The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-03-02
From the Liverpool Journal.
THE WOLVES ATTACK.

NERDS. some l0ed OF Luelf NUMBERS ana OF III
daring manner in which they attack even nu
merous travellers, as well as the the Continue
terrors of the villagers on their account, maj
be formed from the following account of jour
ney from Carlscrona to Gottenburg.
The month Of December had just set in will
all the Tigors of a northern winter, when
formed one of party of five gentlemen wht
had started from Carlscrona, the principal sea
port in his Swedish Majesty's dominlons, tc
journey TO GOttenburg we had with us two
men servents and lad about fifteen years oil
age, the latter Of whom and one of my com.
panons, were my countrymen; the rest of the
party were Swedes and Danes with the excep.
ton of one Frenchman. We travelled in four
cars drawn each by one horse, and by dint of
having the head of the vehicle brought well
over, and being wrapt In numberless fnrs
cloaks, comlorteTs, &c, were tolerably well
able to defy both the frost and the still more
keen blast which swept over interminable fields
of winters livery.
! Our road was little diversified for the first
three days. At length we plunged into deep
forest through which our route lay, and where
good road had been prepared, but which we
! had great difficulty in keeping, in consequence
of the drifted snow.
Many miles of this forest had not been pass
ed beiore we became acquainted with the hide
horse Ever and anon a wolf would cross our
path, and sliding into the thCkest Of the forest
send forth terrific howl, which must confess,
was any thing but music TO my ear. The
horses invariably started, and trembled at eve
ry joint, whenever the noise of the wolfish
! herd betokened the vicinity and numbers of
those fearful animals; and 1T required all the
aid which our knowledge of the menGge could
furnish TO urge them forward, if the wolves,
which occasionally appeared, two or three to-
gether as evening approached, happened to
take their course along the road before the
cavalcade Nothing is more remarkable than
the extreme terror displayed by the horse at
the appearance of even a single wolf.
AS night came OH we cleared the main body
of the forest, through which we had passed
above forty miles, surrounded by the gloom of
innumerable fir tress ;.among which not liv-
ing being, either bird or beast, appeared TO cx-
list with the single and disagreeable exception
Of the rapacious wolf An opening of mile
or two on our right would have cheered US af-
ter our monotonous drive, varied only by the
affair Of changing horses at the solitary post
houses on the road side, had it not been at the
distance of quarter of a mile, we observed a
herd of about twenty of our enemies bending
their way towards US. They suddenly stopped,
however, and, after an appalling howl, dlsap.
peared in the forest. This small band had been
evidently alarmed at our numbers. Their APP
pearehce gave us timely notice of what we
might soon expect; and accordingly our guide
drew up, and we arranged to drive in closer
body, and Immediately prepared our fire arms.
This precaution was taken in a fortunate
moment, for we had Just got glimpse OF the
smoke of the village of Minesprach, at which
we intended to pass the night, and which was
about two miles off, when tremendous howl,
which came like peal of thunder among the
mountains of Switzerland, announced herd
of wolves in our rear.
The horses were already fatgued, but fear
gave them renewed strength, and they fled at a
dangerous rate towards the village. Their speed
was in vain. A discharge of fire arms from the
hndermost car bespoke the superior feetness
of the wolves. And in few moments, the
second in the line, in which drove, was ar
rested by at least nine or ten of the largest and
most powerful wolves have ever behcld My
companion, the Frenchman, exclaimed. cen est
fat de nous And ] really consider ed that he
spoke the truth. | had already discharged
three pistols and disabled as many wolves-the
Frenchman had done his part, and we had
jointly put the greater part of our assailants
hOrS dn combat: but our horse was dragged on
his knees, and while three of these monsters
were decorating the poor animals neck, a
fourth, an immense creature, with glaring eyes
and extended jaws, darted up, and would have
infallibly had the poor Frenchman by the throat,
had | not luckily at the moment seized my
car5ine rifle, which fortunately had bayonet
screwed on. | caught the creature on the
point, while my companion with aGmira BILE
readiness, coolly put pistol to the VOLTS eye,
and sent brace of balls through the savage
creatures head. The slaughter we had COM
mltted would not have saved us from the fangs
OF the herd, which believe consisted of hun
dred wolves, had not our guide. by firing n
large rocket as signal of distress TO the vii.
layers, given the savage animals alarm. The
| glare of the rocket drove off the greater part
OF the hard. and having wounded two, and
slain the third of our remaining foes, we alight-
| ed, and found that our companions had also
rldded themselves Of their fefocious aSsailants
We instantly collected the straw from the
bottom of the cars, and kndled fire to prevent
the renewal of the attack, intending TO await
the arrival of the villagers, whose torches we
perceived approaching the scene of action. On
examining our forces, we found that though
each car had been surrounded, ours had been
! the severest conflict with the exception OF that
IN which the two men servents and the lad
were. Their horse had reared, and in the
struggle overthrown the car. The unfortunate
men were each wounded. and the boy dreadful
y acerented, one of his thighs being complete.
| ly torn away. We bandaged the boys limb
and placed him in one of the other cars but
although every thing possible was done for him
he died from exhaustion before daylight
! The horse in the servants car was already
dead, and as ours was evidently dying we des.
patched thepoor animal. We counted nineteen
dead wolves, and had no doubt there were as
many wounded A crowd of villagers had ar.
rived, and attended by dozen torches, we soon
reached comfortable inn, where good sup
per, and some wine brought from Carlscrona
would, but for the melancholy state of the poor
lad, have induced us to laugh at the terrors OF
wolf attack.
MARTYHDoN AT THE STAKE. William Mar.
tyr, clergyman settled in Buckield, (Va.) was
travelling with two friends short time since
and passed through the pleasant town Of Ben.
nngton, (Vt) At dinner, beef steak was
placed before Mr. Martyr, who was so much
engrossed in attending to the calls of his appe
tite,. that he uttered not a word during The
meal. One of his companions remarked that