The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-01-13

head, and > short. piercing shrek,
such as > wounded and terrified
horse only will utter, snote upon
my eas, and seemed to chill my
blood but my pnlse stood still AN
instant later, on hearing, buta 8 short
distance away, along, dismal howl,
which was caught up and repeated
here and there around me. Yes, |
was surrounded by wolves. | in
stinctively held my breath, and peer
ed from my place Of safety into the
night. The shaggy dark gay 'orm
Of tie timber wolf could be dimly
seen. Had they been the common
prairie wolf (cayote) | should not
have telt 80 much alarm; but the
timber wolf is larger and tiercer,'
aud do not hesitate to attack man it
driven by hunger.
The gathering wolves fell upon
the wounded horse who was able
to offer but feeble resistance 70 their
fierce attack. l found | was very
cold, scarcely able to move, and tic
cold was growing even more H.
tense. Tie dim Of the struggle
over the poor horse soon became
almost -unbearablc. The clouds
breaking away, let q few rays ottEc
moon fall upon this scenc oFcarl age,
and OH pecring out could see a
dozen or more wolves sliarliEg aid
fighting with each ctl,cr over the
remains of their scarcely cold vic
tim. l knew that as long as their
feast lasted, | should be sa!e, ard
| looked toward the distant glin-
me.'ing light in hopes that snccor
would speedily come.
But | soon saw to- my constcrna-
ton aud horror that the number Of
wolves were rapidly Increasing, aud
that the the horse could last but a
few moments longer. Some Of tie
less favored ones soon left the strug-
ole and circled around the wagon,
u.tering the while the most chilling
howls, which seemed to pierce me
like q knife. One after another
they dropped off from the pack and
joined in the chorus.
Things were getting to be pretty
desperate, and 1 saw that all my
energies would soon be called into
action.
One who has never been in SIM
liar situation can scarcely under
stand the horror and anguish L felt.
| consider myself possessed Of at
least my share Of courage, so arm
ing myself with q hatchet lying
within reach, | prepared to meet
my wollish foe. Nor was | mo-
ment too soon, for ole Of the most
ventursome sp!ang upon the tongue
and had succeeded i'll getting partly
upon the seat, when | dclt him
some quick sharp blows that effect
ually sileHced him. One Of the foe
has fallen, | thought, aid if they
continue to come single handed |
can manage them; but that did
not seem to be the programme, for
no sooner had one fallen than sever
al made rush for the gap which
had been widened by the first at
tack and through which they lad
caught q glance Of me. | fought
brayely, but soon found it would
be impossible to hold out long
against such odds. Oh, will they
never come, | thought again and
again. My hands were bleeding
in several places, and my strength
just exhausted, when | heard a
shout, the barking of dogs, and !
knew | was saved. Then all seem.
ed . blank.
The next | remember, Twas lying
on bed in a neatly furnished room,
with my husband and Mrs. Allen
standing over me. They told me
that when rescued, l was lying in
the wagon in a swoon, and that the
exposure ard excitement had
brought on a fever, from which,
being possessed Of q vigorous con-
stitution, | was soon restored.
Should one Of my readers chance
to pass along Salt creek, a short
distance west from Lincoln, he may
still see the little log cabin in which
passed the remainder ofmy honey
moon.