The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-11-27
Observation-Disclosures
VIBRATIONS OF THE GREAT HERDS
OF NEWFOUNDLAND.

The Animals Are strong and Gallant
Swimmers and Take the Water
Like Wild Fowl - Their Leaps
When Chased by the Gray Wolf.
The great caribou herds of New
foundland migrate semiannually, and
no one but an actual witness of these
vibrations can form an adequate con
cepton of the marvellous number of
deer which the island contains.
1t is estimated that the number which
crossed the Exploits river at one point
during ten days in the autumn of last
year exceeded 1000. This crossing
ground is only one of scores of similar
trails
Somewhere about the middle of Sep
TENDER the migratory tide sets south
ward. the kinds. with faWns. FORMING
the vanguard of the long procession.
The lazy stays hang in the rear until
some storm more severe than ordinary
gives an unmistallable earnest OF the
approach Of winter.
Then all alike hurry toward the shell
tered districts in the south. taking Il
straight course over boWldcr streWn
mountain heights through tangled and
obdurate MASSES of timber, across
mountain torrents and immense lakes.
During winters of unusual severity
the animals often draw quite near t.
the settlements on the south coast.
Whereupon the settlers. armed with
fearsome firearms, such as SealcrS USE.
some fifty years ago stral@htWay pro-
coed to dccmatc the herds with vol
leys of buclshot. The price Of caribog
venison at such timcS in the city Of st.
Johns has been known 10 drop to :
cents pound,
The foes of the caribou other than
man are not numerous. Although the
big gray wolf is still reported on the
northern plains in considerable mum
bers, it is now seldom encountered il
the interior Having formerly existed
in large packs it is supposed that
migration must have occurred across
the winter ice foes of the Belle Isle
strait to the coast Of Labrador.
Even such Il rcdoubtable beast of
prey as the gray wolf could at ~ time
make certain of Il successful foray up
on an animal endowed with SHch great
speed and endurance "a we'll crown
caribou. \ trustworthy old NcWfound-
land trapper says that he once witness
ed an exciting chase by wolves Of
couple of prickets, or two-year-old car
ibou stays.
Both sides doubtless We're going at
their utmost pace. lie measured the
bounds of the caribou and found them
eighteen feet, while the wolves only
cleared fourteen feet, 50 that the carl
bou easily gained on them when close
pressed.
So much ahead we're the caribou at
times that they rolled over on their
backs in the snow to cool their painting
and heaving sides and seemed to gath
err new strength and rcfreshmcnt from
the act
Another enemy Of the caribou fawns
has of late years quietly replaced the
wolf. the stcalthy and bloolthirsty
Lynx canadcnsis. Tie island at this
date swarms with these fierce cats.
Antlers are common 70 both SEXES OF
the caribou. There are rare occasional
stays with short legs and compact bod
les which never carry antlcrS ana
show no rudimcntary growth. and there
also are some few does devoid of horns.
Newfoundland guide tells Of seeing
dozen mature caribou in company,
and only one, Il nearly white st.g. car
ried antlcrs
The caribou is a strong AMI gallant
"a