hunting the grisly and other sketches-第36章

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moment　or　two　the　remaining　couple　of　swift　hounds　arrived　on　the
scene。　For　a　moment　the　wolf　and　all　four　dogs　galloped　along　in　a
bunch；　then　one　of　the　greyhounds；　watching　his　chance；　pinned　the
beast　cleverly　by　the　hock　and　threw　him　completely　over。　The　others
jumped　on　it　in　an　instant；　but　rising　by　main　strength　the　wolf　shook
himself　free；　catching　one　dog　by　the　ear　and　tearing　it　half　off。
Then　he　sat　down　on　his　haunches　and　the　greyhounds　ranged　themselves
around　him　some　twenty　yards　off；　forming　a　ring　which　forbade　his
retreat；　though　they　themselves　did　not　dare　touch　him。　However　the
end　was　at　hand。　In　another　moment　Old　Abe　and　General　Grant　came
running　up　at　headlong　speed　and　smashed　into　the　wolf　like　a　couple
of　battering…rams。　He　rose　on　his　hind…legs　like　a　wrestler　as　they
came　at　him；　the　greyhounds　also　rising　and　bouncing　up　and　down　like
rubber　balls。　I　could　just　see　the　wolf　and　the　first　big　dog　locked
together；　as　the　second　one　made　good　his　throat…hold。　In　another
moment　over　all　three　tumbled；　while　the　greyhounds　and　one　or　two　of
the　track…hounds　jumped　in　to　take　part　in　the　killing。　The　big　dogs
more　than　occupied　the　wolf's　attention　and　took　all　the　punishing；
while　in　a　trice　one　of　the　greyhounds；　having　seized　him　by　the　hind…
leg；　stretched　him　out；　and　the　others　were　biting　his　undefended
belly。　The　snarling　and　yelling　of　the　worry　made　a　noise　so　fiendish
that　it　was　fairly　bloodcurdling；　then　it　gradually　died　down；　and　the
second　wolf　lay　limp　on　the　plains；　killed　by　the　dogs；　unassisted。
This　wolf　was　rather　heavier　and　decidedly　taller　than　either　of　the
big　dogs；　with　more　sinewy　feet　and　longer　fangs。

I　have　several　times　seen　wolves　run　down　and　stopped　by　greyhounds
after　a　break…neck　gallop　and　a　wildly　exciting　finish；　but　this　was
the　only　occasion　on　which　I　ever　saw　the　dogs　kill　a　big；　full…grown
he…wolf　unaided。　Nevertheless　various　friends　of　mine　own　packs　that
have　performed　the　feat　again　and　again。　One　pack；　formerly　kept　at
Fort　Benton；　until　wolves　in　that　neighborhood　became　scarce；　had
nearly　seventy…five　to　its　credit；　most　of　them　killed　without　any
assistance　from　the　hunter；　killed　moreover　by　the　greyhounds　alone；
there　being　no　other　dogs　with　the　pack。　These　greyhounds　were　trained
to　the　throat…hold；　and　did　their　own　killing　in　fine　style；　usually
six　or　eight　were　slipped　together。　General　Miles　informs　me　that　he
once　had　great　fun　in　the　Indian　Territory　hunting　wolves　with　a　pack
of　greyhounds。　They　had　with　the　pack　a　large　stub…tailed　mongrel；　of
doubtful　ancestry　but　most　undoubted　fighting　capacity。　When　the　wolf
was　started　the　greyhounds　were　sure　to　overtake　it　in　a　mile　or　two；
they　would　then　bring　it　to　a　halt　and　stand　around　it　in　a　ring　until
the　fighting　dog　came　up。　The　latter　promptly　tumbled　on　the　wolf；
grabbing　him　anywhere；　and　often　getting　a　terrific　wound　himself　at
the　same　time。　As　soon　as　he　had　seized　the　wolf　and　was　rolling　over
with　him　in　the　grapple　the　other　dogs　joined　in　the　fray　and
dispatched　the　quarry　without　much　danger　to　themselves。

During　the　last　decade　many　ranchmen　in　Colorado；　Wyoming；　and
Montana；　have　developed　packs　of　greyhounds　able　to　kill　a　wolf
unassisted。　Greyhounds　trained　for　this　purpose　always　seize　by　the
throat；　and　the　light　dogs　used　for　coursing　jack…rabbits　are　not　of
much　service；　smooth　or　rough…haired　greyhounds　and　deer…hounds
standing　over　thirty　inches　at　the　shoulder　and　weighing　over　ninety
pounds　being　the　only　ones　that；　together　with　speed；　courage；　and
endurance；　possess　the　requisite　power。

