Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-01-18
CHASED BY WOLVES.

4 Denver special says: AN incideut re.
lated to NcwS reporter by Mr.. James
Austin, just in from Cheyenne Wells,
proves that the popular idea that game is
hard to find in Colorado and that wolves
are things of the past is q fallacy. Said Mr.
Austin
"At the station, which is Il collection of
cabins occupied by ranchmen ana those
employed in putting down the Government
we'll are a number of wealthy young men
from the East who are engaged in hunting
expedition. We started Thursday morning
and rode due east, then northeast, until
when eighteen miles out We discovered in
the distance an immense herd Of butla.
loes. Thinking to accomplish more, we scat
tered, with the intention of circlng them, or
at least turning them from their course. In
this we were not successful Us night over
took us before we had downed single bull.
| had singled out one that had become sep
aratcd from the rest Of the herd, and had
followed him some distance, when 1t became
too dark to see and discovered that had
lost my companions. There being nothing
else TO DO, and as it would be impossible 10
find nv way in the dark, ] resolved TO
camp where was: so, unrolling the hide
lariat, secured the animal to some stout
sage brush, and after building Il small
fire of grass and brush rolled myself in
nv blanket, and prepared to make the best
of it, bnt without much idea Of sleep. In
fact, in spite Of the heavy overcoat and
blanket which covered me, it was uncom-
fortably cold. | lay four hours in Il half
waking, hall.dozing state, and II was per-
haps midnight when something more like
sleep overcame me. Suddenly Il sound, the
most horrible and blood curdling of any |
had ever heard, seemed to chill the very
marrow in my bones. To my excited imag-
ination it seemed like the shrek of fifty de-
mons.
jumping to my feet, | discovered that
NV fire had gone out. leaving but q few
cmbers, but at q distance of perhaps
two hundred feet, nearly forming Il COM
p!ctc circle around me, was q line of
bright points scintillatng like 80 many dia-
monds. I instantly realized my danger.
was surrounded by wolves To hesitate
was death, and mounting my horse. that
was trembling with fright, drove spurs
into him, and we darted oil through the
only opening in the Gordon, which nearly
surrounded me- and swept across the plains
without regard to the direction, lay only
object being to escape the iangs of my pur-
suers.
''Thc wolves, as soon as they discovered
nv flight, with q renewed howl, more full
of rage and horror than that which had
awakened me, started in full cry, and the
terrible race began. At the start gained
considerably, as my horse was good one,
and his fright seemed TO add TO his light
ming speed. Miles seemed like feet, and
after perhaps hall-hour passed, upon look
| ing back saw that the distance from the
| foremost Of my pursuers was the same as at
the start TO keep this distance till day
| light seemed my only chance, yet what
| hopeless task No horse could long keep
up the terrible strain which mine was
enduring. Suddenly the faithful animal
stumbled over q low sand-dunc and fell to
| his knees, throwing me TO the ground. In
an instant the hungry pack were upon me,
and | imagined l felt their faugs already
buried in my flesh. Fear lent switness to
my movements, however, and / remounted
ana was off Just as the leaders were about
to pounce upon me- My horse soon began
TO show the effects of his terrible efforts,
and, thinking TO gain time, | threw away
the blanket which | had hastily thrown
over the horse at the first alarm. This gave
me slight advantage for u time, rs no sooner
did it touch the ground than it was torn into
shreds by the hungry brutes.
.'This delay gave me Il small advantage
but | soon perceived that ! was losing it,
and my horses movements became more
labored. | next sacrificed my overcoat-
then the coat which l wore-which in turn
suffered the fate Of the blanket. The horse
began to show signs Of exhaustion, but he
still kept his feet; but / realized i'll q
short time that my fate was sealed unless q
miracle was interposed to save me. The
wolves were already swapping at my
horses heels, when, upon looking up, Isaw
lights in front of me, perhaps a mile or so
| distant. endeavored to urge my horse to
further efforts butwithout avail. The poor
animal was bIeathing heavily, and could
hardly keep his feet. The maddened brutes
were jumping and swapping around me, and
| had struck several of them down with the
butt of my rifle, after having exhausted the
ammunition in shooting at them. | turned
and found myself within q few hundred feet
of house and an enclosure. Making a last
despairing effort, my horse cleared the fence
and fell dead on the inside. At the same
moment several men came out of the door
of the house with lanterns. aroused, no
doubt, by the unearthly sounds. I was
onickly dragged inside, and Immediately
swooned. Upon recovering consciousness
it was broad daylight, and l found myselfin
the cabin OF a ranchman, within half mile
of the station whence had started in the
morning, lying on rude bed with . man
sitting near by and watching me. 1t seems
that my horse, guided by instinct, had ta
ken the straightest direction for the place
from which we had started. | learned BY
inquiry that the wolves had surrounded the
house all night long, filling the air with
their fearful howls, and never departed un
til daylight. l was too i'll from the effect:
,, of the fearful experience l had undergone
to leave the house until yesterday, and