The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-07-05
SHEEP THAT CAN FIGHT.
fhe Kind That Alaska Raises VIII
Attack and whip Wolves


While my man attended to some camp
duties. shouldered my rife and walked
up the ravine where l had shot the ami
NAL which the wolves had stopped to de.
YOUR. On arriving there a strange sight
met the eye. The fresh bones of at least
half dozen animals were scattered all
around. and the earth was torn up as IL q
desperate struggle had taken place.
Every particle of meat was devoured and
only occasionally tuft of hair was scat
tered on the blood stained ground.
examined the hair carefully and
found that some of it was that of vol
VERNE, and it was this animal that had
been crouching on the rock when shot.
l followed up the track of the wolves,
and, as near as l could count in the wet
sand, there must have been eight or ten
still left. l kept eyes and ears open, ex-
pecting every moment to see some Of the
sinking creatures, for l did not think
they would go very far from where they
had had such ravenous feast. They
took to the lodges, and 1 now thought
they must have gone back the way they
had come, and accordingly climbed up
that side OF the rayine. / was quite tired
when l got to the top and sat down on
a large bowlder to examine the surround.
ing country.
could not see living creature in any
direction. l sat there for about half an
hour and was contemplating a return tc
camp when heard on the opposite side
of the canyon a number of sharp, quick
banks or yelps. looked in the direction
of the sound, but could not see thing
Presently discovered two sheep coming
down the mountain, and about ten yards
behind them five wolves. The pursuers
seemed to be gaining on their prey when
they reached the cliffs; but the sheer
plunged down, down, until they reached
wide shelf, and here Immediately they
turned around, and with heads to the
enemy waited the onslaught. The wolves
came on, barking at every bound and
springing from ledge to ledge.
The sheep stood perfectly motionless
The foremost wolf gained the shelf
Quick as a flash the sheep struck him
and hurled him off the cliff down to the
depths below. The other four came dash
ing on. AS they stepped on the fatal
ledge each one was sent laundering down
in the same way. l was spellbound for
few minutes. I would have given al
most anything l possessed for a picture
Ol the SCeue. Iuc Succp Wdlheu AciouiCiy
to the edge of the precipice and looked
over, then gazed around on every side
and leisurely walked back and lay down
| could easily have killed both of these
sheep, but 1 felt so proud of them that
would almost have sent shot at any
man who would modest them.
am told on good authority that a
large ram viii defend the whole fiock
against any living animal that would
give battle on their own grounds. could
not believe this until saw what have
described. But now I am convinced that
harmless looking sheep can make as
fierce a fight as any animal ever saw
when called ON to defend his own rights
and so quick and effective are his b.-ws
that nothing can withstand lin.
walked down the ravine to where the
wolves had been thrown over, and saw
the mangled forms of three of them al
the bottom. The other two had caught
on the lower ledge and were also shatter'
ed to pieces on the sharp rocks.-Foresi
and Stream