The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-06-14
Children Nursed by Wolves.

The Rev. DR. Ellinwood, ina letterfrom
Cawnpore, India, to the New York Epan-
geitsi, has the following paragraphs:
Our interest was greatly excited at the
Secundra orphanage by one inmate,
known rs the "Wolt Boy" Within ten
years two boys, said TO have been found
living wild with wolves, have been
brought to Mr.. Erhardt for support.
One OF them died about two years since,
having proved too untamabIe TO endure
human habits. The one still remaining
was found when apparently about seven
years OF age, and hehas been eight years
at the orphanage.
The story ofhis capture is this: Some
native farmers, being greatly troubled
by the incursions OF wolves, followed
them 70 their dens, and proceeded "to
smoke them out" by building fires in the
entrance. AT length the whole wolf
family emerged, old and young, and
among them this boy, running rapidlyon
hands and feet. The story seemed to
be corroboratcd by the fact that, when
brought to tho orphanage, he still bore
the marks OF the fire though which he
had passed. Ho also walked like quad
ruped, and would receive at first only
raw flesh, which he ate as all the carni.
yora do, gnawing 1t ut the side Of his
mouth. AS wo saw him he was standing
erect, and had learned to submit TO
clothing. Hisexprossions wereof course
unintelligiblc, and sounded more like
those Of an animal than like human
voice, though he was scarcely moro bes.
tial in appearance than many Of the low.
estgradOs ofidiots. There was, however,
restless motion OF the head aud gnash-
ing of tho teeth, which appeared decid-
edly canine.
That children have been nourished
and reared by wolves, Is not to be cred
tied without the very strongest evil
dences. i-f4l
The missionaries at Secundra, how.
over, and SO far as ] know, all other in.
telligent citizens in the neighborhood,
regard the proof in these two cases as
entirely valid. Nor are these the only
''wolf boys" who arc claimed TO have been
found in Indin. Max Muller, OF London,
on seeing some accounts OF these curious
freaks Of nature, opened . correspond |
cnce, some months since, with various
persons in India on the subject.
AS result there have appeared thus
far six cases, which seem to be well at- |
tested by missionaries, and by officers in |
the civil and military service. There
Is no country where such would things
be more likely 10 occur than in India.
The prevalence OF wild animal life, even
in well-settled districts, is surprising.
We saw in one instance not less than |
thirty huge apes in one band only few
rods from the railway. Deer or gazelles
were frequently seen feeding within easy
shot Of laborers in tho field. On two |
occasions goats were carried of by wolves
from the mission compounds, In which
We were spending the night. According
to recent census OF tho northwest |
provinces, 1900 lives wero destroyed in |
one year by wild animals, mostly wolves.
Tho great majority are children who are
Hnntclied away at nightfall from tho vi |
cinity-sometimes from the very doors
Of their rude homes.
With these facts no further light can
BIO given on the subject Of the woif.boys.
Whether the maternal instinct Of the
wolf, whom not particularly hungry,
might in ono OF 10000 cases take such |
freak rs 10 protect q child, which abe in-
tended to cat, and allow it 10 share her
prey, is o question forcach theorist to de- |
eide for himself. It is worthy OF note
that all these children are idiots. II We
suppose that they were originally sound,
their wolf regimen has reversed the
Darwinian process, and borne them back |
to bestiality, both in body and in mind.