第 15 节
作者:卡车      更新:2021-02-19 00:08      字数:9272
  sweaty leather smell; one per cent。; of human body…scent (not discernible
  in some samples); one…half per cent。; smell of iron; a trace。
  The old Wolf crouched a little but sniffed hard with swinging nose; the
  young Wolf imitatively did the same。 She backed off to a greater distance;
  the Cub stood。 She gave a low whine; he followed unwillingly。 She circled
  around the tempting carcass; a new smell was recordedCoyote trail…scent;
  soon followed by Coyote body…scent。 Yes; there they were sneaking along
  a near ridge; and now as she passed to one side the samples changed; the
  wind   had   lost   nearly   every   trace   of   Calf;   miscellaneous;   commonplace;
  and uninteresting smells were there instead。 The human track…scent was as
  before; the trace of leather was gone; but fully one…half per cent; of iron…
  odor; and body smell of man raised to nearly two per cent。
  Fully alarmed; she conveyed her fear to the Cub; by her rigid pose; her
  air intent; and her slightly bristling mane。
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  She continued her round。 At one time on a high place the human body
  scent   was   doubly   strong;   then   as   she   dropped   it   faded。   Then   the   wind
  brought the full calf…odor with several track…scents of Coyotes and sundry
  Birds。 Her suspicions were lulling as in a smalling circle she neared the
  tempting   feast   from  the   windward   side。   She   had   even   advanced   straight
  toward   it   for   a   few   steps   when   the   sweaty   leather   sang   loud   and   strong
  again; and smoke and iron mingled like two strands of a parti…colored yarn。
  Centring   all   her   attention   on   this;   she   advanced   within   two   leaps   of   the
  Calf。 There on the ground was a scrap of leather; telling also of a human
  touch; close at hand the Calf; and now the iron and smoke on the full vast
  smell of Calf were like a snake trail across the trail of a whole Beef herd。
  It was so slight that the Cub; with the appetite and impatience of youth;
  pressed up against his mother's shoulder to go past and eat without delay。
  She seized him by the neck and flung him back。 A stone struck by his feet
  rolled   forward   and   stopped   with   a   peculiar   clink。 The   danger  smell   was
  greatly increased at this; and the Yellow Wolf backed slowly from the feast;
  the Cub unwillingly following。
  As   he   looked   wistfully   he   saw   the   Coyotes   drawing   nearer;   mindful
  chiefly to avoid the Wolves。 He watched their really cautious advance; it
  seemed like heedless   rushing compared   with his   mother's approach。 The
  Calf smell rolled forth in exquisite and overpowering excellence now; for
  they were tearing the meat; when a sharp clank was heard and a yelp from
  a Coyote。 At the same time the quiet night was shocked with a roar and a
  flash   of   fire。   Heavy   shots   spattered   Calf   and   Coyotes;   and   yelping   like
  beaten   Dogs   they   scattered;   excepting   one   that   was   killed   and   a   second
  struggling   in   the   trap   set   here   by   the   ever…active   wolvers。   The   air   was
  charged      with    the   hateful    smells    redoubled      now;    and    horrid    smells
  additional。 The Yellow Wolf glided down a hollow and led her Cub away
  in flight; but; as they went; they saw a man rush from the bank near where
  the mother's nose had warned her of the human scent。 They saw him kill
  the caught Coyote and set the traps for more。
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  VI
  THE BEGUILING OF THE YELLOW WOLF
  The life game is a hard game; for we may win ten thousand times; and
  if   we   fail   but   once   our   gain   is   gone。   How   many   hundred   times   had   the
  Yellow Wolf scorned the traps; how many Cubs she had trained to do the
  same! Of all the dangers to her life she best knew traps。
  October had come; the Cub was now much taller than the mother。 The
  wolver   had   seen   them   oncea Yellow  Wolf   followed   by  another;   whose
  long; awkward legs; big; soft feet; thin neck; and skimpy tail proclaimed
  him this year's Cub。 The record of the dust and sand said that the old one
  had lost a right front toe; and that the young one was of giant size。
