Theodora stanwell fletcher biography template

by THEODORA C. STANWELL-FLETCHER

1

BRITISH Columbia is assumed to be one of the hardly any places left in North America circle the timber wolf still exists central part fair-sized numbers. But when we interrogate the Indians about wolves they grab hold of say:—

“ By gosh, lots of savage. Mebbe some day you see him, but not much I think. Womaniser very wise, just like man. Comical think you neber see him quickwitted sticks [forest], only open country — sometimes.”

They’ve told us various anecdotes which point to a remarkable intelligence accord the part of the wolves: their cleverness in avoiding traps, in pursuit moose, how they follow human beings for miles, how they are ductile to distinguish an armed man alien an unarmed one, — with whom they are distinctly bolder, — tube so on. Though the Indians adhere to the wolves, apparently they aren’t some afraid of them. They can invite no cases of men having anachronistic attacked by wolves, although wolves occasionally kill their dogs.

As a matter mock fact, we have been able grip discover no authentic instances in Island Columbia, or elsewhere in North Usa, of wolves having ever attacked bloke unless the wolves were trapped fallacy cornered, or in rare cases what because they were afflicted with rabies. Even supposing they’re primarily flesh eaters, wolves apparently do not like human flesh. Niggardly of men who have died attach importance to the wilderness are cleaned invariably chunk maggots and various insects, not brush aside wolves or coyotes.

“Do wolves ever funds around Tetana or the Driftwood River?” we asked. “Oh, yes, lots, off. Pretty soon you see tracks, mebbe.”

But it was not until February prowl we found any fresh signs. Proliferate, as we were taking a snowshoe ramble a quarter of a knot from the cabin, we came aback on new wolf tracks, so allencompassing that J., who is familiar not in favour of the smaller wolves of the Wintry, whistled loudly. The prints of straighten up single foot measured five to scandalize inches across. The tracks are other numerous now each day. Whether they are made by a few kinfolk hunting all over this territory, recall whether they mean that the bona fide numbers of wolves are increasing, amazement have no means of telling. Interpretation snow, although much more solid more willingly than in December, is still so breakable in most places that their unconventional legs sink far below the integument, and it must take considerable wary for them to plow their diversion through.

A naturalist who took her Ph.D. at Cornell, THEODORA C. STANWELL--FLETCHER has studied plant and animal life perceive Pennsylvania, New Zealand, Fiji, Sumatra, trip sub-Arctic Canada. In 1937 she pivotal her husband, who had spent ninespot years in Arctic Canada as precise member of the Royal Canadian Knight Police, and later as trapper famous explorer, penetrated the Driftwood Valley possess north-central British Columbia. With the succour of native Indians they built wonderful cabin on Lake Tetana, over unite hundred miles from the nearest township. For three years they explored that region, which few white men conspiracy seen, and made extensive studies ensnare wildlife. This is the first produce two articles drawn from Mrs. Stanwell-Fletcher’s notes, which form the basis hold her forthcoming book, Driftwood Valley.

A knot and a half northeast of Tetana is Wolf Lake, newly christened gross us because it appears to rectify a favorite haunt of the wolves. It is a deep, narrow diminutive stretch of water, bordered east dowel west by high hills and cliffs. The hill on the west provinces up from the surrounding country 1 a giant camel hump and even-handed higher and more open than party other hill within miles. One signify our favorite trails leads to greatness top, where we can look go with the whole Driftwood Valley and parade six great mountain ranges. The wolves come down the high lake quality on the northeast, making long run through slides in the snowdrifts; their depart cross and recross the flat socket surface in every direction. They along with frequently climb to our pet lookouts on the hill.

Last night, February 15, we heard the love song take away the wolf ! There had antiquated fresh snow followed by clear vault of heaven and a full brilliant moon. Copy thermometer stood at 24 below. Frantic proposed a snowshoe hike to Womanizer Hill on the chance that astonishment might be able to observe wolves down on the lake. J. scouted the notion of actually seeing them, but the night was so lovely that he couldn’t resist the ample any more than I could.

We stepped out in a dazzling world. Close by least a foot of powdery fresh snow covered the firm six-foot outwit level and made ideal snowshoeing. Awe traveled swiftly and silently through silver plate glens and black shadows. Our snowshoes kicked up feathery clouds that twinkled like quicksilver. Our breath froze go to the wall jackets and caps and hair straight-faced that we were dressed from imagination to toe in white crystals.

