The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-01-15
FIGHT WITH WOLVES.

| 10 IeIl an OK as ii SITIcholl py tuuIueI"
bolt. It is said that he was once caught
| by two iron muscled Mohawks, each
armed with knives, while Henreich had
neither; yet at the first onset he fractur-
ed the skull of the foremost Indian, and
bore the other to the earth as if he was
nothing but an infant. That Indian nev-
resumed the perpendicular again. All
| this is by way of introduction to an ad-
venture that Kaupman once had with a
pack of wolves, and which came fearfully
nigh having fatal result for him.
The winter of 17-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 a consequence,
were unusually fierce and courageous.
They came down from the mountains,
and woe to tie sheep fold that was left
unprotected during the night. They
were sure to be invaded by the starving
animals, and not a sheep would live to
tell the tale. There were tracks around
the barns where the wolves had trotted
all night in their search for some means
of entrance; their howls could be heard
through the still. cold hours, and more
than one housewife had been chased to
her very door by imprudently venturing
forth after nightfall. Many of the set
tiers sat in the upper stories of their
houses, and amused themselves by shoot
ing the wolves for whose scalps the gov
ernment had a standing bounty of sever
al shillings.
Heinrich Kaupman remained at home,
only venturing forth to attend to his
dumb animals and to see that they were
properly protected during the night.
But after q while his stock of groceries
became low, and finally gave out alto
gether. True, he and his family could
live upon the poultry, sheep, and AMI
mails they owned, but it was rather un-
pleasant to be without tea, coffee, sugar,
salt and many other articles that were
more necessities than they were luxuries.
By this time too, the roads had been
traversed so much that they were thor
oughly broken, and Henreich concluded
to harness up his mare to his sled and go
to the village. about four miles distant
and procure the articles ne SO much need
ed. With a want of foresight which he
could never explain, he started on his
journey without weapon, except keen
edged hatchet, which was carried in case
the sled should give out. In his house
hung his trusty rifle, but neither he nor
his wife seemed to imagine that there
would be any call for it, and he drove
cheerily away, bidding his wife merry
good-by as the mare went at spanking
ing gait down the road toward the vii
lage.
The latter piace-which more properly
might be termed a settlement-was
reached in good time, the groceries all
bought, and everything was in readiness
to start homeward. Henreich had been
storm bound so long in his house that he
found the compPnionship of his friends
at the village tavern extremely agreeable.
There was SO much to talk about, so
much news to listen to, such quantity
of gossip regarding the affairs of the
neighborhood, that the time slipped un-
| consciously by, until, when he arose to
go, he found it was almost dark. Still
he had no fears, as his wife would un-
derstand that he had remained in the
| village, and there was no necessity OF
| his immediate return. AS he turned
homeward and left the village behind
| him, and noticed that the dim light by
which he was travelling belonged to the
moon, it flashed upon him that perhaps
he would encounter danger before reach
ing home, and he regretted, for the
twentieth time, that he had left his rifle
| behind.
The road, deep between the drifts of
snow, was of just sufficient width for the
little mare and sled, and the spirited
little animal went forward at swift gait,
while Henreich, somewhat stupid and
weary, was beguiled into drowsiness by
the easy, gliding motion of the sled. He
was half asleep and half conscious when
he became sensible of rapid increase in
the motion of the sled. He felt it jerk
several times beneath him, and all at
once a fercer jerk than usual, accompan-
led by neigh of terror, effectually
aroused him, and he sat bolt upright
and looked around. He looked in front;
all wore its wonted appearance; wild,
struggling piece of wood standing two
feet deep in the snow; the narrow track
| twisting through it; the heavens cold
end clear, the garth White, but close be-
hind the sled were three gaunt animals,
cantering heavily, while fourth was
fast gaining behind.
The jaws of the leading wolf, owing to
the lowness of the sled, were within
reach of Henreich's shoulder. But the
latter cared little for this. The brutes
were after the mare, and upon her oour-
age and fortitude depended the escape
of herself and master. If the alarmed
creature co1ld have the nerve to keep
steadily onward in the track. she had a
good chance of eluding her pursuers;
for the moment the wolves sprang out
side the road to pass the sleigh, the
depth of the snow so diminished their
speed that they fell behind. But should
the mare, in her terror, spring aside and
plunge into the snow, kaupman knew il
: was all up with them. Such proceed