The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-02-27
FIGHT WITH WOLVES.

One of the most muscular, powerful
limbcd settlers on the old New York
frontier, century since, was Heinrich
Kaupman. His arms were like piston
rods, and he could drive his huge, NAL
lct-fist with such tremendous mOmcn-
tum as 10 fell an OK as if stricken by q
thunderbolt.
IL is said that he was once caught by
two iron-musclcd Mohawks, each arm.
cd with knives, while Heinrich had
neither; yet al the first onset he fract-
urcd the skull of the foremost Indian.
and bore the second one to the earth as
if he was nothing but an infant. That
Indian never resumed the perpendicular
again.
All this is by way of introduction ia
an adventure that Kaupman once had
with a pack of wolves, and which came
fcarfully nigh having fatal result fol
him.
The winter of IL was an unusually
severe one throughout the northern
states, and many deaths from exposure
and starvation occurred before the open.
ing of spring. The wolves, bears and
other wild animals became nearly fam.
ished from hunger, and, as n conse-
quence, were unusually fierce and cour.
ageous. They came down from the
mountains, and woe to the sheepfold
that was left unprotected during the
night. They were sure 10 be invaded
by the starving animals, and not a sheer
would live to tell the tale
There were tracks around the barns.
where the wolves had trottcd all night
in their search for some means of en-
trance; their howls could be heard
through the still, cold hours, and more
than one housewife had been chased ia
her very door by imprudently venturino
forth after nightfall.
Many of the settlers sat in the upper
stories of their homes, aud amused
| themselves by shooting The wolves, fol
whose scalps the government had @
starding bounty of several shillings.
Heinrich Kaupman remained at
home, only venluring forth TO attend tc
his dumb animals, and to see that they
were properly protected during The
night. But after while bis stock oi
groceries became low and finally gave
ont altogether. True, he and his fami.
ly could live upon the poultry, sheer
and animals they owned, but ii was
rather unpleasant to be without tea
coffee, sugar, salt and many other arti-
cles that were more necessities than
they were luxurics.
BY this time, too, the roads had been
travcrsed so much that they were thor.
oughly broken, and Heinrich concluded
TO harness up his mare to his sled and
drive 10 the village about four miles dis
tant and procure the articles which he
| so much needed.
With want Of foresight which he
could never explain, he started out un-
on his journey without any weapon
except kccn-cdgcd hatchct. which wa.
carried in case the sled should give ont.
In tie house was his trusty rifle, but tnci-
thcr he nor his wife seemed TO imauino
that there would be any call Tor it, and
he drove chccrly away, bidding his
wife merry gocd-by as the mare went
at spanking gait down the road to-
ward the village
The latter place which might more
properly be termed a settlement was
reached in due time, the groceries all
bought and everything was in readi.
ness to start homeward.
heinrich had been storm-bound SO
long in his house that he found the
companionship of his friends at the vii
lage tavern extremely agreeable
There was so much 10 talk about. 81
much news to listen to, such auaniit,
of gossip regarding the affairs of Tho
neighborhood, that the time slippct
unconsciously by, until, when he aros,
TO go, he found it was almost dark
Still he had no fears, as his wife woult
understand that he had remained mt IN,
village, and there was no necessity o
his immediate return.
As he turned homeward and left tht
village behind him. and noticed tha
the dim light by which he was travel
ing belonged to the moon, il fias he,
upon him that perhaps he would ell
counter danger before reaching home
{ and he regretted, for the twentieth
time, that he had left his rifle behind:
The road, deep between the drifts G
snow, was of just sufficient width 70
the little mare and sled, and the spirit
ed little animal went forward at swii
gait, while Heinrich, somewhat stupo
fed and weary, was bcgniled int
drowsincss by the easy, gliding motto
of the sled.
lie was half asleep and half consciou
when he became sensible of rapid il
crease in the motion of the sled. ii
felt it jerk several times beneath hin
and all at once fierccr jerk than usua
accompanied by neigh of terror, G
fectually aroused him, and he sat bo
upright and looked around. He lool
ed in front; all wore its wonted appear
ance; a wild, struggling piece of WOO
standing two feet deep in snow; I'll
narrow track twisting through it; I'll
heavens, cold and clear, the cart
white; but close behind the sled wei
three gaunt animals, cantering heavil,
while fourth was fast gaining behint
The jaws of the leading wolf, OWN
TO the lowness of the sled, were with
reach of Heinrichs shoulder. But II
latter cared little for this. The brut,
were after the mare, and upon HI
courage and fortitude depended the G
cape of herself and master.
If the alarmed creature could ha,
the nerve TO keep steadily onward
the track, she had good chance
eluding her pursuers, for the nome
the wolves sprang outside the road
pass the sleigh, the depth of the sno
so diminished their speed that they f
behind. But should the mare, in h
terror, spring aside and plunge into d
snow, Kaupman knew il was all
with both of them. Such a proceedil
would disentangle her from the sle
and before she could founder doz
yards through the snow the wolv
would be tearing her TO shreds.
W Heinrich leaned forward and spo
he kindly to his animal, which raised h
5, ears that were fiat with terror, and f
nc into a more even pace. He then tur
y. ed, and brandishing his keen-edg
" hatchet, shouted TO the brutes, but
did not discomfit them in the least.