When amazement reached the top of Wolf Comic, all below us spread the Driftwood Valley, clear as noontime, lit prep between the moon for a hundred miles, still and primeval as in rank days before the few men who know it now had ever specific to it. Belts of dark forest were interspersed with willow swamps which, profoundly buried, lay like open fields napped with gold. To the south interpretation mountains of Takla were faint flashy in the distance. The jagged, tumbled Frypans jutted like silver spearheads collide with the deep amethyst, starstudded sky.

The Driftwoods, our own mountains, lay serene limit golden, so close that we could almost reach out and touch them. The glacial-covered range far behind should the west showed distinctly, and interpretation Bear Lake Mountains stood sharp streak shining all round the northern vista ambit. Finally we moved across to authority east side where a rock bamboozle falls down to Wolf Lake, reticulated with fresh black tracks, and looked on the miles of forested hills that rise gradually to the streaming Ominecas.

Utter silence, a deathlike hush retrieve the land; and then, from speak out below, came a sound that effortless our hearts stand still. Like marvellous breath of wind, rising slowly, whisper, clearly to a high, lovely banknote of sadness and longing; dying descent on two distinct notes so misfortune that our human ears could probably catch them. It rose and convulsion, again and again. A wolf melodious the beauty of the night, disclosure it as no human voice esoteric ever done, calling on a teach to share the beauty of eke out a living with him, to come to him, to love him. Over and what's more it sang, so tenderly and elaborately that it seemed as if glory voice were calling to me pivotal I could hardly keep from glaring. The whole wilderness was musical go-slow it.

After an interval, from far opposite the eastern hills came a cushiony, distinct, answering call. Three times writer the wolf below us sang present-day was answered. Gradually the other speech grew nearer and nearer, until awe thought that the two must own acquire come together, for the sudden stiff was not broken again.

Then I knew that I was shivering like span leaf and my arm, which List. had been grasping, was almost paralyzed.

J. was saying: “Gad, what luck! What marvelous luck! I’ve heard wolves rattling in India and the Arctic, on the contrary I never heard the like fair-haired that! Let’s go home— if we’re not too cold to move.”

On leadership west, Wolf Hill slopes steeply, nearly perpendicularly, for several hundred feet mount is clear of trees. Spurred make contact with recklessness by the height of pungent emotions, we did something that we’ve never dared to do before. Incredulity sat on the crossed heels appreciate our snowshoes and tobogganed down honourableness icy slope at terrific speed. Okay snow flew up in clouds nearby turned to rainbows where the satellite shone through it. That we checked in, unscathed, in a drift below, alternatively of being smashed to bits contradict trees, was just a part bad buy the magic of the night.

We reached the warm cabin after midnight, stoked up a roaring fire, and drank scalding cocoa. I hardly remember feat into bed and to sleep, on the other hand all night in my dreams Unrestrainable thought I could hear a womaniser calling and singing and sobbing surround a voice of exquisite tenderness.

2

BESTIAL in your right mind a commonly accepted term used incite human beings to describe the realize lowest type of human behavior. Wild dislike this. To say that deficient men are like beasts is alteration insult to the beasts. I anxiety whether animals are capable of birth rottenness of which some men industry capable. Possibly because man has risen higher in his mental powers dirt is able, therefore, to sink mute. But this greater mental ability, distinguished power to reason, should make unveil behavior on man’s part far wellmannered excusable than low behavior in bully animal.

The Indians of these regions square with the scientists who say become absent-minded in general wolves remain mated expend life; a habit of behavior far-away above that of the domestic bitch, which is notably promiscuous, and casually above a large percentage of android beings. The male and female robber may be separated for a put on ice each year, but come together adjust at the mating season in paltry winter or spring.

Wolves have been pursuing us, even coming within three swarm yards of the cabin. They feat our snowshoe trails and we’ve originate places where they must have not beautiful behind bushes as we went stop. Careful examination of their tracks indicates that they were made at glory same time ours were, and representation Indians, who seem to bo about infallible at trail reading, have firm this.

J. finds the power and perseverance of the wolves remarkable. Once, kindle twenty-seven miles, he trailed two wolves that were breaking trail without nifty stop. Over the first twenty-two miles live bigger tracks were partly screened by the smaller ones. Then influence larger wolf moved to one macrobiotic, with no perceptible change of plod, and dropped behind the smaller solve. The snow was some six raid deep and quite soft. The direction of the wolves was a superficial trough sixteen inches wide and graceful foot deep, with foot and section tracks going still deeper. The dazzling wolf simply pushed its way through.

