The Young Voyageurs: Boy Hunters in the North

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

  A BATTLE WITH WOLVES.

  Next morning they were up by early daybreak. The days were now only afew hours in length, for it was mid-winter, and they were but three orfour degrees south of the Arctic circle. Of course they would requireall the day for the intended hunt of the caribou, as they might have tofollow the track of the herd for many miles before coming up with theanimals. Lucien was to remain by the camp, as it would never do toleave the animals they had already lulled without some guard. To havehung them on the trees, would have put them out of the reach of bothwolves and foxes; but the lynx and wolverene are both tree-climbers, andcould easily have got at them there. They had reason to believe therewere wolverenes about; for these fierce and destructive beasts are foundin every part of the fur countries--wherever there exist other animalsupon which they can prey. Eagles, hawks, and owls, moreover, would havepicked the partridges from the branches of the trees without difficulty.One proposed burying them in the snow; but Norman assured them that theArctic foxes could scent them out, and dig them up in a few minutes.Then it was suggested to cover them under a pile of stones, as therewere plenty of these lying about. To this Norman also objected, sayingthat the wolverene could pull off any stones they were able to pile uponthem--as this creature in its fore-legs possesses more than the strengthof a man. Besides, it was not unlikely that one of the great brownbears,--a species entirely different from either the black or grizzlybears, and which is only met with on the Barren Grounds--might comeranging that way; and he could soon toss over any stone-heap they mightbuild. On the whole it was better that one of the four should remain bythe camp; and Lucien, who cared less about hunting than any of them,willingly agreed to be the one.

  Their arrangements were soon completed, and the three hunters set out.They did not go straight towards the place where Norman had found thedeer upon the preceding day, but took a cross-cut over the hills. Thiswas by Norman's advice, who guided himself by the wind--which had notchanged since the previous day. He knew that the caribou in feedingalways travel _against_ the wind; and he expected therefore to find themsomewhere in the direction from which it was blowing. Following acourse, which angled with that of the wind, they kept on, expecting soonto strike the trail of the herd.

  Meanwhile Lucien, left to himself, was not idle. He had to prepare theflesh of the different animals, so as to render it fit to be carriedalong. Nothing was required farther than to skin and cut them up.Neither salting nor drying was necessary, for the flesh of one and allhad got frozen as stiff as a stone, and in this way it would keep duringthe whole winter. The wolf was skinned with the others, but this wasbecause his fine skin was wanted. His flesh was not intended to beeaten--although only a day or two before any one of the party would havebeen glad of such a meal. Not only the Indians, but the voyageurs andfur-traders, while journeying through these inhospitable wilds, areoften but too delighted to get a dinner of wolf-meat. The ermine andthe little mouse were the only other creatures of the collection thatwere deemed uneatable. As to the Arctic fox and the lynx, the flesh ofboth these creatures is highly esteemed, and is white and tender, almostas much so as the hares upon which they feed. The snowy owl too, thejerfalcon, and the eagle, were looked upon as part of the larder--theflesh of all being almost as good as that of the grouse. Had it been afishing eagle--such as the bald-head--the case would have beendifferent, for these last, on account of their peculiar food, taste rankand disagreeable. But there was no danger of their falling in with afishing eagle at that place. These can only exist where there is _open_water. Hence the cause of their annual migrations to the southward,when the lakes and rivers of the fur countries become covered with theirwinter ice.

  Though Lucien remained quietly at the camp he was not without adventuresto keep him from wearying. While he was singeing his grouse his eyehappened to fall upon the shadow of a bird passing over the snow. Onlooking up he saw a very large bird, nearly as big as an eagle, flyingsoftly about in wide circles. It was of a mottled-brown colour; but itsshort neck and great round head told the naturalist at a glance that itwas a bird of the owl genus. It was the largest of the kind that Lucienhad ever seen, and was, in fact, the largest known in America--the"great cinereous owl" (_Strix cinerea_). Now and then it would alightupon a rock or tree, at the distance of an hundred yards or so from thecamp; where it would watch the operations of Lucien, evidently inclinedto help him in dissecting some of the animals. Whenever he took up hisgun and tried to approach within shot, it would rise into the air again,always keeping out of range. Lucien was provoked at this--for hewished, as a naturalist, to examine the bird, and for this purpose tokill it, of course; but the owl seemed determined that he should do nosuch thing.

