The weekly Anglo-African., 1859-08-20
WOLVES.

1t rarely happens that wolves begin the
fray with man, and only one instance of
their doing SO occurred within Audubon's
knowledge, which he thus describes: Two
young negroes, who resided on the banks
of the Ohio, in the lower part of the State
of Kentucky" Che is writing in eighteen
hundred and thirty five, } had sweethearts
living on plantation ten miles distant.
After the labors of the day were over, they
frequently visited the fair ladies of their
choice, the nearest way to whose dwelling
lay directly across great cane-brake. AS
to the lover every moment is precious, they
usually took this route to save time. Win
ter had commenced, cold, dark, and forbid
ding, and after sunset scarcely a glimpse OF
light, or glow of warmth, one might imag-
inc, could be found in that dreary swamp,
excepting in the eyes and bosoms of the
ardent youths, or the hungry wolves that
prowled about. The snow covered the
earth, and rendered them more easy to be
scented by the famished beasts. Prudent
in a certain degree, the young lovers car
ried their axes on their shoulders, and
walked as briskly as the narrow path
would allow. Some transient glimpses of
light now and then met their eyes, but so
faint were they that they believed them to
be caused by their faces coming in contact
with the slender reeds covered with snow
Suddenly, however, long and frightful
howl burst upon them, and they instantly
knew that it proceeded from a troop of
hungry, perhaps desperate, wolves. They
stopped, and, putting themselves in an at
titude of defence, awaited the result. All
around was dark, save few feet Of snow,
and the silence of night was dismal. Moth
ing could be done to better their situation
and, after standing few minutes in expec-
tation of an attack, they judged it best to
resume their march. But no sooner had
they replaced their axes on their shoulders
and begun to move, than the foremost
found himself assailed by several foes
His legs were held fast as if pressed by a
powerful screw, and the torture inflicted by
the fangs of the ravenous animals was for
a moment excruciating Several wolves in
the meantime sprang upon the breast OF
the other negro, and dragged him to the
ground. Both struggled manfully against
their foes; but in short time one of them
ceased to move, and the other, reduced in
strength, and perhaps despairing of main
tanning his ground, sprang to the branch of
tree, and speedily gained place of safe
ty near the top. The next morning, the
mangled remains of his comrade lay scat
tered around on the snow, which was
stained with blood. Three dead wolves
lay around, but the rest of the pack had
disappeared, and Scipio, sliding to the
ground, took up the axes, and made the
best of his way home, to relate the sad ad-
venture"
1t is by means of pirting that the Amer
can farmers get the better of these ma
rauders. Audubon tells us how, while be-
tween Henderson and Vincennes, he
chanced to stop for the night at farmers
house by the side of the road. "After put
ting up my horse and refreshing myself, /
entered inte conversation with mine host,
who asked if l should like to pay visit
to the wolfpits, which were about half a
mile distant. Glad of the opportunity, /
accompanied him across the fields to the
neighborhood of deep wood, and soon
saw the engines of destruction. He had
three pits, within few hundred yards Of
each other. They were about eight feet
deep, and broader at the bottom, so as to rem
der it impossible for the most active animal
to escape from them. The aperture was
covered with revolving platform of twigs,
attached to central axis. On either sur