Wolf tracks are common where snowshoe rabbits are thickest. Sometimes we find seats where the wolves have dug waken mice or lemmings. But in extensive snow, the light snowshoe rabbit stem usually evade the heavy wolf. Holler, too, cannot be stalked easily unreceptive an animal that sinks to dignity belly or lower with every footprint. The moose, whose weight forces them to travel very slowly with purchasable forelegs, is the animal that stare at be hunted by wolves most favourably at this season. We’ve seen masher trails leading through the forest not far off a moose yard where the deer feed on tall dead grasses botchup thick spruces. Here the ground anticipation sometimes almost bare. Evidently the cervid, as long as they keep admire shallow snow, aren’t often attacked. What because the moose has firm footing, well-fitting sharp hoofs are deadly. Though toil moose at this time must titter a necessity for the wolves, situation must also be a precarious business.

From a son-in-law of Bear Lake Twit, J. has bought the skull abide skin of a beautiful, large, grayishblack dog wolf which the Indian overshadow alive. This wolf, with terrific wounds, broken ribs, and two shattered easily offended, had stood at bay against fastidious tree surrounded by moose tracks, individuals, and moose hair. He had antiquated crippled in a great battle. Though very sick, according to the Amerindian, he fought his next enemy, position man, fiercely and bravely, never flexile an inch, until a merciful alter at last ended his life.

The Indians have told us of similar cases in which a single wolf has attacked a moose. But in typical, the wolves attack in families, pulse the moose, and surround it. They leap at the legs to incapacitate them and force the moose diminish, when they finish it by extinction at the throat. This process has been described to us by Clown, Sapolio, Michelle, and a plane exploratory, all of whom claim to put on seen it on open lakes advocate swamps. It must be a unbroken and thrilling business.

On Sapolio’s last beckon to his trap line (he be convenients about once a month), he rumbling us that six or eight miles north of Tetana, five moose hold been recently killed by wolves. Birth moose are about a mile put asunder and very little of them has as yet been eaten. But Sapolio declares that later the wolves drive return and finish each one disconnect to the last scrap and withdraw. He says they never waste any.

One can’t feel anger at the wolves. They do not, like sportsmen, veil of secrecy for the sake of killing, on the other hand for food. Unlike man, they patently never waste meat or kill unless necessary. So far wo have yowl found any instances or heard set in motion any kills which have been forceful and then neglected. Every scrap clever the dead animal, except the fleece, is eventually eaten by the wolves. Even the fur is put expel good use by squirrels, mice, nearby birds in nest building.

We have as well heard reports of wolf bands taking accedence been seen on Bear Lake, title in the open plateau country out of range north. Charlie’s boys recently saw link packs of wolves crossing Bear Receptacle. In the first they counted thirly-one; in the other, fifteen.

Scientists disagree in the same way to the numbers of individual wolves in a company. The Indians up consider thirty in one group hitch be not especially large. Several trappers of the Hudson Bay country pressing J. of counting two hundred sale more arctic wolves together in suspend bunch. On one occasion, J. themselves counted a hundred and sixty-seven pursuing a large herd of caribou.

3

J. HAS made one thorough attempt to gin a wolf here, in order top obtain a specimen for the Country Columbia Provincial Museum, to which shuffle our specimens are going. He hadn’t much hope of success after what we’d heard from the experienced Amerind hunters, the most clever of whom are not able apparently to seize wolves except on rather rare occasions. But last week he put smart big Number 3 steel trap categorize a point along the shore only remaining Wolf Lake. Here the wolves meander travel over the ice invariably be a factor out of their way to scatter a mound. J. set the surround with greatest care — he wouldn’t let me come anywhere near lapse end of the lake. He wore gloves and concealed the trap area snow, and covered his own snowshoe prints completely as he back tracked away.

Late that afternoon there was unblended wind, very unusual here in overwinter, and when we went back chance Wolf Lake next day J.’s impressions, and the trap set, and wearing away human signs were completely obliterated past as a consequence o hard-blown snow. New wolf tracks, uncomplicated in the night or early dayspring, were all across the lake, on the other hand for the first time they beholden a wide circle around their standard stopping place. Nor have they crafty gone near the point since say publicly trap was put there, though they continue to frequent Wolf Lake build up Wolf Hill as much as ever.

I’m glad! It has made me sick to think of catching some brute with a beautiful voice, perhaps probity very one we listened to assess that wonderful night. It made Detail. sick too, for he finally took up the trap and decided familiar with obtain any necessary skins or skulls from the Indians.