  At length, however, Lucien resolved upon a plan to decoy the creaturewithin shot. Taking up one of the grouse, he flung it out upon the snowsome thirty yards from the fire. No sooner had he done so, than theowl, at sight of the tempting morsel, left aside both its shyness andprudence, and sailed gently forward; then, hovering for a moment overthe ground, hooked the grouse upon its claws, and was about to carry itoff, when a bullet from Lucien's rifle, just in the "nick of time," puta stop to its further flight, and dropped the creature dead upon thesnow.

  Lucien picked it up and brought it to the camp, where he passed sometime in making notes upon its size, colour, and other peculiarities.The owl measured exactly two feet in length from the point of the billto the end of the tail; and its "alar spread," as naturalists term it,was full five feet in extent. It was of a clove-brown colour,beautifully mottled with white, and its bill and eyes were of a brightgamboge yellow. Like all of its tribe that winter in the Arctic wilds,it was feathered to the toes. Lucien reflected that this species livesmore in the woods than the "great snowy owl," and, as he had heard, isnever found far out on the Barren Grounds during winter. This fact,therefore, was a pleasant one to reflect upon, for it confirmed thetestimony which the travellers had already obtained from several of theother creatures they had killed--that is to say, that they must be inthe neighbourhood of some timbered country.

  Lucien had hardly finished his examination of the owl when he was calledupon to witness another incident of a much more exciting nature. Ahill, as already mentioned, or rather a ridge, rose up from the oppositeshore of the lake by which the camp was pitched. The declivity of thishill fronted the lake, and sloped gradually back from the edge of thewater. Its whole face was smooth and treeless, covered with a layer ofpure snow. The camp commanded a full view of it up to its very crest.

  As Lucien was sitting quietly by the fire a singular sound, or rathercontinuation of sounds, fell upon his ear. It somewhat resembled thebaying of hounds at a distance; and at first he was inclined to believethat it was Marengo on a view-hunt after the deer. On listening moreattentively, however, he observed that the sounds came from more thanone animal; and also, that they bore more resemblance to the howling ofwolves than the deep-toned bay of a bloodhound. This, in fact, it was;for the next moment a caribou shot up over the crest of the hill, andwas seen stretching at full gallop down the smooth declivity in thedirection of the lake. Not twenty paces in its rear followed a stringof howling animals, evidently in pursuit of it. There were a dozen ofthem in all, and they were running exactly like hounds upon the "viewholloa." Lucien saw at a glance they were wolves. Most of them weredappled-grey and white, while some were of a pure white colour. Any oneof them was nearly as large as the caribou itself; for in these parts--around Great Slave Lake--the wolf grows to his largest size.

  The caribou gained upon them as it bounded down the slope of the hill.It was evidently making for the lake, believing, no doubt, that theblack ice upon its surface was water, and that in that element it wouldhave the advantage of its pursuers, for the caribou is a splendidswimmer. Nearly all deer when hunted take to the water--to throw offthe dogs, or escape from men--and to this habit the reindeer makes noexception.

  Down the hill swept th
e chase, Lucien having a full view both ofpursuers and pursued. The deer ran boldly. It seemed to have gatheredfresh confidence at sight of the lake, while the same object caused itspursuers a feeling of disappointment. They knew they were no match fora caribou in the water, as no doubt many a one had escaped them in thatelement. It is not likely, however, that they made reflections of thissort. There was but little time. From the moment of their appearanceupon the crest of the hill till the chase arrived at the edge of thelake, was but a few seconds. On reaching the shore the caribou made nostop; but bounded forward in the same way as if it had been springingupon water. Most likely it expected to hear a plunge; but, instead ofthat, its hoofs came down upon the hard ice; and, by the impulse thusgiven, the animal shot out with the velocity of a skater. Strange tosay, it still kept its feet; but, now seemingly overcome by surprise,and knowing the advantage its pursuers would have over it upon theslippery ice, it began to plunge and flounder, and once or twice came toits knees. The hungry pursuers appeared to recognise their advantage atonce, for their howling opened with a fresh burst, and they quickenedtheir pace. Their sharp claws enabled them to gallop over the ice attop speed; and one large brute that led the pack soon came up with thedeer, sprang upon it, and bit it in the flank. This brought the deerupon its haunches, and at once put an end to the chase. The animal washardly down upon the ice, when the foremost wolves coming upprecipitated themselves upon its body, and began to devour it.

