The weekly North-Carolina standard., 1869-08-11

AT last, ana 1t seemed n0urS WDere IL wa
only minutes, Horne gave the word fire
The foremost were within dozen feet of us
three went dawn. The shot was like firing
into flock OF birds; with the clearing
away of the smoke, half the pack was gone
and the others hesitating on their path
They did not hesitate long, but IN three
minutes had swelled to treble their original
number. Their long barking howl was
heard on every side, and above 1t, OCCASION
ally, could hear the voice OF Waller speak
: ing soothing to his horses, who were nearly
mad with terror.
Now began the slaughter, and every shot
/, seemed to tell, but yet the pack grew larger
and larger, their long noses almost touching
the sled at times, and their red eyes, dull
and steady, glared into our very faces. At
one time they seemed to spread like u
{ crescent behind us, at another they trail
cd in long line, and as quickly chang
ed, until they were on every side, sometimes
even up with the horses At this moment,
as they began to stretch ahead of the sled, l
heard Horne, as though speaking to himself,
say:
by gracious! I never seed so many of
the critters before"
| thought at that moment what would he
come of us if one of our horses were tn fall,
or any accident happen that would stop our
progress. We would not have time to take
to tree, and were little more than half way
through the wood. I leaned over to Wal
/ Ter and asked him
do you want any help?"
"For Gods sake stop that pigs squealing!
Throw it over, and stop firing !"
We obeyed him, and saw piggy rent into
| Il dozen pieces before we had gone dozen
!. yards. This gave us a minute or two start
! while they were settling the distribution of
! the pork, relieving the horses from the i'm
mediate fright and danger, and letting
Waller gather them up little; but the
crowd was on us again. They had tasted
blood, Horne whispered, and were more
dangerous than before.
""Don't shoot, Cap'n," he said, until the
critters get right up with the ponies, or try
to get onto the sled"
did as he said, but we all had our hands
full, including Brownsou's boy, in keeping
them from leaping into the very sled. or
closing up on the horses, Horne and detail.
ing ourselves for the latter job.
At last we saw the opening about half a
mile away, and l think the wolves saw it
also, and felt that we would escape, for they
came upon us with increased numbers, snap
ping at the wood of the sled. and ut the
launches of the terrified horses We
were fairly skimming over the SNOW, and
were within hundred yards of the open
ing, when one huge fellow sDrang
right into the sled, knocking me back
word, and, l believe, but for Hornes
quick grasp, should have been out, and
among the pack. The clutch and scramble,
the blows, of which | came in for share,
the skilful use of Bob's bowie, and the tly-
ing struggles of the animal, as l held him
down, while bob hacked away for his heart,
| shall never forget. That struggle brought
US out on the opening, where a few only fol-
lowed, and paid for their temerity with their
lives.
Our horses ran nearly mile before we
coull calm them, and during that time not
a word was spoken. Waller was the first to
break the silence and he said:
'Well. blast my picture, Jim Horne if |
you get me out on any more of your inven-
tions %
Don't kaflate to come myself, much
more" said Horne, coolly, slowing wad of
tobacco into hls cheek. "Cap'n, you'll hev
that pork to pay for, but guess twas cheap
thrown away"
thought so too, but wasn't going to say
that had been frightened, although in
wardly didn't condemn Horne's PROPOSE
tion not to come much more" We made n
wide sweep through the open country, Civ
ing the wood full margin, and got home
rs fast as the horses were willing, which was
1T an uncommon good prce, for even at the
distance at a couple of miles we could hear
'he bowling of the brutes we had left behind
Is.
In the morning We went over the route to
zee what execution we had done, and Horne
md the party took fifty skins, after rejecting
many that were torn or otherwise of no val.
lie; twice as many as he had ever got before
md yet he concluded the ''excursion didn't
,ay."
As to myself, determined not to let any
more wolves chase me, and if had money
o invest in pork not to do it Ill that way.