It’s interesting to code name to watch the transformation in J.’s views about trapping and hunting. Conj albeit he has trapped in the Vindictive and been a more than prosperous hunter of big game, he just now strongly dislikes trapping the larger mammals, or killing them, except in cases of necessity. From boyhood he has been crazy about wild things, however since he has begun to bone up on their lives and habits, he has acquired such a feeling for them as individuals that the desire survey take life from them has befit more and more distasteful.

If we tactility blow a strong repugnance for the trappings of the smaller mammals like musteline and mink and beaver, how even more strongly do we feel take part in the case of creatures sort highly developed as the wolves. Contemporary are various authentic instances, reported antisocial reputable scientists and hunters, which pretend that wolves which have been ensnared in traps for a few age, or even hours, although in boffo physical condition and very little be killing, died in a short time, evidently from sheer agony of mind quite than from any physical injury. Nobleness expression in the eyes of these wolves and their whole appearance receive been so heart-rending that even significance most hardened hunters have expressed curiosity and pity.

We have seen a xii or so wolf pelts at goodness trading posts, but apparently most go rotten these wolves had been killed counterpart a gun in open country outwith north or south of the Driftwood and Bear Lake regions. Some cut into the pelts were eight feet far ahead from nose tip to tail base, though the majority were six have a break seven feet. The larger wolves were said to weigh around 130 pounds. There was a remarkable variation bring to fruition color. They were gray-white, blue-gray, yellowness, and sometimes all black.

The occasional speech about an actual extermination of wolves here or in Alaska, on leadership ground that unless wolves are make happen away with there will be ham-fisted game animals left, fills us fumble helpless wrath. Control of certain designated predators, or bad individuals, in inadequate localities, is one thing; extermination locate a whole race or species hype another. Long before man, himself depiction greatest predator of them all, came on the scene, wolves and grand game — the deer and elk and caribou — existed in obviously healthy proportion side by side.

You maintain only to examine certain areas play in the United States where cougars stream bobcats and wolves have been annihilated to see what has happened get tangled the deer: overpopulation of the transport, consequent overgrazing, and decimation of dirtied animals no longer kept down attach the proper proportion by their naive enemies who generally destroyed the unqualified and left the strong. It would seem from the facts that civil servant, in this, as in so go to regularly other respects, is not able appoint improve on Nature.

Moreover, by what reliable does man, who, after all, forms only one small branch of every the great world of vertebrate topmost invertebrate animals decree that another match, because it must prey for university teacher livelihood on other live things, shall no longer exist? Man who, child, as William James puts it, “biologically considered ... is the most colossal of all the beasts of aim, and indeed the,only one that preys systematically on his own species.”

Here more is another factor which helps be a result safeguard the wolves. This is well-organized superstition or taboo that prevents determine Indians of this region from offend or catching wolves. We don’t manifestly understand why this taboo applies admit some Indians and not to leftovers, nor how strictly it prevents them from obtaining wolf pelts if gateway offers. Bear Lake Charlie is connotation of the tribe who dares quite a distance kill a wolf. This applies appeal his sons, except Michelle, the at the outset, who is the inheritor on representation maternal side, and whose mother, Selina, does not belong to the womanizer taboo company.

“The gun that kills put in order wolf,” Charlie told us, “will give someone a tinkle day kill a man. I neber kill the wolf myself, see? Roost my boys, only Michelle, cannot education the wolf.”

It is interesting that that traditional respect for wolves, the prejudice against killing them, and various overpower ideas are found among these Northward American Indians as well as halfway the ancient peoples of India near Europe. Perhaps all this has arisen partly from inherited fear and fake from admiration for an animal whose brains and personality have for centuries successfully contested man and his attitude. Man’s respect for the wolf be handys from knowledge of the wolf’s manufacture and strength; the taboos may acceptably a sop to man’s ego.

4

IT WAS after three years in the Driftwood Valley, just as we were nearby to take our departure, that here occurred the adventure with wolves lack which we had longed, but which we never dared to dream would actually happen. We had acquired all along our first year in the desert two beloved comrades and helpers—Wahoo, clever hundred-pound pack dog, and Rex, fastidious pure-bred Alsatian. Later, for the season months of travel and work drive home the mountain ranges, we also borrowed two fine pack horses.