  It was about the middle of the lake where the caribou had beenovertaken. At the time it first reached the ice, Lucien had laid holdof his rifle and run forward in order to meet the animal halfway, and,if possible, get a shot at it. Now that the creature was killed, hecontinued on with the design of driving off the wolves, and securing thecarcass of the deer for himself. He kept along the ice until he waswithin less than twenty yards of the pack, when, seeing that the fiercebrutes had torn the deer to pieces, and perceiving, moreover, that theyexhibited no fear of himself, he began to think he might be in danger byadvancing any nearer. Perhaps a shot from his rifle would scatter them,and without further reflection he raised the piece, and fired. One ofthe wolves kicked over upon the ice, and lay quite dead; but the others,to Lucien's great surprise, instead of being frightened off, immediatelysprang upon their dead companion, and commenced tearing and devouringit, just as they had done the deer!

  The sight filled Lucien with alarm; which was increased at seeingseveral of the wolves--that had been beaten by the others from thequarry--commence making demonstrations towards himself! Lucien nowtrembled for his safety, and no wonder. He was near the middle of thelake upon slippery ice. To attempt running back to the camp would behazardous; the wolves could overtake him before he had got halfway, andhe felt certain that any signs of fear on his part would be the signalfor the fierce brutes to assail him.

  For some moments he was irresolute how to act. He had commenced loadinghis gun, but his fingers were numbed with the cold, and it was a goodwhile before he could get the piece ready for a second fire. Hesucceeded at length. He did not fire then, but resolved to keep thecharge for a more desperate crisis. Could he but reach the camp therewere trees near it, and one of these he might climb. This was his onlyhope, in case the wolves attacked him, and he knew it was. Instead ofturning and running for this point, he began to back for it stealthilyand with caution, keeping his front all the while towards the wolves,and his eyes fixed upon them. He had not got many yards, when heperceived to his horror, that the whole pack were in motion, and _comingafter him_! It was a terrible sight, and Lucien, seeing that byretreating he only drew them on, stopped and held his rifle in athreatening attitude. The wolves were now within twenty yards of him;but, instead of moving any longer directly towards him, they broke intotwo lines, swept past on opposite sides of him, and then circling round,met each other in his rear. _His retreat was cut off_!

  He now stood upon the ice with the fierce wolves forming a ring aroundhim, whose diameter was not the six lengths of his gun, and _every_moment growing shorter and shorter. The prospect was appalling. Itwould have caused the stoutest heart to quail, and Lucien's wasterrified. He shouted at the top of his voice. He fired his rifle atthe nearest. The brute fell, but the others showed no symptoms of fear;they only grew more furious. Lucien clubbed his gun--the last resort insuch cases--and laid around him with all his might; but he was in dangerof slipping upon the ice, and his efforts were feeble. Once down henever would have risen again, for his fierce assailants would havesprung upon him like tigers. As it was, he felt but little hope. Hebelieved himself lost. The teeth of the ferocious monsters gleamedunder his eyes. He was growing weaker and weaker, yet still he battledon, and swept his gun around him with the energy of despair. Such astruggle could not have continued much longer. Lucien's fate would havebeen sealed in a very few minutes more, had not relief arrived in someshape or other. But it did come. A loud shout was heard upon the hill;and Lucien, glancing suddenly towards it, saw several forms rushingdownward to the lake! It was the hunting party returned, and in amoment more they were crossing the ice to his rescue. Lucien gainingconfidence fought with fresh vigour. The wolves busy in their attackhad either not heard or were regardless of the new-comers; but the"crack, crack" of the guns--repeated no less than four times--and thenthe nearer reports of pistols, made a speedy impression upon the brutes,and in a short while half their number were seen tumbling and kickingupon the ice. The rest, uttering their hideous howls, took to flight,and soon disappeared from the valley; and Lucien, half dead withfatigue, staggered into the arms of his deliverers.

  No less than seven of the wolves were killed in the affray--two of whichLucien had shot himself. One or two were only wounded, but so badly,that they could not get away; and these were handed over to the tendermercies of Marengo, who amused himself for some time after by worryingthem to death.

  The hunting party had made a good day of it. They had fallen in withthe caribou, and had killed three of them. These they were bringing tocamp, but had dropped them upon the hill, on perceiving the perilousposition of Lucien. They now went back, and having carried the deer totheir camping-place, were soon engaged in the pleasant occupation ofeating a savoury dinner. Lucien soon recovered from his fright andfatigue, and amused his companions by giving an account of theadventures that had befallen him in their absence.