The Young Voyageurs: Boy Hunters in the North

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

  WAPITI, WOLVES, AND WOLVERENE.

  The spot where our voyageurs had landed was at the bottom of a smallbay. The country back from the lake was level and clear of timber.Here and there, nearer the shore, however, its surface was prettilyinterspersed with small clumps of willows, that formed little copse-likethickets of deep green. Beside one of these thickets, within a hundredyards of the beach, the fire had been kindled, on a spot of ground thatcommanded a view of the plain for miles back.

  "Look yonder!" cried Francois, who had finished eating, and risen to hisfeet. "What are these, captain?" Francois pointed to some objects thatappeared at a great distance off upon the plain.

  The "captain" rose up, placed his hand so as to shade his eyes from thesun, and, after looking for a second or two in the direction indicated,replied to the other's question by simply saying--

  "Wapiti."

  "I'm no wiser than before I asked the question," said Francois. "Pray,enlighten me as to what a wapiti may be!"

  "Why, red deer; or elk, if you like."

  "Oh! elk--now I understand you. I thought they were elk, but they're sofar off I wasn't sure."

  Lucien at this moment rose up, and looking through a small telescope,which he carried, confirmed the statement of the "captain," andpronounced it to be a herd of elk.

  "Come, Luce," demanded Francois, "tell us what you know of the elk. Itwill pass the time. Norman says it's no use going after them out therein the open ground, as they'd shy off before one could get within shot.You see there is not a bush within half-a-mile of them."

  "If we wait," interrupted Norman, "I should not wonder but we may havethem among the bushes before long. They appear to be grazing this way.I warrant you, they'll come to the lake to drink before nightfall."

  "Very well then: the philosopher can tell us all about them beforethat."

  Lucien, thus appealed to, began:--

  "There are few animals that have so many names as this. It is called indifferent districts, or by different authors, _elk, round-horned elk,American elk, stag, red deer, grey moose, le biche, wapiti_, and_wewaskish_. Naturalists have given not a _few of_ their designations,as _Cervus Canadensis, Cervus major, Cervus alces, Cervusstrongylocerus, etcetera_.

  "You may ask, Why so many names? I shall tell you. It is called `elk'because it was supposed by the early colonists to be the same as the elkof Europe. Its name of `grey moose' is a hunter appellation, todistinguish it from the real moose, which the same hunters know as the`black moose.' `Round-horned elk' is also a hunter name. `Wewaskish,'or `waskesse,' is an Indian name for the animal. `Stag' comes from theEuropean deer so called, because this species somewhat resembles thestag; and `red deer' is a name used by the Hudson Bay traders. `Lebiche' is another synonyme of French authors.

  "Of all these names I think that of `wapiti,' which our cousin hasgiven, the best. The names of `elk,' `stag,' and `red deer,' lead toconfusion, as there are other species to which they properly belong, allof which are entirely different from the wapiti. I believe that thislast name is now used by the best-informed naturalists.

  "In my opinion," continued Lucien, "the wapiti is the noblest of all thedeer kind. It possesses the fine form of the European stag, while it isnearly a third larger and stronger. It has all the grace of limb andmotion that belongs to the common deer, while its towering horns give ita most majestic and imposing appearance. Its colour during the summeris of a reddish brown, hence the name red deer; but, indeed, the reddishtint upon the wapiti is deeper and richer than that of its Europeancousin. The wapiti, like other deer, brings forth its fawns in thespring. They are usually a male and female, for two is the number itproduces. The males only have horns; and they must be several years oldbefore the antlers become full and branching. They fall every year, butnot until February or March, and then the new ones grow out in a monthor six weeks. During the summer the horns remain soft and tender to thetouch. They are covered at this time with a soft membrane that lookslike greyish velvet, and they are then said to be `in the velvet,' Thereare nerves and blood-vessels running through this membrane, and a blowupon the horns at this season gives great pain to the animal. When theautumn arrives the velvet peels off, and they become as hard as bone.They would need to be, for this is the `rutting' season, and the bucksfight furious battles with each other, clashing their horns together, asif they would break them to pieces. Very often a pair of bucks, whilethus contending, `lock' their antlers, and being unable to draw themapart, remain head to head, until both die with hunger, or fall a preyto the prowling wolves. This is true not only of the elk, but also ofthe reindeer, the moose, and many other species of deer. Hundreds ofpairs of horns have been found thus `locked,' and the solitary hunterhas often surprised the deer in this unpleasant predicament.