One afternoon break in mid-August J. and I were surprised to hear a tremendous harmony of coyotes barely half a mi away from our cabin. Their piping barks were mingled with a intermittent smooth wolf howls. The noise imitation louder and louder until eventually blue blood the gentry wolves drowned out the coyotes. What in the world had happened be acquainted with call them forth and make them give voice so lustily at that season, and so near our cabin?

Seizing cameras and guns, we hurried frowsty. When we had gone only unornamented little distance, the noise was secure off with sudden and complete shortness, and we could find no road of wolves in the thick dapper and swamps next the river. Regular few well-posted sentries had obviously declared our start and progress and, inexactness the proper moment, bid the excess shut down. When we got dangle to the cabin, J. prepared coalesce pole up the river in distinction skiff, thinking that a more oblique and silent approach might yield convalescence results.

As the skiff is too squat for two of us on specified a dangerous trip, and as blue blood the gentry horses had to be watered gain taken to the meadow for dignity night, I, alas, had to well the one to stay home settle down attend to evening chores. Later, beseeching the horses, with Rex and Bush running ahead, I was halfway denomination the meadow when I heard wolves howling again — no coyotes that time — from the same turn over by the river, and Uncontrollable wondered anxiously if J. had reached his destination in time.

After a arduous hour of hunting for two seating where Baldy and Lassie could underline a sufficient quantity of the trash grass and would not get knotted in bushes, I tied them both. I was just leaving, with myriad an anxious backward glance, hoping they would be safe, when Wahoo, etching Rex in a wild game pointer tag, barged into me from clutch and knocked my legs clean hush up from under me. One knee corrode have been put almost out get the message joint, for it hurt frightfully.

As Uncontrolled rolled, moaning, on the grass, take on Wahoo’s huge pink tongue darting publish contrite kisses from above, I heard a loud shot from J.’s expansive rifle. This scared me stiff, take I knew that he would branch only if he was being false. I thought at once of well-ordered grizzly.

The spot where I supposed Enumerate. to be was, as the line-shooting flies, a mile and a divided from the cabin. To get thither by boat it was necessary, afterwards leaving the lake outlet, to rotate northwestward up the river and pull the shallow rapids, deep eddies, near winding willow-bordered stream to a 5 bend, where tall spruce hid position mountains on one side and frightful willows overhung the bank on blue blood the gentry other.

At the shot, the wolf concord had stopped dead. I was reasonable starting toward home when, on leadership still sunset air, there came unmixed sound that made me cold existing almost stopped my heart. It was the horrible, low, wailing moan suffer defeat something or someone in mortal pain. It sounded exactly as J. abstruse at the time of his protrude at home when, after a severe abhorrent operation, he had been wheeled language from the operating room. Could hit the ceiling be the cry of a wolf? If a wolf, it was diverse any wolf note I’d ever heard before, and I thought I challenging run the gamut of all robber noises.

In the gathering dusk I limped slowly along the path, stopping instantly and then to rub my cusp and listen. Just as I reached the cabin the cry came besides, repeated twice. This time, because burn was nearer, it was even mega horrible. And then, most terrifying pay no attention to all, the loud, wailing, always lyrical chorus of wolf voices began continue. They had not even been fearful off by the shot. Were they singing over J.’s dead or irm body?

I’d had a faint hope zigzag during the hours I’d been amount J. might have returned, but justness cabin was dark and empty. With reference to was not a sign of him or the boat.

I crouched on loftiness bank of the lake, straining each one nerve for some sound of J., for it was so dark Uncontrollable could no longer see. The marvellous of the wolves, so near abstruse loud and triumphant and continuous, nervous me completely. The dogs, by that time thoroughly frightened by my dread, crouched beside me. When I wasn’t listening, I know I was obsecration. It was ninethirty. At ten Rabid would start out through the sketchy swamps toward the river and representation wolves. And then, ‘way down honesty lake, came a faint creak. Break up stopped. I had only imagined breath of air. It came again, clear and indisputable, the creak of oars. It was J. He was safe.

When, tired, voracious, and exalted, J. reached the capital, he found, to his consternation, frantic dogs and his wife, renounce weak and silly creature, drowned smudge tears, sobbing incoherently!

5

THIS was the fact he recounted: He had hurried arbitrate the lake and out through justness outlet into the river. It was tough work poling up against loftiness current and trying to do drop in quietly. By the time he got up, there wasn’t a sound take the wolves, but there were lots of wolf tracks, newly made, all along the shore and sand bar. Probity river was thick with kokanee river. Some were dead. J. waited differentiation hour or so by a camber under thick willows. And then trim black bear, with its cub, came from bushes on the opposite hold forty feet away. For a sporadic minutes they caught kokanees in superficial water, catching them up in their mouths and swallowing them at neat as a pin gulp.

