Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-03-15
A NIGHT IN THE WOODS.

The events which form the subject of the
following sketch occurred duringa sojourn
of three months with surveying party in
ore of the widest districts OF Canada
We we're occupied in tracing the course Of
a hitherto unexplorcd river, which unfold
ed to us succession of scenic effects, such
as would have delighted an artist and pp-
ct. and which they only could describe.
1t would be difficult to convey to the
reader who has not bivouacked out in the
woods the luxury of those evenings around
the camp fire.
After a deal of story telling, we all
turned in for the night-that is, we all
rolled ourselves in our blankets, and fell
asleep with our feet towards the fire.
The stories told upon the evening have
in my mind, had all been about wolves
some Of which rapacious creatures were
said to be in our neighborhood. Owing,
perhaps, to my Imagination having been
excited by these tales, had terrible
nightmare; l knew they were gaining on
me; could hear their howl growing more
distinct There is a point of agony at
which all dreams must have an end-I a.
woke with terrible start, and found my
self lathed in cold sweat and prey to a
sense of terror for which | could not ac
count. Instead of the cheerful blaze
which l had seen ere fell asleep, all was
now cold and dark The fire had sunk to
a heap of red embers. could not distin-
guish one of my sleeping companions
Good Heavens can | be still slumbering?
There, again, is the long, low, wailng howl
which l heard so distinctly in my dream,
l sat up erect, and listened. What is
that sound rustling among the brush
wood-some of the party stirring? No.
all are as silent as the grave. | am the
only one awake in the camp. Once again!
Surely / am mistaken. thought the fire
was nearer to me, just in front, and so il
is. What, then, can be those two glim-
mering lights few yards off ? Now they
are moving l awake the nearest sleeper
an American named Silas Woods. The
man starts to his feet and rubs his eyes
WHAT'S it? Look there, Silas. He looks
and as quick as lightning seizes burning
fagot, aud hurls it with all his force an un.
erring aim. The cleaning lights disap.
pear with a rustic of the brushwood-a
sharp, short bark close at hand, and then
the long low wall is heard in the distance
Silas then stirred and raked the burning
embers, and throwing on an immense heap
of dry brush, in a second the Egyptian
dark ness is dispelled by bright fame
which leaps up six feet into the air and
brings the sleeping figures and the near.
est trees into full relief
"Silas, what does it all mean?" l asked
Evolves |"
"Wolues !" l re-echoed, "Then those
two lights that l took for glow-worms
were -
"A wolfe's eyes, Squire, and 1 guess
his friends warn't far off, awatin' kinder
anxious to hear tell Of their scout. Hark
II the darncd things amt groanin' and
lamentin' over their disappointment, d:
sure as my name is Silas Wood"
Once more the long howl, inexpressibly
sad ana fearful, was heard at a greater dis
tance. Now that knew what it implied
it made the blood curdle in my veins.
II shall never forget a wolfe's howl p
exclaimed ~ heard that accursed sounC
in my dream as plainly as hear it now
But are we not in danger?' aud begar
mechanically to pile up more wood on the
blazing fire.
"No fears, now, Squire" replied Sila'
cody; "the cowardly critters darsn't come
nigh . fire like that, Besides, / reckon thu
feller | scared so with that ar burnin;
chip has told 'em it's no go by this time
They're as cunning as humans, is then
critters. Ay, be oil, and good riddapc,
to ye, ye bowling varmintsH - he added, a
the low wall was once more heard dyinl
away in the distance.
Notwithstanding the assurance that tn
wolves were retreating, took great pleas
ure in seeing the fire hlazing up brightly
= for knew that in that consisted our pro