Litchfield enquirer., 1835-05-07
WOLVES IN ILLINOIS.


 Attacking the famiiy of e Back Settler.
 Wolves are very numerous in every part of Illinois. There are two kinds tho common or black wolf, and prairie wolf. The former is a large fierce animal, destructive 10 sheep, pigs, calves, poultry, and even young colts. They hunt in large; packs, and after using every stratagem to circumvent their prey, attack it with re- markable ferocity. Like the Indian, they endeavor to surprise their victims. and strike the mortal blow. without exposing themselves to danger. They seldom at tack men, except when asieep.o or wounded. The largest animals, when entangled or otherwise disabled, become their prey but in general, they only attack such as are in- capable of resistance. They have been known to lie in wait on the bank of a stream, which the bnffaloes were in hab. 1t of crossing. and, when one of these un- wfeidy animals was so unfortunate as to sink in the mire, spring suddenly upon IL, and worry it to death, while thus disabled from resistance. Their most common prey is the deer, which they hunt regularly; but all defenceless animals are alike accepta-i ble to their ravenous appe,ites. When tempted by hunger, they approach the farm house by night, and snatch their prey from under the very eye and hand of the farmer; and, when the latter is absent with his dogs, the wolfis occasionally seen lurking about in mid day, as ifaware ofthe unprotected state of the family. Heroic women have sometimes shot them, under such circumstances. At other times they have been repeIled by fire brands.
 The smell of burning assafoetida has a remarkable effect upon this animal. lfa J lG-,-al a-:.. 4.l a~,sA ~tsa "a Purtiun of this drug thrown into it, so as to satu- rate the atmosphere with the odor, the wolves, within reach of the scent, imme- diately assemble around, howling in the most mournful manner and such is the remarkable fascination under which the, seem to labor, that they will often suffer themselves to be shot down rather than quit the spot.
 or the very few instances of their at- tacking human beings, of which we have heard. the following may serve to give some idea of lheir habits. In very carly times, negro man was passing in the night, in inc lower part of Kentucky, from one settlement to another. The distance was several miles, and the country over which he travelled entirely unsettled. In the morning his carcase was found stripped of flesh. Near it lay his axe covered with blood, and all around the bushes were beat en down, the ground trodden, and the num- Der of foot tracks was so great, as to show, that the unfortunate victim had fought long and manfully. On inspecting his track, il appeared that the wolves had pursued him for considerable distance he had often turned upon them and driven them back. Several times they had attacked him. and been repelled, as appeared by the blood and tracks. He had killed some of them. before the final onset, and in ihe last con- fiict had destroyed several. His axe was his only weapon.
 On another occasion, many years ago, a man was going through the woods. with no companion bat his fiddle, when he discov- cred that a pack of wolves were on his track. They pursued very cautiously, but a few of them would sometimes dash up and growl. as if impatient for their prey. and then fall back again. As he had sev- eral miles 10 go, ne became much alarmed. He sometimes stopped. shouted. drove. hack his puFsuers, and then ppoeseded.--| The aDimals became moro and 7more auda- cious, sud would pr0bably have attacked him had he net 0PFiNSd at deaafted eakin