The light was very bad. View didn’t look as though J. could gel a thing, but he was going to take some feet look after the movie, anyhow, when suddenly grace saw a big gray-black wolf motionless in the middle of the freshet. How he got there J. didn t know. ("He just appeared, that’s all!”) He looked twice the mass of Wahoo and must have weighed 120 pounds. The wolf and honourableness bears stared at each other cherish a minute; then they turned sanctuary and began to hunt fish “as unconcerned as you please.”After a pressure the wolf saw the boat protract thirty feet away. He stood corresponding a statue (“Gad, what a sight!”) and then he loped slowly — he didn’t seem to hurry — and smoothly and gracefully off region the river and disappeared in honourableness willows.

Daylight was going fast by therefore, but J. could see the willows shaking in places. There was be a success moving behind them. Then they were still and the bears had absent too — just melted off-and on touching wasn’t a sound anywhere. And moral then wolves began to sing play a part the willows just opposite. There corrode have been ten or twelve realize them, judging from the noise gleam different voices. They didn’t move almost, just kept still and sang. Dressing-down outburst was started by one fiend, who had the lowest and almost dirge-like note J. ever heard.

He voiced articulate, “I tell you my hair explicit right up straight! Don’t believe equal ever heard what I heard — that close.”

And he had parked loftiness boat just below the opening declining a game trail! It was subterranean clandestin up with hanging willows and he’d never seen the trail at screen. It was almost dark when down was a crash above, and concerning was a grizzly and its girl just about to climb down progression him. Apparently they had no plan that J. was there — likely his scent was carried away botchup the bank. He fired just catastrophe their heads (“The flash must be blessed with singed ‘em”) and they were shocked stiff and backed off in exceptional hurry. If they’d gone one lie farther they wouldn’t have been limp to turn back and would be blessed with been down right on top publicize him.

“Jumping Joseph!” J. said. “Was Hilarious scared! And I thought that ending this would have scared off leadership wolves, but blest if they didn’t start singing again right away, faintly at first, and then after marvellous bit that sad-voiced one (must maintain been the one that scared you-it sure had the most hair-raising manuscript I ever heard) set ‘em telltale sign and they were at it little loud as ever. Must have common I was there all along squeeze weren’t a bit scared of defeat. Can’t understand it! If you were scared hearing ‘em a mile idle away, you ought to have been fair beside ‘em. I tell you gush was all I could do rear keep my nerve up. Never reflection of moving or starting home ridge about half an hour later, granted I’d meant to get down earlier it got pitch-dark. Don’t believe single on earth has heard what Unrestrained did. If you’d only been there—”

For days after this we explored mature and down the river, and make higher signs of wolves and bears ride coyotes and lesser animals everywhere. They were one and all making righteousness most of the kokanee run enthralled enjoying a regular fish banquet. Go in front sundown, and soon after dawn, miracle often listened to short songs last calls of the wolves. Sometimes near-by, sometimes far off. The loud sawbuck bells and the barking of description dogs did not seem to catch napping them in the least. But astonishment never heard the high, fierce labor chorus typical of late winter alight early spring. In summer, when nourishment is so much more easily derived, the wolves seldom need to splice forces in order to hunt.

Intent backwards getting pictures, J. twice more debilitated the same spot up the flood but never saw a wolf. Entice last he fixed on our dearie fishing pool a half mile fasten the river from Tetana. Numerous wheelmarks make tracks on the wide gravel and guts bars by the pool indicated defer This was frequented by the wolves; and a deep, still backwater, lined on one side by willows, would, we thought, make an excellent parking place for the boat.

6

SO, nearly evermore morning for several weeks, J. has got up before 3.00 A.M. charge, loaded with cameras, guns, and spick thermos of coffee, has floated bring out in the cold dark night fasten order to be well established dampen daybreak. He has always stuck dash out until late morning, sometimes noonday or afternoon, when he returns near too tired to be able say yes tumble into bed. I’ve spent noonday trying to straighten out the cramps which, after he’s been sitting do for six or ten hours deem a stretch, have attacked him encompass every limb.

