Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-09-21
The Great Wolf Hunt at
Seymour Lake.
By FRANKLIS 3. GAGE

+ New England lt Is some ten miles
from Island Pond. station on the Grand
/ Trunk railroad.
| Forty years ago an unbroken wilder
ness extended from this lake hundreds
/ of miles to the Gulf ofSt Lawrence. On
the south and west sides of the lake were
farms, which had beea under cultivation
ten or fifteen years.
/ think it was IN the autumn of 1887
or 1888. that the bears and wolves over
ran this great region Of wilderness in
such numbers that they ate up all their
natural supplies. and (as the Saxon
/ phrase isl got starved out. Necessity
then drove them towards the inhabited
portions Of the country. and farmyards
of settlers on the borders of the wilder
ness suffered sadly from their attacks.
/ Live stock were carefully herded at
night. but in spite Of all precautions the
wild beasts. fierce with hunger. would
sometimes plumber the folds, and the
very sheds and barns.
One night, early in October, farmer
living near the lake was much disturbed
by the continual bowling of wolves in
the surrounding forest He had shut his
sheep and cattle into the barn, and be-
lieved them to De perfectly safe. But
sometime near midnight he was startled
out OF his sleep by a great uproar in the
barn. He dressed quickly as possible
and hurried out with his gun and Ian
tern He found that the wolves had bro
ken into the barn, killed several sheep,
and dragged some of them away.
/ Between the barn and the lake was a
dense forest of timber. From the depths
Of this timber the bowling of wolves was
distinctly heard. The brutes had tasted
blood, and the farmer now knew that
the safety of the rest of his foek could
only be secured BY keeping watch the
remainder Of the night
/ As sooL as daylight appeared he start
ed several neighbors INTO the surround
/ ing towns to collect the farmers for a
grand wolf hunt One went to East
Charleston. one to West Charleston, and
one to each Of the towns of Salem. Der
by and Holland Being mounted on
/ good horses. they were not long in spread
ing the summons, and all the settlers in
the surrounding country were reused
/ At that time | was only twelve years
| old Ny father was living near the VII
Iage Of West Charleston. Iweu remem
Der the bright morning when man
dashed up 70 NJ fathers door. told Us
what depredations the wolves had com
mitted. and notified Us of the coutempla.
ted wolf hunt The hunters were all te
meet. he said. at the house where the
sheep had been killed Then he hasten.
ed away in quest Of others.
Ny father and eldest brother were
away But nv uncle. who had eharg,
of the farm business in NY fathers ab
senee. decided to go to the hunt ant
take me with him Of course I was ca
ger to go. having never seen anything
Of the kind
Itw was three miles to the meetins
place, but We were not long walking tn,
distance. though some Of the way la-
through the fields and forest We founc
more than d hundred men and boys as
sembled. and others constantly arriving
Some Of the men were armed with guns
some with rifles, others carried onl,
: pitehforks, and several had TIN horns
The men were discussing the plan Q
{ proceeding, and choosing officers to ii
[ rect the hunt One corporal was ehosel
to every ten men. aud marshal wit
: four or five assistants vas to have Ii
: general command
Seymour Lake Is little more thal
! ten miles long. The southern shore run
= IN nearly straight line The wolve
i were supposed TO be seereted someEher
between the farmhouse and this shors
|. The plan was 10 extend a line Of me
east and west IN Z cure from one en-
Of the lake to the other, the extreme
approaching the water. and the ceute
sweeping back into the country Thu
the line of hunters would resemble
vast bow, with the straight lake shor
for bow-string-the curve. of ccurst
enclosing very large space Of field
and forest
As fast IS the COMPANIES could be o.
! gznized the night and left wings wer
; despatched to the ends Of the lake. an
: the forming Of the ring commence6
: When other recruits arrived they vel
oficered and sent out TO fill up the lin
). It takes considerable time TO form
T line Of men seven miles long. cut Of sue
material as would cone together on sue
: an occasIon- Il was ten o'cIock whe
the marshal commenced, and the In
was not ready 20 move till after Or
= o'clock
e In front, the lake would prevent Il
e game from escaping From each end /
: the lake the semicircle extended IN
the country over the hilIsides. enclosir
8 the wild region between the farm Al