Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-18
misfellane0ns.
A Hunted Wolf.
TREED AND EATEN BY A DROVE OF
WILD Hoes.

Richard Roberts, Marylander. and one
of the first settlers OF, Knox county, Ohio.
was wont to tell with great glee the story
of an adventure he once had in the Owl
Creek bottoms among the wild hogs. His
story was as follows: 81 was out deer
hunting one day in the Owl Creek bot
toms, when all at once heard, far away
in the woods, an astonishing roaring and
"booh boohingr' of hogs. What in
thunder was up with the critters l couldn't
conjecture, but determined to find out.
It was wet. drizzly day, and l could
get along over the leaves without making
the slightest noise. l scooted along from
tree to tree. and at last came to place
where there appeared to be about two
acres of wild hogs.
Such grand gathering of hogs l had
never seen before, and have never seen
since. All had their bristles up. and all
were "booh- booh-boohing their fercest.
There were white hogs, black hogs, sandy
hogs, spotted hogs, and hogs of all sizes,
color and degree of cussedness. Mad?
They were just raging-frothing at the
mouth, and champng their teeth at a
fearful rate A sort of steam or fog rose
out of the wet hair of that mass of enraged
beasts that filled all the woods with an
almost overpowering smell of mad hogs.
What the cause OF all this commotion
was. was not long in discovering. Out
in the midst of the great convention of
hogs stood big oak stump about five feet
high, and in the centre of the stump stood
a big gray wolf-as gaunt, hungry-luok-
ing devil as ever saw
He was handsomely freed by the hogs.
and wasn't very pleasantly situated, as he
was beginning to find out All about him
was swad of uneasy hair, and thousands
of devilish eyes, frothing mouths and
cleaning teeth. Poor devil. There he
legs, and all his feet gathered into the ex-
act centre of the stump-and Lord, wasn't
he sick looking wolf! He seemed to be
thinking he had sold himself awful cheap.
Close abou: the stump and rarin' up
against it, was crowd of the biggest and
most unprincipled old sows that I ever
set eyes upon. Every half minute one of
the old she-devils would rear up, get her
fore feet on the top of the stump and make
a savage snap at one end or the other of
the wolf, her teeth clashing together like
the jaws of a steel trap.
The wolf would whirl round to watch
that particular hog. when one on the other
side of the stump would make a plunge
for his tail, and so they kept the poor,
cowardly. corpered cri,ter whirling round
and round. He had all he wanted to do
at hauling in his feet and tail, humping
his back, and in every possible way reduc-
ing his average. I'll bet his entire innards
were drawn up into bunch not bigger
than my fist
Almost every instant there was charge
made upon him from some quarter, and
sometimes from three to four directions at
the same moment. Lord, wasn't it hurry.
ing times with him then
When the poor devil had moment in
which to rest and gaze about him, all he
saw was those two acres of restless brisU-
les, open mouths and fiery eyes. His
long red tongue hung out Of his open
jaws and as he uneasily moved his head
from side to side he seemed to have about
the poorest opinion of his smartness of
any wolf ever saw. He had got himself
into pretty pickle by trying TO steal a
pig, and he knew it Just as well as il he
of himself accordingly. No quarter could
NC uopcu lOI all w litIc dtuOuS LuOot OpcD,
upturned, roaring mouths.
Such was the noise, charging and rush
ing to and fro, that hardly felt safe be-
hind my tree, one hundred yards away.
l determined to try an experiment on
that wolf. | raised my gun and fired it in
the air. At the report the critter forgot
himself. He bounded from the stump at
the crack of my rifle, but he never touched
the ground. Half dozen big mouths
reached up for him, and in them he
launched. There was just one sharp yelp.
then for a rod around were seen flying
strips of wolf skin, innards, legs and hair
for half minute was heard the crunch
ing Of bones, and then those old sows
were licking their chops. raisin' up onto
the stump and hunting about for more
wolf.
About that time thought there might
be some counting out in my direction, and
peeled it for the nearest clearing -
''DAN DEQUILLE" in the Cincinnati En-
quirer.