The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-08-25
A MEXICAN woLF-HuNT.

A MEXICAN WoLF-HUNT.
Description Of ono Witnessed il. the Up
lands of Chihuahua.
Mexico and our Southern border States
still harbor three species OF the genus
lupus: The black wolf, the coyote or pralr1e
wolf, and the gray wolf (carats occsdentaas)--
the last the most misch1evous, ana WIN
single exception Of the grizzly pear, the
boldest predatory quadruped OF the North
American continent, writes Felix D. Os-
valid in the New York Mah and Cypress.
Wolves, surprised in the act Of disombowel~
ing dead horse, have been known to at
tack q meddlcsome dog and tear hl1n umo
from limb. and then, as il encouraged by
their SUCCESS, make q headlong charge upon
a mounted hunter and, in spite OF repeated
pistol Shots pursue him for distance OF
several miles.
A "hue and cry" is phrase often APP
piled to the petty stop-thief sensations OF
our modern cities, but ho that would Know
the original significance OF the term should
see tho effects Of q wolf-alarm IN the up
lands of Chihuahua. The restless vigilance
of the mounted herders has gradually
driven the wolf population to the fastness
of the alturas, or rugged highlands, where
caverns and thickets Of myrtle and CEDAR
shrubs offer then vantage ground. III
stress Of famine, however, the fierce high
landers now and then sally in force and, by
avoiding all beaten roads, occasionally sue
coed in raiding tho pastures Of lonely
rancho and effecting their retreat to tho
summit regions of the Sierras.
The experienced leaders Of such expedi-
tons are not apt to tarry'on scene Of car
mage, well knowing that the shelter OF
night alone can revert retrlbutlon 1t his re-
treat should be interrupted. At the first
sound Of the tr0mpada, Or alarming trum-
pet, the farmer leaves his plow and thu
miner his pan. dogs are unclaimed, horses
saddled in wild haste, and, five minutes
later, dustclouds sweeping across the vega
as If on the wings of the storm, announce
the arrival of rescning parties from far and
near. There is no time to be lost: The
baffisd marauders are flying for the Sierra,
and by an unsparing use Of spur and whip
may be overtaken, headed Oft, perhaps, and
possibly caught in the coils Of ~ rodes or
circle hunt--a sport the wild hunters would
not exchange for the spectacle Of the finest
bull fight in Spanish America Forward,
hounds and racers ahead through bush and
bramble, guided by the bngle signal OF the
vanguard the direct pursuit Or
taking advantage Of Decline trail to gain
the uQlaQQS alCdU VI lug etAiA al1l ~
their fight by a flank charge.
The wolves keep well together, fully
aware that stragglers will be instantly
cornered; another mile and the thickets are
gained: but left and right the hillsides al
ready clatter under the hoofs OF gsloping
horses, the fatal tgompada rings out its sig
nal blasts mingled with even louder cheers,
and the running fight with legion OF vel3-
ing ours presently becomes general lneleas
,,lle QalgoS. the fierce bloodhoun0s Of the Dor
ier-ranchos, have forged ahead, and cheered
by the yells Of the hunters at once rush
, into the thick of the flying outlaws For a.
moment the terrible snap bites of the ma
raudars prevail; the aggressors recoil, but
the victory has been purchased at the price
of g. perilous delay; the racers have passed
the foothills, and horn signals already blare
from the gates of the mountain passes; the
remaining hopes Of escape are measured by
minutes. The gdlgos again rush sin; but in
the midst Of the confusion a veteran wolf is
seen standing firm, scanning the rocks
ahead with the eof an expert campaigner.
evidently resolved to keep his wits ready
aud utilize every possible chance of saliva
ton.
But that chance is soon reduced 10 q prob
lem of battle-tactics. The confusion Of the
second charge has involved the loss Of aia
additional minute, and that minute has de-
cided the fortune of the day Reinforce
ments Of bloodhounds charge howling up
the glen, whirl Of galloping boots sends
down shower of pebbles from the flank Of
a lateral ridge, and q new detachment Of
hunters storms ahead to complete tho block
ade of the G1tusus.
Every ga1go Of the uplands will soon be On
tho ground, even if his owner should have
to recall him from the view halo chase of a
deer hunt. Near the little mining hamlet
Of San Rafael once visited the camp of g
railway Surveyor, when the echc of q
t1-onpada sent our Mexicans q flying IN all
directions, and q few minutes after the first
beyy OF hunters d strange team came tll1n-
dering down the road-a horse, two mules
and q two-wheeled cart containing q
hunter and grizzly old gu7go. The dog
was still sore from the scars of recent
prize fight, and had one Of his legs baoa-
aged; but rather than incur the odium q
Sinking the rally, his owner had decided 10
fetch him out in CART and in spite Of bis
wounds the old fighter stood bolt upright.
answering the cheers OF the villagers with
deep-mouthed bark.
A dozen such champions can be warrant
ed to save the expense Of gunpowder, even
in a wolf-hunt. In the first heat of the pur-
suit, and when tho plurality of his allies are
still far behind, they often outstnp the
horses and strain every nerve to accom-
plish the main purpose of interrupting tho
fugitives, but in q pitched battle they can
appreciate the advantage of cooperative
tactics. Two and two, or in larger packs,
they keep close together, and while the
mounted hunters charge in with clubs of
blackberry wood, their canine allies pick off
blocl1ade-runners till the reduction of the
hostile force warrants signal for general
assault. That signal tests the power Of the
leaders, for the wolves now close their
ranks, and the valor of their veterans seems
to increase with the hopelessness Of their
plight, and even the last SURVIVORS perishin
selling their lives as dearly as possible Drip
ping with blood and the foam of their say
age snap-bites, they stand bristling at bay,
grin1ly determined toresist their aggressors
to the very last.
she-wolves, however, somewhat lack that
stoicism, and in view OF inevitable death are
apt to lift their heads and wake the echoes
Of the a1turas with wierd farewell howl,
addressed, perhaps, to the memory Of their