The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-24
WHERE WoLFsKIYs COME FROM.
Cruel Methods by Winch the Indians Secure
Pelts for Cheap Rugs.

Where do you suppose these wolfskins
come from that make such pretty gray rugs,
which only cost about three dollars apiece,
although the fur is so handsome?" said Pro-
fessor Otis T. Mason the other day. so
many people would not buy them If they
knew. / fancy They are obtained from the
animals by the Northern Indians, particular
Nv in the Hudson Bay region, and by the
EskimOs These savages possess a heDdlsh
ingenuity in their methods or capturing came,
and their way Of applying 1t for killing wolves
is sufficiently horrible 20 discourage me Win
this particular sort OF peltry.
"It is beautifully simple. They take fat
niece of flint a foot or SO long and Clipped 10
extreme sharpness at the edges. Ihis they
fasteu TO wooden stake, which they drive
into the ground firmly, so as TO leave the
blade Of flint projecting above the surface.
Then they cover the blade all over with a
good-sized hunk of fat from seal or other
such animal. which quickly freezes Now the
wolf-catching apparatus Is complete. 50 that
the person who sets the trap has only 10 come
back IN a day or two and gather IN his prey
without trouble.
The wolf has a mastering appetite Tor
blood. and it is of this weakness that the hun
ter takes advantage. A little while after the
trap described has been set along comes the
wolf He is hungry and he ticks the hunk
of frozen fat. All. it is good SO he ticks it
some more and as it thawed by the warmth
of his tongue it tastes better and better
Presently his tongue comes IN contact with
the sharp edge of the flint and is cut. He
tastes the blood. not knowing that 1t IS his
own and the favor sets him wild. Eagerly he
lcks il and Hicks it. decorating hls mouth and
becoming more and more trenZled IN his de-
sire for his own life fluid.
Meanwhile other wolves have come up,
and have begun TO lick at the fat. cutting
their own tongues. and becoming IN their
turn wild at the taste SO, presently, the bait
is surrounded by pack OF ravenous and
crazy creatures. which soon turn upon one
another. and fall 10 devOuring each other
until the merciless flint is the centre of n
struggling mass of ferocoas combatants. 1t
is like the struggle that followed the planting
of the dragons teeth of old, only that none
of those who participate live long after the
fight is over, the last survivor bleeding to
death AT his leisure the hunter appears upon
the scene. and skins the dead beasts for mar
ket. The pelts cost him nothing, save the
trouble Of removing them. and the value OF
the hunk Of fat: the stakes with the flint blade
is ready TO be set again for victims This IS
the reason why gray wolf rugs only cost
three dollars each. three skins to a rug.
But that il only one of the diabolical de-
vices employed for such purposes by these
natives. The hunter takes long strip Of
whalebone from the head Of whale he has
killed, Just such rs Is used TO stiffen cOrsets
He doubles 1t up into the shape OF the letter
Nj, and fastens it cOmpactly IN that form with
bindings Of fine sinew. This he incloses
neatly in a wad Of fat and leaves il on the Ice
TO freeze Pretty soon along comes a great
white bear. shifts at the delicate mOrsel SO
happily thrown in his way and bolts 1t with
out further consideration. The fat quickly
melts in his warm stomach, and the slnew
bindings are consumed by the action OF the
digestive fluids. SO that before long the strip
Of whalebone is released from lis bent shape
and springs ont al full length across Mr..
Bears stomach. and he dies within few
hours of lockjaw in frghtful agony. Next
day the noble pot hunter comes along ard
possesses himself OF big white robe, large
enough to cover a small room and worth se1-
eral dollars at first hand or two or three gal
Ions o. bad whisky.
Nothing better illustrates the superiority
of a mau as an animal over his competitors in
the struggle for existence than the ease with
which he is able 10 destroy by device the
biggest and most formidable OF the creatures
he encounters. There are no sayages so low
in the human scale as not TO find ready means
for capturing and killing the largest and most
dangerous beasts The time 10 not recorded
in the annals Of the world when the natives Of
the lands inhabited by the elephant and the
crocodile did not take the former with loop
set for him 10 put his foot into and the latter
with baited stick sharpened at both ends.
Unhesitatingly does the Polynesian attack
the man-eating shark in its own element. div
ing beneath it and stabbng it in the belly
with a knife. There is nothing which man is
afraid of or will not try to catch. In the
primitive traditions of most races you will
find accounts of the tricks employed by their
ancestors for sharing the sun, the moon and
the stars. "-Cincinnati Gazette.