  "The wapiti utters a whistling sound, that can be heard far off, andoften guides the hunter to the right spot. In the rutting season thebucks make other noises, which somewhat resemble the braying of an ass,and are equally disagreeable to listen to.

  "The wapiti travel about in small herds, rarely exceeding fifty, butoften of only six or seven. Where they are not much hunted they areeasily approached, but otherwise they are shy enough. The bucks, whenwounded and brought to bay, become dangerous assailants; much more sothan those of the common deer. Hunters have sometimes escaped withdifficulty from their horns and hoofs, with the latter of which they caninflict very severe blows. They are hunted in the same way as otherdeer; but the Indians capture many of them in the water, when theydiscover them crossing lakes or rivers. They are excellent swimmers,and can make their way over the arm of a lake or across the widestriver.

  "They feed upon grass, and sometimes on the young shoots of willows andpoplar-trees. They are especially fond of a species of wild rose (_Rosablanda_), which grows in the countries they frequent.

  "The wapiti at one time ranged over a large part of the continent ofNorth America. Its range is now restricted by the spread of thesettlements. It is still found in most of the Northern parts of theUnited States, but only in remote mountainous districts, and even thereit is a rare animal. In Canada it is more common; and it roams acrossthe continent to the shores of the Pacific. It is not an animal of thetropical countries, as it is not found in Mexico proper. On the otherhand, wapiti do not go farther north than about the fifty-seventhparallel of latitude, and then they are not in their favourite habitat,which is properly the temperate zone."

  Lucien was interrupted by an exclamation from Basil, who stood uplooking out upon the prairie. They all saw that he had been observingthe wapiti.

  "What is it?" cried they.

  "Look yonder!" replied Basil, pointing in the direction of the herd."Something disturbs them. Give me your glass, Luce."

  Lucien handed the telescope to his brother, who, drawing it to theproper focus, pointed it towards the deer. The rest watched them withthe naked eye. They could see that there was some trouble among theanimals. There were only six in the herd, and even at the distance ourvoyageurs could tell that they were all bucks, for it was the seasonwhen the does secrete themselves in the woods and thickets to bringforth their young. They were running to and fro upon the prairie, anddoubling about as if playing, or rather as if some creature was chasingthem. With the naked eye, however, nothing could be seen upon theground but the bucks themselves, and all the others looked to Basil, whoheld the glass, for an explanation of their odd manoeuvres.

  "There are wolves at them," said Basil, after regarding them for asecond or two.

  "That's odd," rejoined Norman. "Wolves don't often attack full-grownwapiti, except when wounded or crippled somehow. They must be precioushungry. What sort of wolves are they?"

  To you, boy reader, this question may seem strange. You, perhaps, thinkthat a wolf is a wolf, and there is but one kind. Such, however, is notthe exact truth. In America there are two distinct species of wolves,and of these two species there are many varietie
s, which differ so muchin colour and other respects, that some authors have classed them as somany distinct species instead of considering them mere varieties.Whether they may be species or not is still a question amongnaturalists; but certain it is that _two_ well-defined species do exist,which differ in size, form, colour, and habits. These are the _large_or _common wolf (Canis lupus_), and the barking or prairie wolf (_Canislatrans_). The first species is the American representative of thecommon wolf of Europe; and although an animal of similar nature andhabits, it differs very much from the latter in form and appearance. Itis, therefore, not the _same_, as hitherto supposed. This American wolfis found in greater or less numbers throughout the whole continent; butin the Northern regions it is very common, and is seen in at least fivedifferent varieties, known by the characteristic names of _black, pied,white, dusky_, and _grey_ wolves. Of these the grey is the mostnumerous kind; but as I shall have occasion to speak of the large wolveshereafter, I shall say no more of them at present, but direct yourattention to the second and very different species, the _prairiewolves_.

  These are a full third smaller than the common kind. They are swifter,and go in larger packs. They bring forth their young in burrows on theopen plain, and not among the woods, like the other species. They arethe most cunning of American animals, not excepting their kindred thefoxes. They cannot be trapped by any contrivance, but by singularmanoeuvres often themselves decoy the over-curious antelope to approachtoo near them. When a gun is fired upon the prairies they may be seenstarting up on all sides, and running for the spot in hopes of coming infor a share of the game. Should an animal--deer, antelope, or buffalo--be wounded, and escape the hunter, it is not likely to escape them also.They will set after it, and run it down if _the wound has been a mortalone_. On the other hand, if the wound has been only slight, and is notlikely in the end to cripple the animal, the wolves will not stir fromthe spot. This extraordinary sagacity often tells the hunter whether itis worth his while to follow the game he has shot at; but in any case heis likely to arrive late, if the wolves set out before him, as a dozenof them will devour the largest deer in a few minutes' time. Theprairie wolves as well as the others follow the herds of buffaloes, andattack the gravid cows and calves when separated from the rest.Frequently they sustain a contest with the bulls, when the latter areold or wounded, but on such occasions many of them get killed before theold bull becomes their prey.

