The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
THE DEVlL-WOLFS LITTER.

Seven Tawny Beasts That United the Cum


ming of Their Mother with the IntGlii-
| Rence of Their Father-VRin Attempts
to Destroy Them Until Finally Their
| Fondness for Milk Caused Their Death.
| 1T was in 1879. the year after my coming to
| Colorado. while was learning the sheep bus-
| ness at the Rush Creek Ranch. that | first
| heard Of the devil-wolfs litter" said L. q.
| Austey. who was for some years ranchman in
| Colorado and Utah. Il was riding In the dusk
| OF the evening from the home ranch to sheep
camp when my horse prcked UP his ears and
| quickened his pace OF his own eceord. Noticing
that he was uneasy. looked about to find out
what had alarmed him. and saw what took
| to be large yellow dog skulkinR along after
me about hundred yards In the rear. Think
ing that he had strayed from soute camp or
wagon outfit I whistled to him. At this he
! stopped. cooked his ears and stood gazing at
me. but would come no nearer. Then. as l
rode on. be followed me as before. keeping at
tho same distance away, until l was within
sight OF the light in the sheep camp. when he
vanished in the darkness. Twice halted and
tried to call the animal to me. but each time he
stopped and waited until / started on. At
these times. sitting his launches. the
creature looked much like wolf
that / should have taken him for one
had It not been for his color and the fact OF his
following me in tho way he did 1t was not to
I be wondered at that lost dog should be shy
OF a stranger, but what | could not understand
was the fear shown by my horse. who would
have bolted away from the creature II | had
given him free rein. At tho sheep camp whore
/ stopped for supper. spoke OF the strange
dog that had followed me- The two shepherds.
who were new in the country. had no light to
throw on the subject. but Cray, an old hunter.
who was staying that night at the camp, asked:
WAS it big wolHsh lookin' critter with a
shaggy yellow coat
:" said that II was
go 1t kept Just 80 near wouldn't go away or
come any closer--ust tagged on behind. keepin'
you in vowY Cray continued.
That's right | answered. You've de-
scribcd the boast to n dot. Now whose dog
is itY
1T isn't dog and it isn't wolf It's a
'twxt and between the two. and wuss than
either. the hunter said. IT'S no good news
for sheep owners that tho devi-wo!f's litter
has struck into these parts again
"After so much said l. of course. had to have
the whole story of the devil-wof and her prog
eny. and Cray who had hunted the country in
buffalo days. had plenty to tell. This wolf was
notorious sheep killer, and had haunted the
ranches between Rush Creek and the Republi-
can River for years. and as she drew other
wolves after her and brought forth litter Of
hungry whelps yearly. she had laid heavy
tax on tho sheep ranchmen. No hunter
could get within rifle range Of her. and
she would have no dealings with traps or
poisoned BATS so her career among her
enemies had been n long one. The name
ri derhonio-thc demon-which the Mexican
shepherds gave her. became in the mouths OF
the American ranchmen the devll-wof.' and
the beasts cunning and holiness justified the
title The story OF theldevil- VOLTS family began
with the disappearance of valuable collie
dog from sheep camp on the creek about
three years before my coming to the ranch.
The collie. one OF the highly priced lemon
colored yarew tin in the pairing time ;-o OF
the camp one night. and his romance
had ended in tragedy-nt least it was so sup
after this cowb boy, ridi ing the range. reported
that he had seen the dcvil wolf playing with
every one OF the whers was yellow He was
chafled and laughed at by his hearers, but he
truth was Confirmed hy others who saw the
same Oddly tinted wolf family.
1t was not long before the ranchmen along
! Rush Geek began to get IN pleasant reminders
Of the presence Of tho devil-wolfS litter. These
! Jog-woives Developed great npretIte for nut
/ they showed iiercencss and cunning exceed
ing these traits in their mother. Instead OF
merIIrrs o' a wolf litter commonly do on gain
| ing their growth, they stayed together and tn"
! mother remained with them for two wears at
| least when She disappeared Tor good no one
ever knew when or how. She had taught them
! her trirks. and with the superior saEarlty de-
| riv"d from the collie strain they improved on
~ T. to the time Of the appearance of the
! dog wolves the Colorado shcepmrn had SUI
! fcrrd but little DAMAGE from wild animals
/ Wolv"- particulnry had given tn" sh"Hhg%rds'
/ were afraid to leap. IN" drviI-wolfs litter
! ambush, wound invai" the rorrais and the very
! camps themselves when they could safely
! do 80. Those who had seen Thorn work
said that they Away rrconnoirreh the ground
before making l"ray, and that nnH
the "T @thd n@"V snugntcrci SHEEP Towar
| domestic dogs they had peculiar malice.
ognds int T" ,E"v n| %sr hnW GGy Td
| hunters, and then turning they tore them to
! pieces. 1t was II favoritc trick with them To
| come near the ranches OF moonlight night to
| cnticc til" sheFhrrds' dogs from the camps.
Romrng. they would draw the, shecpdog from
he would Join their gamhols. by degrees ,hev;
would lead him further away. aud q last. when
the luckless stranger and tear him in pieces.
There were certain ways in which these
! tied from the collie One was the instinct that
drew them toward the neighb34rhoood of hu-
m the widest w Owe there II" was S aT U
| Tor them in man that led them To follow the
traveller at a safe distance away. such as had
the co"nH l "E Rfs Snt e
was shy dqg that. was railing their
| performance Of irving 10 cultivate his ac-
| Quaintance. One OF these dog wolves would
! sometimes attach himself to shepherd On the
! range for an entire day. following tho wander
! inGs OF the sheep and watching the process Of
! herdng with great interest. The superstitious
oBes among the shepherds. the Meyirans and
! old country men In particular, dis liked these
| visits from dog wolves exceedingly looking
| on them as meaning some misfortune to
| themselves. This idea WINS streng hened by
| what happened in the case nf "a shepherd on a
ranch fifty miles south Of the Republican
| River. He was raw Scandinavian lad. new
| to the business Of herding. and he dish ppeared
! one day after taking his flock out on th.' range
| in the morn ne. a search was made for him
delirons on the prairie, nearly dend from thirst
hp exns zee S Iha Sre ry S 0
what he took to be q yellow dog that np-
| preached him on the plain he had lost sight If
! bis sheep and had become lost himself. Bv
what he said it was inferred that the creature
| had been his companies for the rSt day at
| least and il was not doubted among the rauch-
men that III" visitor that 50 nearly caused his
! death WAS one Of the deViI-wOf'S litter
/ " In another case the dog wolves showed A