The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-12-05

ShdIlingi SIOWHHE, anu HkntinE IN way
TO give us chills, and, had our car not
been securely fastened to the broad heavy
runners, they would have upset il in their
PUSHES The exterior had been sheathed
with sheet iron. We had objected
TO this expense, but had finally accepted
the advice Of one Of the wolf hunters.
We now realized the wisdom Of this pre-
caution. But for the sheathin9 the
wolves would have eaten their way into
the car in dozen places.
Such fierce and unexpected attack
ratified MS for few minutes, but after
bit we began firing buckshot into the pack
as fast as we could load and pull trigger.
Then it was psndemonium let loose The
howrs, yells, yelps, growls and cries re-
doubled. because every victim OF onr guns
was being devoured by his companions.
We fired thirty-four charges of sbuckshot
into The mass, killing at least double that
number Of wolves, and then the pack
hcgan to scatter, and ten minutes later
not living wolf was in sight. 1t was a
horrible looking sight around MS. Every
wolf but one had been devoured. Tufts
of fur and bloody bones were scattered
over the snow for 100 feet in every direc-
ton, and there was not foot of snow
n
wounded wolf who had escaped the fangs
of the pack, probably because their appe-
titles were satisfied for the time being.
He had been shot through the hips and
could no longer use his hind legs. He
was very large fellow, and we soon had
reason to believe that he was still danger
Gus. The beast was about fifty steps
away when we descended from the car,
and the minute he caught sight of us
great transformation took place. All the
fur along his spine stood up, his eyes
blazed like fire, and he uttered such fierce
growls that the three of us raised our
guns. The brute could drag himself over
the snow crust with his fore legs, and as
we stood looking at him he began hitch
ing himself forward TO attack us. We let
him come within five or six feet of us be-
fore knocking him over. From his actions
there was no doubt he would have boldly
attacked the three of us had he been less
desperately wounded. His scalp was the
only one we saved out of the sixty or
seventy shot
Not another wolf was seen until night
came down. Then they gathered around
MS seemingly by the thousands. Looking
out from one of the small sliding doors
one was reminded of a great drove of
sheep cantering over rough ground. Not
one of them was still for a minute, and
free fight was always in order Our house
stood six or seven feet high, but they
leaped over it back and forth as easily as
they could have cleared log. At one
time several of them engaged in fight
over our heads and we had serious fears
of the roof breaking under their weight.
When we finally opened fire honestly be-
/ y
shot. Our house was the center of Gil
Gle of leapng, bowling, fighting, growing,
| yelping beasts each one of which seemed
bent on getting nearer. 1t was bright
moonlight night, and we did not waste
shot. One could have shut his eyes and
been sure OF killing or wounding at every
/ discharge. We limited our shots to twenty
/ five each. aud fred. slowly, so as not to
| heat our guns. | believe we killed 100
wolves with the seventy-tive shots If
one was wounded enough to cause flow
of blood he was goner The unwounded
I would tear him To pieces with even more
ferocity than they displayed toward the
dead. Soon after we had ceased firing
the great bulk of the wolves retired, to be
seen or heard no more during the night.
A few who had probably failed to secure
share of the horrible feast remained in the
vicinity to growl over the bloody bones
and utter an occasional howl, and after
midnight we slept soundly. We were
atterward told by peasants living eight or
4 ten miles away that packs of wolves
passed their farms at dusk on the way to
the general rendezvous. Some of those
surrounding our house probably came
! twelve or fifteen miles, The keeper of the
hotel saw fifty or more pass his place, and
Il.
with the project on foot that they passed
within twenty feet of a stray colt without
hating to attack it.
On the second day of our stay we were
witnesses of a dreadful tragedy. 1t was
a cloudy day, with occasional snow
squalls, but no wolves came near us. At
about 2 O'Clock, while my companions
were lying down, / opened a slide to take
a look over the highway toward Toblosky.
For four miles the highway was over a
plain, and one could see every moving OBJ
ject. Then the road was lost in a pine
forest, which stretched along for a couple
OF miles. | had scarcely pulled back the
slide when an object came in view in the
road at the etge of the forest and in half
a minute | mad made out horses. A
sledge was coming our way, the first
which had passed since we took up our
station. Wehad pair Of field glasses in
the car, and lhad no sooner adjusted the
focus than l uttered shout which
brought my companions to their feet.
There were hree horses abreast, and
they were coming at a dead run, while
on both sides of the sledge / could
make out iTce wolves jumping up.
The team was powerful one and
coming very fast, and in minute
more l made out that the sledge was
surrounded by a great pack of wolves.
The driver was lashing the horses in a
frenzied way, while the smoke ana fame
! and fnint rennfs nrnVed that the Occu-