Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1889-03-20
A MEXICAN WOlF-HUNT.
Description OF One Witnessed In the Up-
lands of chihuahua.

single exception of the grizzly bear, tne
boldest predatory quadruped of the North
American con Iinent, writes Felix d. 0s-
wald III the New Yol4, liaa and Express.
Wolves, surprised in the act of disen bowel
ing dead horse, nave been known 10 at
tack mcddlesome dog and tear MIN limb
from hmD, and then, as if encouraged 10y
their success, make headlong charge upon
mounted hunter, and, IN spite OF repeated
pistol shots, pursue him for distance of
several miles.
A ''hue and cry'' is a phrase often ap-
piled to the petty stop-thief sensations of
our modern cities, but he that would know
the original significance of the term should
see the effects Sot a wolf-alarm IN the up
lanns of chihuahua. The restless vigilance
of ;tne mounred 'herders has gradually
driven the wolf population to the tastness
OF lhe alturas, or rugged highlands, where
.caverns and thlckeis OF myrtle and cecar-
shrubs offer then vantage ground. In
stress of famine, however, the fierce high
landcrs now and then sally in force, and, by
avoiding all beaten roads, occasionally sue
cees in raiding the pastures Of lonely
rancho and effecting tnoir .retreat to the
summit reglons.o the Sierras.
Theexpcrenced leaders OF such expetK-
StioAs uObld)J W larry Oh ID scene Oh car
mage, well Anowlng that the shelter of
iliSiit alone can revert rctr;hut;or If his re
treat should zoe interrupted. At the first
sound of the trOmpada, or alarming lrum-
pet, the farmer leaves his plow and the
miner hls pan, dogs are unclaimed, horses
saddled in wild haste, and, five minutes
later, dust-clouds sweeping across the vega
as Ii on the wings OF the storm, announce
the arrival of rescuing parties from far and
near. There is no time to be lost. The
oaffied nrarauders are flying for the Sierra,
and by an unsparing use of spur.and whlp
may be overtaKen beaaed off, perhaps, and
possibly caught III the COILS of II rodcs r
circle hunt-a sport the wild hunters would
not exchange for the spectacle of the finest
lpuu tight i'll Spanish America. Forward,
hounds and racers ahead through push and
pramble, guided by the bugle signal of the
vanguard Joining the direct pursuit or
taking advantage of a bee-line trail to gain
the uplanus ahead OF the fugitives, and turn
their flight Dy flank charge.
The wolves keep well together, fully
aware that straggers will be instantly
cornered; another mile and the thiclsets arc
gained; but left aud right tho hillsidcs al
ready ;clattcr under the hoofs of. guli1ping
horses, the fatal flDmpdot. rings out its sig
nal blasts mingled with even louder cheers,
and the running fight With y legion of yclp-
ing ours presently becomes Il general rclcc,
the 0uigos, the iicrao bI0oxhounds cf the bor-
der-rapchos. have forged ahead. and cheercd
by the yells OF the hunters at once rush
into the thick of the flying outlaws For
moment the terrible snap bites of the ma
rauders prevail; the aggrcssOrs recoil, but
the victory has been purchased at tho price
OF pcrrlons 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 gdigs again rush III; but in
the midst of the confusion + veteran wolf is
seen standing firm, scanning the rocks
nnead with the eye OF an expert clIl paiyucr,
evidently resolved to keep his wits ready
and utilize every possible change of saliva
ton.
But that chance is soon reduced to prob
lem Of batte-tactics. The confusion of the
second charge has involved the loss of an
additional minute, and that minute has de-
cdcd the fortune of the day Reinforce
ments of blooGhounds charge hoWing up
the glen, whirl of galloping hoofs sends
deSvn shower of pebbles from the flank Of
lateral ridge, and u new detachment OF
hunters storms ahead to complete the block
adc of the att,,Eas
Every 0diUo OF the uplands will soon beon
the ground, even if his owner should have
80 recall INN from the view halo chase of a..
deer hunt. Near the little minbg hamlet
of San Rafael | once visited the cr1p of u
railway surveyor, when the echo of IL
frompcda sent our Mexicans II flying in all
and IL few minutes after the first
bevy of hunters . strange team came tl9n-
dering down the road--a horse ( 1,,o mules
aud a tWo-Whccicd cart Contasuag a
hunter and a grizzly old GatJl. 1'.,c dog
was still sore from tho scars OF ~ receat
prize fight, and had one OF his legs band
aged; but rai her than incur the odinn Of
shirGmg he rally, his owner bad decided TO
fetch him cut III Q cart, and in spit eoi hls
wounds the old fighter stood bolt upright,
answering the cheers of The villagers with
deepnouthed bark.
y dozen such champions can be warrant
cd to save the expense OF Pnnpowtlcr, even
ii Il Wolf=hunt. Ia the first heat OF the pur-
suit, and when the plurality of his allies are
still far behind, they oftcn outstrlp the
horses and strain every nerve to accom-
plish the main purpose OF interrupting the
fugitives, but in u pitched battle they can
the advantage OF cooperative
tactics. Two and two, or in larger packs,
they keep close together, and while the
mouilted hunters charge in with clubs of
hack5erry wood, their canine allies pick off
tai the reduction OF the
hostile lorcc warrants asignal lor a general
assault Thnt 81 igral tests'thc r,owe1. of the
leaders. for the wolves noW close their
ranks, and the valer CT theirveteraps seems
to increase with the hopclessncss Of their
piirht and eYcn the last survlvors t,erish in