re so near his own species that the one is often
taken for the other. But this is not all, for he will even eat his own
kind, on a pinch. He is as cunning as the fox himself, and as cowardly;
but at times, when impelled by hunger, he becomes bolder, and has been
known to attack man. Instances of this kind, however, are rare.

The American wolves burrow, and, like the fox, have several entrances
to their holes. A litter of young wolves numbers five puppies, but as
many as eight are often produced at one birth.

During their journey through the Barren Grounds our voyageurs had
frequently observed wolves. They were mostly grey ones, and of great
size, for they were travelling through a district where the very largest
kind is found. At times they saw a party of five or six together; and
these appeared to be following upon their trail--as each night, when
they came barking about the camp, our travellers recognised some of them
as having been seen before. They made no attempt to shoot any of
them--partly because they did not want either their skins or flesh, and
partly because their ammunition had been reduced to a small quantity,
and they did not wish to spend it unnecessarily.

The wolves, therefore, were allowed to approach very near the camp, and
howl as much as they liked--which they usually did throughout the
livelong night. What they found to allure them after our travellers, the
latter could not make out; as they had not shot an animal of any kind
since leaving the lake, and scarcely a scrap of anything was ever left
behind them. Perhaps the wolves were _living upon hope_.

One evening our travellers had made their camp on the side of a
ridge--which they had just crossed--and under the shelter of some rough
rocks. There was no wood in the neighbourhood wherewith to make a fire;
but they had scraped the snow from the place over which their tent was
pitched, and under it their skins were spread upon the ground. As the
tent was a very small one, Marengo's sledge, with the utensils and
pemmican bags, was always left outside close by the opening. Marengo
himself slept there, and that was considered sufficient to secure all
these things from wolves, or any other creatures that might be prowling
about.

On the evening in question, the sledge was in its usual place--the dog
having been taken from it--and as our voyageurs had not yet had their
supper, the pemmican bags were lying loosely about, one or two of them
being op