The wolverene, or glutton, carries off the palm for cunning from all the
other animals. It is also more ferocious and daring for its size than
even the huge grizzly, while for voracity it is unsurpassed. In
appearance, it is somewhat similar to a young bear. It is of a
brownish-black colour, with a black muzzle and eyes of a dark hue, the
space between them being of a brown tint. The paws are also quite
black, contrasting with the ivory whiteness of the claws. It possesses
large and expanded paws, to enable it to pass over frozen snow; indeed,
so large are they, that its footsteps are often mistaken for the tracks
of the bear. In one of its habits it resembles Mr Bruin, having the
custom, when it finds an animal which it cannot devour at one meal, of
carrying off the remainder and hiding it in some secure place.
The glutton moves at a somewhat slow pace, and appears rather deficient
in agility; but at the same time he is persevering and determined, and
will range over a wide extent of country in search of weak or dying
animals, stealing unawares upon hares and birds, etcetera. When he
takes a fancy to some larger quadruped as it lies asleep, he springs
upon it, tearing open the neck and throat. He is supposed to prefer
putrid flesh, and the odour which proceeds from him would lead us to
suppose that such is the case. The trappers look upon him with especial
hatred, as, with his usual cunning, he seeks out their hoards of
provisions in _cache_, and destroys their marten-traps. He himself is
so sly that he is seldom caught in a snare. When he finds one, he
approaches it from behind, and pulling it to pieces from the outside,
carries off the bait. The marten-hunter will go forth and set a line of
traps, extending to upwards of forty miles in length or circumference.
The wolverene, observing what he is about, follows at a distance,
carefully pulling the traps to pieces as he leaves them behind, and
eating off the heads of the partridges or other birds which have been
used as bait, declining all the time to run his nose into danger. When
a sable or marten is entrapped, he tears out the dead animal and carries
it away. It is even supposed that he will attack a hibernating bear in
his den, and manage to kill him before Bruin has aroused himself
sufficiently for his defence.
The wolverene is the fur-trapper's greatest foe, and, as may be
supposed, he has no mercy shown him. The cunning creature, moreover, in
spite of his cleverness, sometimes gets caught. Mr Paul Kane, in one
of his journeys across the country, had left a _cache_ composed of logs
built together, something like a log-house, but not very closely fitted.
Impelled by hunger after a long journey, he and his companion on their
way back reached their _cache_, and began throwing off the heavy logs
which covered the top and concealed it. The Indian, hearing a great
disturbance within, called to Mr Kane to fetch the guns. Just as he
got up, a fine fat wolverene jumped out, but was immediately shot down.
The creature must have been starved and desperately thin to have
squeezed himself through the openings between the logs, and no doubt,
impelled by hunger and the smell of the meat inside, had not thought
much of a slight squeeze. When, however, he was once in, and had
enjoyed a few good meals, he could not get out again, and the idea of
starving himself as long as the meat lasted did not appear to have
occurred to him.
The disappointment to the hungry travellers was very great, as but
little food was left, and that was mangled, torn, and tossed about in
the dirt by the animal.