  They resemble the common grey wolf in colour, but there are varieties inthis respect, though not so great as among the larger species. Theirvoice is entirely different, and consists of three distinct barks,ending in a prolonged howl. Hence the specific and usual name"barking-wolf" (_Canis latrans_). They are found only in the Western orprairie half of the continent, and thence west to the Pacific. TheirNorthern range is limited to the fifty-fifth parallel of latitude--butthey are met with southward throughout Mexico, where they are commonenough, and known by the name of "coyote."

  Their skins are an article of trade with the Hudson's Bay Company. Thefur is of about the same quality with that of other wolves, and consistsof long hairs, with a thick wool at the base. In commerce they aretermed "cased wolves," because their skins, on being removed, are notsplit open as with the large wolf-skins, but are stript off after themanner of rabbits, and then turned inside out, or "cased," as it istermed.

  So much for the _Canis latrans_.

  "Prairie wolves!" said Basil, in answer to the question put by hiscousin.

  "There must be something the matter with one of the bucks, then,"remarked Norman, "or else there's a good big pack of the wolves, andthey expect to tire one down. I believe they sometimes do try it thatway."

  "There appears to be a large pack," answered Basil, still lookingthrough the glass; "fifty at least--See! they have separated one of thebucks from the herd--it's running this way!"

  Basil's companions had noticed this as soon as himself, and all four nowleaped to their guns. The wapiti was plainly coming towards them, andthey could now distinguish the wolves following upon his heels, strungout over the prairie like a pack of hounds. When first started, thebuck was a full half-mile distant, but in less than a minute's time hecame breasting forward until the boys could see his sparkling eyes andthe play of his proud flanks. He was a noble animal to look at. Hishorns were full-grown, but still "in the velvet," and as he ran with hissnout thrown forward, his antlers lay along both sides of his neck untiltheir tips touched his shoulders. He continued on in a direct lineuntil he was within less than an hundred paces of the camp; but,perceiving the smoke of the fire, and the figures crouching around it,he swerved suddenly from his course, and darted into the thicket ofwillows, where he was for the moment hidden from view. The wolves--fifty of them at least--had followed him up to this point; and as heentered the thicket several had been close upon his heels. The boysexpected to see the wolves rush in after him--as there appeared to be noimpediment to their doing so--but, to the astonishment of all, thelatter came to a sudden halt, and then went sneaking back--some of themeven running off as if terrified! At first the hunters attributed thisstrange conduct to their own presence, and the smoke of the camp; but amoment's reflection convinced them that this could not be the reason ofit, as they were all well acquainted with the nature of the prairiewolf, and had never witnessed a similar exhibition before.

  They had no time to think of the wolves just then. The buck was themain attraction, and, calling to each other to surround the thicket, allfour started in different directions. In a couple of minutes they hadplaced themselves at nearly equal distances around the copse, and stoodwatching eagerly for the reappearance of the wapiti.

  The willows covered about an acre of ground, but they were tolerablythick and full-leaved, and the buck could not be seen from any side.Wherever he was, he was evidently at a standstill, for not a rustlecould be heard among the leaves, nor were any of the tall stalks seen tomove.

  Marengo was now sent in. This would soon start him, and all four stoodwith guns cocked and ready. But before the dog had made three lengthsof himself into the thicket, a loud snort was heard, followed by astruggle and the stamping of hoofs, and the next moment the wapiti camecrashing through the bushes. A shot was fired--it was the crack ofLucien's small rifle--but it had missed, for the buck was seen passingonward and outward. All ran round to the side he had taken, and had afull view of the animal as he bounded off. Instead of running free asbefore, he now leaped heavily forward, and what was their astonishmenton seeing that he _carried another animal upon his back_!