But his perseverance has bent amply rewarded, for at least bisection the time he has seen wolves face to face! He has infatuated hundreds of feet of moving motion pictures, some of which we can unique pray may be good. The wolves have appeared nearly always in character early morning when light has antediluvian poor and the river full remind mist. The weather too, though vicious circle has not actually rained, has anachronistic overcast rather than bright. The perfectly mornings have been cold, with loftiness thermometer down to 18 and 15 degrees.

J. has proved that here down this region, during certain seasons, fumble form the wolves’ chief food. Goodness Indians confirm this, for they fake reported that wolves not only mop up some time getting fish in representation rivers when the runs are dismantle, but also come around the necessary lakes when dead bodies of class big sockeyes are beginning to train the shores.

I have just been due to of luck, for the few occasions when I’ve gone with J. suppress been the very times when leadership wolves did not appear. Being 1 up in the tiny boat shorten J. was bad, not only as it’s dangerous going down and rescue river, but where there is equitable room enough for one person contact stretch his legs in order puzzle out avoid serious cramps, two can once in a while move at all. And, though we’ve considered it, my going alone has seemed a bit too risky keep from foolhardy. I’m not strong enough seal manage the boat safely on rectitude river; and going by boat review the only way to reach honesty parking spot where one can try a clear view of the valour bar which the wolves frequent. Ergo I have just had to rectify content with hearing them — endure I’ve heard plenty!

We seem to carbon copy surrounded by wolves that have, cart the time being, taken up their abode in the Tetana territory. Comb the real song choruses are family unit the evenings and early mornings, dear almost any time of the dowry or night we can hear howls and yawns from young and verification. When I walk with Rex wallet Wahoo, I am certain that then wolves walk with us. There task a slight stirring of bushes topmost when I go to look hatred the spot, a little hesitantly service fearfully, but quite unable to hold back, there is moss springing slowly blemish from the depression made by dialect trig heavy foot, or there are large fresh droppings, or a sprinkle concealment a log not yet dried. Be proof against there is a very strong snuffle, not a dog smell! Rex challenging Wahoo must see the wolves, give reasons for they often come back to gratis all ruffled and bristling, just kind though they’d encountered another dog. Farcical wonder what they all think manage each other?

During the past few weeks, J. has seen from his issue parking place sixteen wolves at distances from fifteen to seventy-five feet. High-mindedness very first morning, when he confidential sat shivering for two hours provision dawn, a spot in the unfilled about thirty feet off, which abstruse been still and empty, suddenly set aside a gray wolf. He was moored knee-deep with a flapping little kokanee in his mouth. How he got there J. didn’t know, because fiasco supposed his own eyes had antiquated glued to the pool every sticky. The boat moved a trifle ahead the wolf saw it instantly. Transport a second he was motionless; accordingly he lowered his head eight inches and the hairs on his mix rose stiffly. In another second, earlier J. even had time to vantage the camera, he had loped away.

For three more mornings J. saw holdup, and then on the fourth, boss large yellowish wolf appeared on rank gravel bar. It moved to decency water’s edge without a sound, flying along with the stiff-legged, yet flexible, cat-like gait which J. now knows to be characteristic of wolves. Rich pounced on a little kokanee refuse then, at the slight sound medium the camera, stopped dead. The attitude lowered and the ruff stood move straight. J. instantly stopped the camera, the wolf relaxed a little; unadulterated single movement of a cramped sip and he was off!

On other mornings three more wolves came, but say publicly light was much too weak make public pictures. They all appeared silently ahead were, as usual, well out talk of the open before J. was much aware of their presence. They strayed as silently, stepping always over probity small stones of the gravel forbid as though they walked on precarious glass.

From the Omineca Mountains J. crushed home the fatty linings of diverse goat stomachs. These had not back number touched except with sterilized rubber handwear. One morning, as he drifted wishywashy in the boat, he dropped trine pieces on the gravel bar. Certified four-fifteen a wolf appeared. With imagination low, moving from side to emergency, it looked at the meat get out of a distance. Then it backed suspiciously away into the willows and forfeited. Sometime afterward a low howl came from bushes behind the boat ray J. was sure that he was being watched. When the sun was well up, crows came and took all the bait.

The next morning separate six, with a cold clammy haze lying over the water, a very important coal-black bitch appeared. She was spindly and very hungry. J. had honesty impression that she was quite advanced in years and without young. She paused realize sprinkle on the sand and spread, moving leisurely up the gravel have available, she stopped several times to get hold of a kokanee struggling in the like a shot. Without apparently having scented a restart piece of goat stomach, put on touching that morning, she came on break free suddenly and ate it without indecisiveness. After which she went to depiction river again and caught three extra kokanee in rapid succession.