  It was the wolver that thought to turn the carcass of the Calf to profit;
  but he was disappointed in getting Coyotes instead of Wolves。 It was the
  beginning   of   the   trapping   season;   for   this   month   fur   is   prime。 A  young
  trapper often fastens the bait on the trap; an experienced one does not。 A
  good trapper will even put the bait at one place and the trap ten or twenty
  feet   away;   but   at   a   spot   that   the   Wolf   is   likely   to   cross   in   circling。   A
  favorite   plan   is   to   hide   three   or   four   traps   around   an   open   place;   and
  scatter some scraps of meat in the middle。 The traps are buried out of sight
  after being smoked to hide the taint of hands and iron。 Sometimes no bait
  is used except a little piece of cotton or a tuft of feathers that may catch
  the Wolf's eye or pique its curiosity and tempt it to circle on the fateful;
  treacherous ground。 A good trapper varies his methods continually so that
  the   Wolves   cannot   learn   his   ways。   Their   only   safeguards   are   perpetual
  vigilance and distrust of all smells that are known to be of man。
  The   wolver;   with   a   load   of   the   strongest   steel   traps;   had   begun   his
  autumn work on the 'Cottonwood。'
  An    old   Buffalo   trail   crossing   the   river  followed   a   little   draw  that
  climbed the hills to the level upland。 All animals use these trails; Wolves
  and Foxes as well as Cattle and Deer: they are the main thoroughfares。 A
  cottonwood   stump   not   far   from   where   it   plunged   to   the   gravelly   stream
  was marked with Wolf signs that told the wolver of its use。 Here was an
  excellent place for traps; not on the trail; for Cattle were here in numbers;
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  but twenty yards away on a level; sandy spot he set four traps in a twelve…
  foot square。 Near each he scattered two or three scraps of meat; three or
  four white feathers on a spear of grass in the middle completed the setting。
  No human eye; few animal noses; could have detected the hidden danger
  of   that   sandy   ground;   when   the   sun   and   wind   and   the   sand   itself   had
  dissipated the man…track taint。
  The Yellow Wolf had seen and passed; and taught her giant son to pass;
  such traps a thousand times before。
  The Cattle came to water in the heat of the day。 They strung down the
  Buffalo path as once the Buffalo did。 The little Vesper…birds flitted before
  them; the Cowbirds rode on them; and the Prairie…dogs chattered at them;
  just as they once did at the Buffalo。
  Down      from    the   gray…green     mesa    with   its  green…gray     rocks;    they
  marched with imposing solemnity; importance; and directness of purpose。
  Some      frolicsome     Calves;    playing   along…side   the    trail;  grew   sober    and
  walked behind their mothers as the river flat was reached。 The old Cow
  that   headed   the   procession   sniffed   suspiciously   as   she   passed   the   〃trap
  set;〃 but it was far away; otherwise she would have pawed and bellowed
  over the scraps of bloody beef till every trap was sprung and harmless。
  But she led to the river。 After all had drunk their fill they lay down on
  the    nearest   bank    till  late  afternoon。    Then    their   unheard     dinner…gong
  aroused   them;   and   started   them   on   the   backward   march   to   where   the
  richest pastures grew。
  One or two small birds had picked at the scraps of meat; some blue…
  bottle    flies  buzzed     about;   but   the   sinking    sun   saw    the  sandy    mask
  untouched。
  A brown   Marsh   Hawk   came   skimming   over   the   river   flat   as   the   sun
  began his color play。 Blackbirds dashed into thickets; and easily avoided
  his clumsy pounce。 It was too early for the Mice; but; as he skimmed the
  ground; his keen eye caught the flutter of feathers by the trap and turned
  his   flight。  The    feathers   in  their  uninteresting     emptiness     were    exposed
  before   he   was   near;   but   now   he   saw   the   scraps   of   meat。   Guileless   of
  cunning; he alighted and was devouring a second lump whenclankthe
  dust was flirted high and the Marsh Hawk was held by his toes; struggling