Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-12-15
A WesterIp b Adventure.

n man, who had been travelling Yves
in search of adventures and prof
! table investment, some time in 1S44
He had been stopped few weeks a
Mount Sterling, Illinois, in compan
: with three or four gentlemen, who
like himself, hailed from New Hamp
shire, and were ehaps not to be beatel
III courage and ventursome daring b,
| the baclxwoOdsmen themselves.
had the story from loosier, in Hoo
sier phraseology; but must give m,
own version, as the Peculiarities o
manner and twang are lost to my
memory though the tale is as fresh
as if heard yesterday. The compa.
ny had set out ON a deer-hunt and had
gone four or five miles on the prai-
ries, when th hey came to the woods.
The dogs hd ire set. up such a tre-
mer dous yelping, that the hunters
were sure they smelt the train Of a
wolf. The horses were set out in
good earnest after the dogs, and The
company were soon brought upon a
trail of a number of these lormila-
BILE animals. After few minutes
ride, they came to an opening the
dogs stopped at a hollow log, big
black walnut that had fallen and
been y burnt out. Here the wolves
were ienned. The log, six feet
through, furnished them a good hi
ding ph ace.
The hunters had nothing with
them to cut The wolves out with, but
Il jack knife and small hatchet-
no very formidable implements, to
be sure. But nothing discouraged,
the Yankee Eastman, who wished to
bring them out Of their hiding-place
if possible, cut a hickory sapling,
and rustled them up without much
pity. They growied like mad; one
of them, who could stand it no lon
ger, backed out without CEREMONY
Our Yankee and Dearborne, also an
Eastern man, jumped upon him In
stantly, and tied his legs together,
determined TO take him as a living
trophy home. This being an old one,
The remaining ones we're supposed to
be cubs. They could not be brought |
out by the stirrihg-up process so,
some proposed going for an axe
This project was vetoed at once by |
the company, on account of the dis
ance and want Of time. Eastmanl
said: "Just let this chap have a
chance at these wolves, and if don t
llay Old Pat with them, ! won't
guess again lie had only a shot
gun with him no great sign of a
hunter-but the best he could get;
his he loaded with a handful Of pow
Ter and bnckshot, and taking it in
both hands jumped into the log, gun
irst, in spite of the discussions of
lis companions lie went out of
'ight, so that only his boots could be
seen by peeping into the log. He
fired, and in the language of the old
hunter: Nothing bat an earthquake,
'r the big guns of St Antony's Fort
could equal the noise and trembling
,roduced!"
Eastman was first seen by the
standing on his knees and 4
elbows, scratching his head,as though
ne was trying to make out where he
vas. The explosion had driven him
,ut much quicker than he went in:
His first words we're, "G-d sake! i
yarn't that smart chance? The
,ritters have got peppering, any
low!" And so they had; for not a
5rowl or scratch was heaTd from any
# them.
After while that same Yankee
oaded his gun again, but he was
,ery careful not to trust his head
nd shoulders in the log second
ime. lie fired; but not another
sord from the wolves after that
irst earthquake. The hail-storm
,ad sill enced them forever. A large
was tied to the hickory H
aplingl by which they drew out
hree Feal, black, ugly wolves +
lead l'lead as hammer II
Such ventarsome courage is not
n everyday occurrence, even among |
he hunters; and when found in a
lown-easter, who had no experience \
n such matters, gained him much !
pplause and respect among these