Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-14

thc ACAhS Dull
"We pulled out from Hermosina amon-
the foothills at O'Clock in the morpipc
on clear, cold February day." said Al.
bert Bragdon, just returned from winter
ing in Colorado. 1.-THE wind blew strono
and stiff across the heavy snowfall LETT
on the ground after the blizzard storms.
The gulches were packed full of snow, and
we turned from the road time and again
to circle around some large drift. was
the only passenger, and l sat beside Hank
Benedict, the overland driver, now reduced
in these railroad days from his high seat
on the box to the tooling Of a pair of
horses over the dashboard Of blackboard
on star roatc mail line. We Were pro-
tected from cold by heavy overcoats caps
that pulled down over the ears, mutilers
about the neck and thick fur lined gloves.
An hour after noon we came to littlo
stage and frcightins station whose lead
ing feature was large saloon and small
hotel combined. Here we had a chance to
get warm and to eat dinner of fried
beef, bacon and coffee, which went not
badly in the hunger that followed our cold
mornings ride.
country more open, where drifts were tho
exception. Hank Benedict had taken u
drink or two at the stage station, and ho
was more s0ciablc than he had been dur
ing the mornings drive He talked Of old
overland experiences and then Of the snow
STERN, which led to the topic of the plague
of wolves which had come to GcNour the
ranchmcn's stock
I've been driving after dark for the last
month, said Hank. They're getting sas-
sier and sassi2r. They've crossed the trail
just in front Of me time and again, and l
expect any time u band of EN- may take
notion to hold me UP. There's one OF
the numbering brutes now And he
pointed to n gray timber wolf sneaking
along parallel to our course $50 yards
away.
" There's winchester in thc blackboard
behind you that I've taken along with me
every trip since the last snowfall. You
can try shot at him if you want to-
Il got out of the blackboard and took
the winchester rifle from the bottom where
it lay wrapped in n rubber blanket. Il
was cold and frosty to handle, but 1 was
glad of Il chance to stretch my limbs and
try what l could do at long range. AT
each of my first two shots the animal
lodged and then looked around as If won
dcring what was up. The third shot
knocked the snow about him and quick
ened his pace. 1 fired two more shots as
he ran, and the sixth time the hammer
fell on an empty barrel. There were no
more cartridges in the magazine.
There was no moro ammunition along,
and l put the rifle back with the promise
to Hank to buy him box of cartridges at
Battensborg. We would h;V, liked very
much to have the cartridges with us a
few minutes later, when, on turning the
slope Of hill, we saw y strange and thrill
ing sight. Within rifle shot to one side
seven gray wolves were attacking two
cows, one Il long horned Texan, the other
graded hcifer almost grown. The cattle
when first VIC saw them were running
away, but they were quickly overhaulcd
They turned at bay to face the wolves and
began fight which must be fought to a
finish, with their lives as the stake. The
COWS kept together, wheeling to meet the
wolves with their horns, as an attack was
threatened from one side or the other The
wolves didn't like the looks of the Texans !
horns and the alert way she handled thcm |
and they devoted their principal attention
to trying to separate the hcifcr from her |
Thcy worked in concert very cunningly - /
do this. While one or two made fcints OF !
attacking tho old COW, so as to induce her :
to chase them, the others kept about the !
hcilcr three of them drawing her attcn- |
ton in front, while two kept in her rear |
waiting for Il chance to spring at her gam
brcls and hamstringher But the wary cow
was not to be tempted SO far away that .
she could not return in time to drive away
the wolves at the hcifcr's flank before they
began their work Tho ultimate chances
of the battle seemed to be against the cat
tie, for the wolves, all the time closing in
upon them, were growing holder and at
tackled more 1iCTccly.
But there came timely diversion in
aid of the cattle. A believing from among
some pinon clumps quarter of milo
away was followed by the appearance of a
large bull which came running toward the
He was of the polled Angus
breed, and his hornless head did not seem
quite to meet the case of wolves but he
was big and full of fight. He put himself
at once in front of the cows and charged
upon the wolves, which fell
back little before him; but, fully aware
that he had no horns to toss them they
gave no more ground than they had to
and returned to close in about the group
of cattle, still trying to cut out the hcifer,
which all the time was their real object OF
attack.
$50 absorbed was I in the battle that 1
did not notice the coming of fourth com
Blatant upon the scene until heard Hanks
" All Wen see business begin nowi
There's the fellow that'll scatter EN-
" From the same direction that the bull
had come another bull was coming to tho
rescue. He was wiry animal, less mas
'ively built than tho polled Angus bull,
md his long, sharp horns, projecting well
% the front of his head, showed + Texan
origin. He wasted no time in paving or
believing, but dashed upon three Of the
wolves ranged in front of the heifer, and
before they could all get out of the way he
lad caught one with his horns and tossed
I In the air. The wolf came to the ground
lpon his back, and before it could turn ,
he bull was upon it again, thrusting his
lorns through the creatures body and
'lnning it to the earth. Then with an
'ngry toss Of the head he flung the carcass
way. That was enough for the wolves, .
VINO turned and ran as he successfully