The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-09-22
A NIGHT OF HORROR.
Fierce Fight Of q Hunter With 9
Pack of Wolves.

"Into the wOodsp" tf
"Into the woods, my boy" 20
Captain Whitney and myself were
talking together.
Every well. shall do as you wish,
though there is savage game in the
woods, understand, and ]. am not
used to savage game in the least. l
shall rely upon you to protect me-
Twas enjoying my college vacation
at the time, and was, of course, quite
young.
"You are not frightened at shadows.
/ suppose, and can pull trigger as
well as anotherp" g. 4
"Yes. Captain, l have had some ex-
perience in gunnery; and at target
shooting, should not in the least mind
accepting challenge even from your
SELF ! also count myself equal to
small game of any descriptions; but
when you propose bears and wolves, 1
can not promise. fatter myself that
my nerves are reasonably steady, vet
can not vouch for them under q power
full excitement. N7
mo danger of the powerful excite
ment, my boy, not the least. There
are, indeed, some specimens of savage
game, as you call it, over on. the Tonka
lake, but in the region where l propose
to spend the night, there is nothing
more savage than deer. You are not
afraid Of harmless old buck, Ihopep"
"The day promises fair, and this gun
is exactly to my liking. If you think
it an open question whether am afraid
of a harmless buck or no, just hurry up
and get me in range" "
This, of course, was many years ago,
as you see that l am an old man now,
and one need not 60 twenty miles from
Captain Whitney's residence to find
the forest alive with game. had long
had bright visions Of this particular va
cation, as it was understood that was
to make my way into the wild region
where the friend of my father. good.
natured old Captain Whitney, resided,
to while it away.
A reasonable supply OF provisions
were provided; blankets gathered fol
covering at night; fishing, tackle,
knives and an axe deposited in the
rough lumber-wagon, two horses har.
messed aud attached thereto; and
then, with much free con.
yersation and many iests, the
Captain and myself rode fifteen
miles, in the two hours Immediately
preceding the sunrise of September
morning. The road was magnificent
ly rough, especially the last four miles
of it, terminating in semi-circulal
clearing, wherein stood a Lighthouse
and log-barn.
"Here we leave our horses" said the
Captain. SANDY will see to them
and we will look for something better
Do you notice that heavy timberec
tract of land inclining along the bast
of the hill yonderP"-he pointed to tn,
south of us-''and the bold, rocky hill
beyond, and little to the left Of It'll
Our path takes us over that ridge. w,
shall reach the Stony brook at abou
nine o'clock, and fish in the pond. w,
shall dine at precisely twelve, in a lit
tie bark shanty on the shor,
of the pond. l shall kill a dee
at two o'clock this afternoon, another
at four, and two more between tn,
hours of five and six. As for you, m,
boy, you will get indignant at m,
'luck, as you will call it. and out O
patience with yourself This is tn
first days experience universally ant
inevitably; SO school your mind &C
cordingly. You will kill nothing to
day!"
Rather an unpleasant programme
Captain, so far as l am concerned,
/ answered, laughing. 1--WE shall Sc,
BY what authority you have arrange,
it."
1t amazed me to see the quantity O
trappings which the Captain dispose
about his person. Every thing that W
needed for camping out in the wood
he disposed somehow. and all in sue
amanner as not to discommode hin
in the least He left me the axe an
. single basket of provision, declarin
that he ought also to carry those, bu
allowed me to take them, simply that
might be initiated into the mysteries O
real frontier sports. .Is.
We toiled along through the gres
mass of forest which skirted the hill