  The hunters could hardly believe their eyes, but there it was, sureenough, a brown shaggy mass, lying flat along the shoulders of thewapiti, and clutching it with large-spreading claws. Francois criedout, "A panther!" and Basil at first believed it to be a bear, but itwas hardly large enough for that. Norman, however, who had lived morein those parts where the animal is found, knew it at once to be thedreaded "wolverene." Its head could not be seen, as that was hid behindthe shoulder of the wapiti, whose throat it was engaged in tearing. Butits short legs and broad paws, its busily tail and long shaggy hair,together with its round-arching back and dark-brown colour, were allfamiliar marks to the young fur-trader; and he at once pronounced it a"wolverene."

  When first seen, both it and the wapiti were beyond the reach of theirrifles; and the hunters, surprised by such an unexpected apparition, hadsuddenly halted. Francois and Basil were about to renew the pursuit,but were prevented by Norman who counselled them to remain where theywere.

  "They won't go far," said he; "let us watch them a bit. See! the bucktakes the water!"

  The wapiti, on leaving the willows, had run straight out in the firstdirection that offered, which happened to be in a line parallel with theedge of the lake. His eye, however, soon caught sight of the water,and, doubling suddenly round, he made directly towards it, evidentlywith the intention of plunging in. He had hopes, no doubt, that by thismeans he might rid himself of the terrible creature that was cl
inging tohis shoulders, and tearing his throat to pieces.

  A few bounds brought him to the shore. There was no beach at the spot.The bank--a limestone bluff--rose steeply from the water's edge to aheight of eight feet, and the lake under it was several fathoms indepth. The buck did not hesitate, but sprang outward and downwards. Aheavy plash followed, and for some seconds both wapiti and wolverenewere lost under the water. They rose to the surface, just as the boysreached the bank, but they came up _separately_. The dip had proved acooler to the fierce wolverene; and while the wapiti was seen to strikeboldly out into the lake and swim off, the latter--evidently out of hiselement--kept plunging about clumsily, and struggling to get back to theshore. Their position upon the cliff above gave the hunters anexcellent opportunity with their rifles, and both Basil and Norman senttheir bullets into the wolverene's back. Francois also emptied hisdouble-barrelled gun at the same object, and the shaggy brute sank deadto the bottom of the lake. Strange to say, not one of the party hadthought of firing at the buck. This persecution by so many enemies hadwon for him their sympathy, and they would now have suffered him to gofree, but the prospect of fresh venison for supper overcame theircommiseration, and the moment the wolverene was despatched all set aboutsecuring the deer. Their guns were reloaded, and, scattering along theshore, they prepared to await his return. But the buck, seeing therewas nothing but death in his rear, swam on, keeping almost in a directline out into the lake. It was evident to all that he could not swimacross the lake, as its farther shore was not even visible. He musteither return to where they were, or drown; and knowing this to be hisonly alternative, they stood still and watched his motions. When he hadgot about half-a-mile from the shore, to the surprise of all, he wasseen to rise higher and higher above the surface, and then all at oncestop, with half of his body clear out of the water! He had come upon ashoal, and, knowing the advantage of it, seemed determined to remainthere.

  Basil and Norman ran to the canoe, and in a few minutes the little craftwas launched, and shooting through the water. The buck now saw that itwas likely to be all up with him, and, instead of attempting to swimfarther, he faced round and set his antlers forward in a threateningattitude. But his pursuers did not give him the chance to make a rush.When within fifty yards or so, Norman, who used the paddles, stopped andsteadied the canoe, and the next moment the crack of Basil's rifleechoed over the lake, and the wapiti fell upon the water, where, afterstruggling a moment, he lay dead.

  The canoe was paddled up, and his antlers being made fast to the stern,he was towed back to the shore, and carried into camp. What nowsurprised our voyageurs was, their finding that the wapiti had beenwounded before encountering either the wolves, wolverene, or themselves.An arrow-head, with a short piece of the shaft, was sticking in one ofhis thighs. The Indians, then, had been after him, and very lately too,as the wound showed. It was not a mortal wound, had the arrow-head beenremoved; but of course, as it was, it would have proved his death in thelong run. This explained why the wolves had assailed an animal, thatotherwise, from his great size and strength, would have defied them.The wolverene, moreover, rarely attacks game so large as the wapiti; butthe latter had, no doubt, chanced upon the lair of his fierce enemy, whocould not resist such a tempting opportunity of getting a meal. Thewolves had seen the wolverene as they approached the thicket, and thataccounted for their strange behaviour in the pursuit. These creaturesare as great cowards as they are tyrants, and their dread of a wolvereneis equal to that with which they themselves often inspire the woundeddeer.