is,
most of them have learned to shun people as deadly enemies. They have
been poisoned, trapped, and shot at until they have become shy, and
it is no longer easy to make their acquaintance. Indeed, since the
settlement of the country, notwithstanding far the greater portion is
yet wild, it is difficult to find any of the larger animals that once
were numerous and comparatively familiar, such as the bear, wolf,
panther, lynx, deer, elk, and antelope.

As early as 1843, while the settlers numbered only a few thousands, and
before any sort of government had been organized, they came together
and held what they called "a wolf meeting," at which a committee
was appointed to devise means for the destruction of wild animals
destructive to tame ones, which committee in due time begged to report
as follows:--

It being admitted by all that bears, wolves, panthers, etc., are
destructive to the useful animals owned by the settlers of this
colony, your committee would submit the following resolutions as
the sense of this meeting, by which the community may be governed
in carrying on a defensive and destructive war on all such
animals:--

Resolved, 1st.--That we deem it expedient for the community to take
immediate measures for the destruction of all wolves, panthers, and
bears, and such other animals as are known to be destructive to
cattle, horses, sheep and hogs.

2d.--That a bounty of fifty cents be paid for the destruction of a
small wolf, $3.00 for a large wolf, $1.50 for a lynx, $2.00 for a
bear and $5.00 for a panther.

This center of destruction was in the Willamette Valley. But for
many years prior to the beginning of the operations of the "Wolf
Organization" the Hudson's Bay Company had established forts and trading
stations over all the country, wherever fur-gathering Indians could be
found, and vast numbers of these animals were killed. Their destruction
has since gone on at an accelerated rate from year to year as the
settlements have been extended, so that in some cases it is difficult to
obtain specimens enough for the use of naturalists. But even before any
of these settlements were made, and before the coming of the Hudson's
Bay Company, there was very little danger to be met in passing through
this wilderness as far as animals were concerned, and but little of
any kind as compared with the dangers encountered in crowded houses and
streets.

When Lewis and Clark made