The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-02-29
From The Illinois .Haga,iae.

! " 'Dp h4'iNALos Ht DEdF Is EHIli0U
seem This animal inhabts those parts o.
'he country that are thickly wooded, and
, delights particularly in the cane brakes
where it feeds in the winter On The tender
shoots OF the yonng cane. The meat is
tender and finely favored, and is esteemed
great delcacy.
WolVes are very numerous in every part
of the State. There are two kinds the
common or black wolf, and the prairie wolf
, The former is a large fierce animal, and
very destructive to sheep, pigs, calves, poul-
try, and even young colts. They hunt in
large packs, and after using every strata
gem to circumvent their prey, attack it with
! remarkable ferocity. Like the Indian tney
always en1eavor to surprise their victim.
and strike the mortal blow without expos
/ ing themselves to danger. They seldom
attack man except when asleep or wound
ed. The largest animals, when wounded.
entangled, or otherwise disabled, become
their prey; but in general they attack such
as are incapable of resistance. They have
been known to lie in wait upon the banks of
the stream which the buffalo were in the
habit OF crossing, and when one of those I'M
wieldly animals was so unfortunate as TO
sink IN the mire, spring suddenly upon it
and worry it to death, while thus disabled
from resistance. Their most common prey
ls the deer, which they hunt regularly; but
all defenceless animals are alike acceptable
to their ravenous appetites. When tempted
by hunger, they approach farm-houses in the
night, and snatch their prey from under the
very eye of the farmer; and when the lat
ter is absent with his dogs, the wolf is
sometimes seen by the females, lurking
about in midday, as if aware Of the unpro-
tected state of the family. Our heroic fe-
males have sometimes shot them under such
circumstances.
The smell of burning assafetila has
remarkable effect upon this animal. If
fire be made in the woods, and a portion of
this drug he thrown into it, so as to saturate
the atmosphere with the odour, the wolves
within the reach of the scent Immediately
assemble around, bowling in the most
mournful manner, and such is the remaIk a-
BILE fascination under which they seem to
labor, that they will often suffer themselves
to be shot down rather than quit the spot.
Among the few instances of their attack
ing human beings of which we have heard,
the following may serve to give some iiea
of their habits: In very early times a
negro man was passing in the night in the
lower parts of Kentucky, from one settle
ment to another. The distance was sever
al miles, and the country over which he
travelled entirely unsettled. In the morn
ing his carcass was found entirely stripped
n flesh. Near 1t lay his axe covered with
blood, and all around the bushes were beat
en- down, the ground trodden, and the num-
Der OF footsteps so great as TO show that the
unfortunate victim had fought long and
maniully. On pursuing his track it appear
ed that the wolves had pursued him con-
siderable distance. and he had often turned
upon Them and driven them back. Several
tunes they had attacked, and been repealed,
as appeared by the blood and tracks He
had Killed some of them before the final on
set, and in his last conflict had destroyed
several. His axe was his only weapon.
VA another occasion nany wears ago. a
negro man was going through the woods
with no companion but his fiddle, when he
discovered that pack of wolves was on his
track. they pursued very cautiously, but
| few of them would sometimes dash up and
growl, as if impatient for their prey, and
then fall back again. As he had several
miles to go, he became much alarmed He
sometimes stopped, shouted, drove back his
pursuefs, and then preceded. The ami
mails became more and more audacious, and
would probably have attacked him had he
not arrived at deserted cabin which stood
by the way side. Into this he rushed for
shelter, and without waiting to shut the
door climbed up and seated himself upon
the rafters. The wolves dashed in after
HIM, and becoming quite ferocious, howled
and leaped and endeavored with every ex-
ertlon OF rage to get to him. The moon
was now shining bright, and Cuff being able
10 see his enemies, and satisfied of his own
safety, began to act on the offensive. Find
ing the cabin full of them, he crawled down
10 the top of the door, which he shut and
fastened. Then removing some of the
loose boards from the roof scattered them
with tremendous clatter upon such of his
foes as remained outside, who scampered
OF, while those in the house began to crouch
with Tear. He had now large number of
prisoners to stand guard over, until morning !;
D! ana drawing forth his fiddle, he very good
naturedly played for them all night, very
much, as he supposed, TO their editicaton
and amusement, for, like all genuine lovers
OF music, he imagined it had power to soft
en- even the heart of wolf On the ensu-
ing day some of the neighbors assembled
and destroyed the captives with great re-
joicing.
THE DEATH-BEps OF GREAT Men. If
lhere he any remarks which deserve to be
recorded for the benefit of mankind, they
are those which have been expressed on a
lying bed, when unfettered by prejudice or
passion, Truth shines forth in her real col
ors.
Sir John Hawkins has recorded of DR..
johnson, that when suffering under that
disease which ended in his dissolution, he
addressed his friends in the following
words =" You see the state am in, con-
hlcting with bodily pain and mental dis
traction. While you are in health and
'ls,fr Nr.NI II i 4