One　of　the　most　famous　packs　in　the　West　was　that　of　the　Sun　River
Round　Club；　in　Montana；　started　by　the　stockmen　of　Sun　River　to　get
rid　of　the　curse　of　wolves　which　infested　the　neighborhood　and　worked
very　serious　damage　to　the　herds　and　flocks。　The　pack　was　composed　of
both　greyhounds　and　deer…hounds；　the　best　being　from　the　kennels　of
Colonel　Williams　and　of　Mr。　Van　Hummel；　of　Denver；　they　were　handled
by　an　old　plainsman　and　veteran　wolf…hunter　named　Porter。　In　the
season　of　'86　the　astonishing　number　of　146　wolves　were　killed　with
these　dogs。　Ordinarily；　as　soon　as　the　dogs　seized　a　wolf；　and　threw
or　held　it；　Porter　rushed　in　and　stabbed　it　with　his　hunting…knife；
one　day；　when　out　with　six　hounds；　he　thus　killed　no　less　than　twelve
out　of　the　fifteen　wolves　started；　though　one　of　the　greyhounds　was
killed；　and　all　the　others　were　cut　and　exhausted。　But　often　the
wolves　were　killed　without　his　aid。　The　first　time　the　two　biggest
houndsdeer…hounds　or　wire…haired　greyhoundswere　tried；　when　they
had　been　at　the　ranch　only　three　days；　they　performed　such　a　feat。　A
large　wolf　had　killed　and　partially　eaten　a　sheep　in　a　corral　close　to
the　ranch　house；　and　Porter　started　on　the　trail；　and　followed　him　at
a　jog…trot　nearly　ten　miles　before　the　hounds　sighted　him。　Running　but
a　few　rods；　he　turned　viciously　to　bay；　and　the　two　great　greyhounds
struck　him　like　stones　hurled　from　a　catapult；　throwing　him　as　they
fastened　on　his　throat；　they　held　him　down　and　strangled　him　before　he
could　rise；　two　other　hounds　getting　up　just　in　time　to　help　at　the
end　of　the　worry。

Ordinarily；　however；　no　two　greyhounds　or　deer…hounds　are　a　match　for
a　gray　wolf；　but　I　have　known　of　several　instances　in　Colorado；
Wyoming；　and　Montana；　in　which　three　strong　veterans　have　killed　one。
The　feat　can　only　be　performed　by　big　dogs　of　the　highest　courage；　who
all　act　together；　rush　in　at　top　speed；　and　seize　by　the　throat；　for
the　strength　of　the　quarry　is　such　that　otherwise　he　will　shake　off
the　dogs；　and　then　speedily　kill　them　by　rabid　snaps　with　his　terribly
armed　jaws。　Where　possible；　half　a　dozen　dogs　should　be　slipped　at
once；　to　minimize　the　risk　of　injury　to　the　pack；　unless　this　is　done；
and　unless　the　hunter　helps　the　dogs　in　the　worry；　accidents　will　be
frequent；　and　an　occasional　wolf　will　be　found　able　to　beat　off；
maiming　or　killing；　a　lesser　number　of　assailants。　Some　hunters　prefer
the　smooth　greyhound；　because　of　its　great　speed；　and　others　the　wire…
coated　animal；　the　rough　deer…hound；　because　of　its　superior　strength；
both；　if　of　the　right　kind；　are　dauntless　fighters。

Colonel　Williams'　greyhounds　have　performed　many　noble　feats　in　wolf…
hunting。　He　spent　the　winter　of　1875　in　the　Black　Hills；　which　at　that
time　did　not　contain　a　single　settler；　and　fairly　swarmed　with　game。
Wolves　were　especially　numerous　and　very　bold　and　fierce；　so　that　the
dogs　of　the　party　were　continually　in　jeopardy　of　their　lives。　On　the
other　hand　they　took　an　ample　vengeance；　for　many　wolves　were　caught
by　the　pack。　Whenever　possible；　the　horsemen　kept　close　enough　to　take
an　immediate　hand　in　the　fight；　if　the　quarry　was　a　full…grown　wolf；
and　thus　save　the　dogs　from　the　terrible　punishment　they　were
otherwise　certain　to　receive。　The　dogs　invariably　throttled；　rushing
straight　at　the　throat；　but　the　wounds　they　themselves　received　were
generally　in　the　flank　or　belly；　in　several　instances　these　wounds
resulted　fatally。　Once　or　twice　a　wolf　was　caught；　and　held　by　two
greyhounds　until　the　horsemen　came　up　but　it　took　at　least　five　dogs
to　overcome　and　slay　unaided　a　big　timber　wolf。　Several　times　the　feat
was　performed　by　a　party　of　five；　consisting　of　two　greyhounds；　one
rough…coated　deer…hound；　and　two　cross…bloods；　and　once　by　a　litter
of　seven　young　greyhounds；　not　yet　come　to　their　full　strength。

Once　or　twice　the　so…called　Russian　wolf…hounds　or　silky　coated
greyhounds；　the　〃borzois；〃　have　been　imported　and　tried　in　wolf…
hunting　on　the　western　plains；　but　hitherto　they　have　not　shown
themselves　equal；　at　either　running　or　fighting；　to　the　big　American…
bred　greyhounds　of　the　type　produced　by　Colonel　Williams　and　certain
others　of　our　best　western　breeders。　Indeed　I　have　never　known　any
foreign　greyhounds；　whether　Scotch；　English；　or　from　continental
Europe；　to　perform　such　feats　of　courage；　endurance；　and　strength；　in
chasing　and　killing　dangerous　game；　as　the　homebred　greyhounds　of
Colonel　Williams。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IX。