The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-09-08
aside the smoke from the hole in the

cleaning eyes and red mouth, half open,
of a monstrous wolf looking down on us.
We struck at him with the butt-end
of our fowling-pieces, and soon brought
him, stunned and bleeding, to our feet.
Fritz took a piece of burning wood,
to the aperture, and waved it
around.
Wolves, like all wild beasts, are in
mortal dread of fire, and we soon heard
them all scamper off the roof
All through the long night we heard
the bowling of the ferocious pack, who
had now regularly terrified us for, al
though scared by the fire, they attempt
ed the roof no more, but all remained
around the hut.
All things have their end, and so at
last had this long and dismal night.
The day broke at last, and Fritz, arous-
ing himself, piled on the fire every
available bit of wood he could find.
For full three hours after sunrise moth
ing occurred beyond bowling; but what
an awful three hours We're they!
Suddenly our eyes, which were fixed
necessarily on the aperture saw the
hideous forms of our enemies. Three
of the largest wolves had climbed the
roof and were looking down upon us.
l fired my fowling-piece-our last
charge of powder. This drove them
away, and the dead body Of one fell
through the aperture, and into the hut.
This, however, procured us but a short
respite; the brutes knew the way; the
sun was now bright in the heavens, and
the fre-brand was now useless.
Soon another and fiercer lot succeeded
those we had driven away, and we had
now no more powder or shot to drive
them back.
Clubbing our guns, we struck furious
ly at them, all the time shouting loud
ly. Several fell wounded and incapable
of injury into the hut, but others at
once took their places.
The furious monsters, ravenous with
hunger, which the two horses and their
comrades they had devoured but SEEM
ed to whct, glarc0 down upon us from
the roof, bowling incessantly, and wait,
ing the moment to spring.
At last one great brute set the exam.
pie, and crouching for an instant, sprang
right at Fritz, at the same time giving
a terrible yell.
Fortunately old Fritz was enabled to
spring on one side, and the moment the
wolf landed he dashed out his brains
with the gun he welded.
Hardly was this accomplished thar
another and another leaped down, and
these were followed by still more, which
all our efforts could not keep back. Flu
riously we fought with the desperation
of despair, for we had almost given up
hope. Several times l felt the fangs of
the wolves in my flesh; but by almos
superhuman eXertiOn freed myself, anC
laying about me right and left, sent thu
shaggy brutes sprawling under the ter
rible force of my blows.
In vain as fast as they fell Others
came leaping down, and the hut wa'
now alive with the wild, savage beasts
With short prayer, and nerved with {
fierce determination, threw myself il
their midst, and giving all my strength
to one last desperate effort, | created
fearful havoc among the crowded mass
The cry was still they come. Weary
faint, and despairing, l staggered, anc
was about to fall PROSTATE on th'
ground among the horrible sea of glar
ing eyes, white teeth, and red throat
which surrounded me, when loud shou
from outside, followed by a rapid anC
sustained discharge of firearms, gav'
me fresh strength, and once again nerv
ed my arm.
At this moment wolf, leaping from
the aperture, alighted on my shoulders
and cndeavored to fix his horrid fang
in my throat. L tore him away, an,
flung him on the embers of the fire, re
gardless of dreadful bite l received il
the hand.
The sparks flew in all directions, anC
the darkness of the hut was illuminated
by flame of light as the fire blazed up
The wolves were steadicd by this fo
q moment, and in that moment l motto
, ed with joy that no more were on tn
roof.
Another shout outside, and still clos
er discharge, informed us that friend
were near. Shouting words of encOur
agement to Fritz, who was terribly tori
by the teeth Of the brutes, again at
tackled them with my little remaining
strength. Fritz, too, ably seconded me
and in half minute our remaining en-
: emies were killed or disabled.
Scarcely had the glaring eyes of tn
, last disappeared, under II furious bloy
from the butt-end of my gun, than, ut
terly worn out by the tremendous eXer
ton of the last ten minutes, bleeding
from half a dozen places where tn
wolves had torn my flesh, nature CAV
way, and fell forward on pile of on
dead enemies, and tainted.
t The next moment the door was burs
2 open, and our friends from the chateau
who had come to the rescue, rushed in
= and raising the apparently lifeless form
of myself and Fritz, bore us out int
5 the air, where, laid on the cold snow
we soon recovered con sciouSness, an
: found that we were saved.
5 Thus ended this adventure; but tassul
: edly, were | to live to be as old as Nj
, thusaleh, shall never forget our Nigh
. | uitb tba N.nINnS