The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1876-09-01

MAD WOLF.
4 True Story Of q Trapper's
Fate.
BY CAyLIEIs.

HYdroph0bIa, though fortunately q DIS
ease Of rare occurrence in man, is one Of
the most recondite and least understood in
the whole range Of feshly ills. 1t is, IN
deed, given up by medical authorities as
utterly incurablo after the symptoms once
set in, the only remedies being Of pre-
ventiye and not Of q curative character
The wolf, the dog, the fox, the jackal aud
the cat seem most liable to contract The I
disease, though it occasionally occurs in
other animals, its appearance, according TO
Eckel, being most frequent III the months
Of February and May, though popular be /
lief has laid hold upon the latter heats q
summer, or the dog days, as the season IN
which this horrible malady is most to be
apnrebended. ITS origin, when deHoro, is
little understood; but intense thirst, sud
den changes from heat to cold, bad food,
md unsatisfed sexual desires have all been
assigned as causes for its appearance IN
animals; but in man it is invariably and
in animals most commonly, the result oil
contagion. When contracted by man Il
is usually from the bites Of rabid dogs, but
fortunately such wounds in most cases heal
without any serious consequences, but one
person in twenty or thirty bitten, according
to Hunter and Vaughn, taking the disease.
The bites inflicted BY mad wolves are more
certainly fatal, Watson mentioning sixty
seven daatls b hydropholia out of one
huadred aud fourteen bites. The great F5r-
ulence Of wolf bites is accounted for BY
wolves usually biting at tie naked parts,
whereas dogs nearly always bite through
the clothing, the poisonous saliva thus be
ing wiped from tto teeth before they enter
the flesh.
But I set to tell story not to write a
medical essay, though 50 much On subject
illustrated by my story seemed not irap-
propriate by way of introduction,
Among the tales with which in the hey
dav Of tile American fur trade the story
telling trappers were wont TO beguife the
evening hours BY their camp-dres, were
those of wolves having gone mad upon the
prairie, crept by night into the camp ofthe
sleeping trapper, and inflicted bites from
which the victim, after lingering through
days of suffering, died II terrible agony
Many such stories were current n the old
On time, and not even an Indian alarm
could rouse the sleeping trapPer 50 quick
" from his slumbers, and cause him tc
clutch with such ferceness the ever ready
rife, as the cry, rcsounding through tht
camp in the stiffness Of the night: Mac
wolf! mad wolff"
About the first Of August, 1892, the riv
al camps of the several fur companies ther
contending for the supremacy in the west
we're clustered near each other IN the val
ley of the Green River. One night mac
wolf entered the camp Of Fontenelle, Wh'
represented the interest Of the American
Fur Company, aud passing rapidly b. IL
recumbent and sleeping men, proceeds
among the horses, several of which u bl
and escaped III the darkness. The alarr
was spread through all the camps, and th
following day a number oftents were eree
ed by the more prudent men for their be-
= ter protection should the wolf return /
the camp Of Fitzpatrick and Campbell, fly
miles distant from that of Fontenelle, br
one tent was pitched, the occupants 9
night barricading tile entrance with pael
saddles but as the nights were pleasar
the remainder Of the men preferred to tax
their chances IN the open If, laughing ;
and joking their more prudent companion
not little for the precautions they ha
taken. Night came, and silence fell npo
the camp, only broken At intervals of twel
ty minutes, when Tie chief of the guar
sounded the cry Of" AIS well z which VI
taken up and repeated successfully by i
drowsy sentiuels, who, forbidden by Il
rules ef the camp to pace their beats le
they should be made target for the feat
cred shafts Of unseen foes, could scarce
heep awake in the recumbent or sittii
postures they we're required to maintain
some dark nook on the verge of the cam
But presently shaggy form steals ps
the nodding sentinels, and reaches ind
covered The centre of The camp. 4 Z
proaehcs the sleeping form Of Geor
Howe, who, wrapped in his blanket q
resting On his left side, leaves quite mp
teeted his right ear and cheek. Snappi
at the exposed face, the shaggy iisac
lntiets severe wound, roasing Ao
rneely from His slumbers, with the cry