The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-20
Wolves and Dogs.

hoW IL IL Gnat The wolf OF ltuSSll Is so
much more formidable an enemy to the
human raco than his French or German
brother? Writers and novelists of all
ages have accused this ubiquitous quad
ruped OF treachery, stealthiness and
ferocity, until children, who take thoir
Impressions from books and not from
experience, have como to regard him as
the incarnation OF that is mean, blood
thirsty, tricky. and dangerous. "Truth
compels me, however," says Lieutenant
Colonel Richard Irving Dodge, OF the
UMte States Army, ''to affirm that OF
oil the carnivorous animals of equal size
and strength he is the most harmless to
beast and the least dangerous to man.
He will not even attack when wounded;
and though he will snap at pursuing
dogs in self-defense. he never follows up
the advantage given him by his sharp
teeth and powerful Jaws, but takes to
flight as fast as he oan." These words,
written about the buffalo wolf Of the
American plains, tall, gaunt, lean AMI
hungry looking, may with equal truth
be applied to his congener in Brittany
and Poitou. In the former province
wolves are rarely seen, although they
commit terrible nocturnal depredations
among sheep, calves and dogs. Such,
however, is their cowardice, that every
Breton farmer Is in the habit of sending
his flock OF sheep out to pasturage dur
ing the day with little child, often O
girl not more than or 7 years of age.
In charge of them, and nothing is more
uncommon than for the hungry marau-
der, who lies licking his chops on the
edge of the adjoining thicket, to issue
forth from his fastness and pounce upon
sheep 80 long as the intantile repre-
sentative of tie lord Of creation ia close
at hand. At night, however, the wolf
Is bolder. and will scale walls and
scratch his way through the thatched
roof OF the sheepfold to get at his prey,
Strange as 1t may seem, the dog-es-
pecially if he be .of the smooth haired
breed, like the pointer or fox terrier
has more attractions for the "canis
lupus" whose relative or descendant he
is generally believed to be, than the
woolly sheep. "When q wolf is hungry. /"
writes all English gentleman who has
long resided III Brittany, "and smells
an appetizing dog, he will spring upon
HIM and carry him of, oven under the
nose sof his master. 1T is certain. in
fact, that the wolf prefers dog to any
other prey. When was at HneIgoet
three years since wolf jumped over
tho wall of the hotel yard and carried
off dog whose piteous howls awoke
the entire village. An empty collar,
suspended at the end of the chain, and
covered with blood, bore testimony to
the untimely fate Of it's late wearer. /"
The lively author Of "Wolf-hunting in
Brittany relates that Breton peasant
named Antoine lived some years since
with his wife in the Forest of Dualt or
"Black Rock" A heavy snow-s,orm
had fallen to the mountains, and for
several nights IN succession Antoine
found it necessary to protect his there.
sheep by admitting them to his hut.
Six or seven wolves paced around his
dwelling all night, utterlng the most
dismal howls; but large wood-tire and
the presence Of man kept off the fam.
ished besiege!s. At last the peasant
and his wife fell asleep. and the fire
burnt low. A sudden dash was made
at the roof, and five jaunt wolves leaped
down into the hut. Before Antoine
could strike light the three sheep were
devoured and favorite little dog was
swallowed at q gulp, and then the in
yaders sprang upon an old oaken cup
board and disappeared through the
roof