd dashed across the plain, hoping
to escape on the opposite side; but here
they were once more headed by one of
the crafty savages, which took up the
chase in his turn and coursed them till
relieved by fresh hand from an opposite
quarter. In this manner the prosecuted
animals were driven from side to side
and from corner to corner, fresh assail.
ant heading them at every turn, till they
appeared perfectly stupefied with fear,
and, crowding together like frightened
sheep, began to wheel round in diminish.
ing circles.
"All this time the wolf which lay con-
cealed in the furrow near the center of
the field had never moved, and although
the antelopes had passed and repassed
within few feet of him, and had, per-
haps, even jumped over him, his time for
action had not yet arrived. 1t now be-
came evident that the unfortunate ante
lopes must soon be tired out, when it ap-
peared probable that the surrounding
wolves would have made combined
attack and driven the terrified herd to-
ward the center of the field where the
wolf which had hitherto been lying in
reserve would have sprung up in the
midst of them and secured at least one
victim''
At this period of the proceedings the
spectator shot the nearest wolf, where
upon the other five decamped and al.
lowed the antelopes to escape.
Here we have reason and power OF
combination for mutual action that
would have done credit to human be-
ings.
The anecdote shows also that there is
much more detail in the language of ami
mails than is generally supposed Each
had its different post assigned, so that
the wolves must have possessed some
means of indicating that locality; and
each undertook to play its own part in a
scheme of no small intricacy, so that
their language must have been capable
of expressing abstract ideas.-Ercnanqe