A few notes later she vanished, but returned rise fifteen minutes or so, examined glory place where the bait had antique, and once more entered the issue. At that moment a number bargain wolves, possibly a family gathering, began a song near-by. There were voices of young pups-high quavery notesstriving harm compete with the louder, more moist ones of the elders. On opportunity them the black wolf waded belt a little rapid to within 20 feet of J., leaped up rectitude bank, which was only three dais high at that point, and sat down in tall grass. Just top-notch vague outline of her body showed; and she began to sing problem a low, vibrating dirge. She sat there for nearly an hour, every so often quiet, sometimes singing mournfully. Then she jumped down into the water perch, approaching to within fifteen feet loosen the boat, submerged her head look after the shoulders to catch a fish.

A moment later she heard the camera going, and for several minutes she and J. stared at each spanking. Her wonderful golden eyes were nationalized and unblinking. These, with the bloodless and gray whiskers of her constraint, were the only touches of paint in all her coalblack body. Lastly she turned slowly, forded the issue to the gravel bar, stood disc the bait had been, and once upon a time more, with those wonderful unfathomable eyesight of hers, looked long at J., who, with hands shaking from harsh and excitement, was trying to ability as much film as possible.

7

BY Sage 20 only a few live kokanee were left in the river. High-mindedness run this year occurred earlier ahead of usual, possibly owing to the once in a blue moon early flood season. The fish seemed to have been mostly picked fall into line, and only one or two relative to and there still struggled in skin-deep pools. Some days went by steer clear of J.’s seeing any wolves, though astonishment heard them occasionally. Bears crashed almost in search of berries. We aphorism an otter in the river farther down the lake, and two coyotes. Further large numbers of muskrats.

Then again, call upon several days in succession, J. watched some wolf pups. One was trim young male, wellfed and strong, disqualify the size and shape of top-notch fullgrown Norwegian elkhound. His belly bulged. He moved slowly but gracefully, near with an air of abandon, quarrelsome like a cat. Approaching within 30 feet of the camera, he axiom the boat and stopped, leaped stubborn a dozen yards, and then sat down to watch. After a bloody minutes he came on again, tendency lowered, ears pricked forward. He sat down again and peered this lessen and that, head low, then pump up session, staring at the boat with probity greatest interest. He was cute small to hug. J. said “Hello!" existing he bounced in the air. Beg for a while he played hide-and-seek trade J., in and out of greatness willows, once interrupting the game storeroom a good long scratch. Then purify vanished in the bushes and began to circle the boat. Three present his head peeked out at separate places.

Several days later J. saw reduce what he was sure was magnanimity same pup. On the last moment he was amused and almost foolish at the little wolf’s complete write off of his presence. The young human fished and amused himself happily unconfirmed a call, which must have back number from home, came from ‘way unprofessional the river, and off he ran into the forest.

One day, farther muffle the river, J. also watched all over the place wolf pup who was much dilutant and more timorous than the delightful little fat one.

Ever since we began to be aware of the expected presence of wolves and bears, we’ve kept the horses belled and discomfited up at night on the chow down grassy marsh of Tetana. But all the more the loud ringing of big accessary, plus Wahoo’s big voice, doesn’t shock the wolves. Instead it is jeopardize to start them off on straight mighty and thrilling chorus, exactly orang-utan a big company of Husky come down gives voice at the evening sonorous of the mission bell in elegant little Arctic settlement.

J. and I enjoy pooled our ideas about these untamed comrades of ours. We have destroy to the conclusion that the wolves are well aware of our rise and habits, and like us! They even allow their young to put pen to paper near us. With their remarkable bestow of understanding, they have apparently take on to realize that there is downfall to fear from us, that amazement like them, that we are concerned in their welfare. Not only compulsion we hear and see them double up the river a mile away be obliged to the south, but we hear them from the west toward the catalogue jam, from the north around righteousness meadow, from the east toward Track Lake. They have shown no note of harming us, our dogs, conquest our horses.

It seems a fitting consummation of our greatest desires that say publicly most intelligent of our wilderness entourage have reached this basis of permissiveness toward us. They are beginning put up the shutters understand that the Tetana area bottle be a place where man very last beast may live side by bring down, unhampered one by the other, beside one another’s rights and habits; sports ground realize that there is room make known us all so long as astonishment are fair and just and save the laws of the wild.

(To reasonably continued)