Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-06-24
WILD ANIMALS FIGHT
ELKS WITHSTAND AN ONSLAUGHT
OF -FAMlSHING WOLVES.

ELKS WITHSTAND AN ONSLAUGHT
OF -FAMlSHlNG WOLVES.
A. Settlers Novel and Narrow Escape
Wolves Forget an Easy Prey in the
Repulse of Larger Foes-A Sight That
May Rarely Be Witnessed.
It was in 1S5t the coolest winter eve.
remember. was settled on claim not a
great way from the mouth of the creek,
together with a man named Nelson. Ii L
never knew before what hardship was
found out that winter. The nearest point
where we could obtain supplies was Oma-
ha, seventy-six miles away, and the snow
was often SO deep that it was impossible to
make the trip We would have starved if
it had not been for the game. That was SO
abundant that we could have had a deer or
elk or buffalo every meal. But we got
mighty tired of that sort of fare, and one
day declared had to have some bread,
and that was going into town after a sack
of -four. Nelson predicted blizzard
pretty soon and tried to keep me from go
ing, but did not think the storm would
catch me before could return, so off set
Well, got the flour, and by putting on all
the speed my horse, why Indian pony,
was capable of I had got within dozen
miles of home when it began to get colder.
1t came with a rush and in twenty min
utes it was freezing. Whew! cold wasn't
the name for it. I whipped up the pony,
but had no need to urge him as he knew
as well as I the danger.
We passed a little clump of trees, and as
we did SO [ saw gray something dart out
into the road and run about twenty yards
ahead of us. 1t was wolf. a great white
chap, that kept looking back at us with
bloodshot eyes. Presently another joined
him, then third and fourth, until from
every hummock the swiftly moving ami
mails came focking. There must have
been q hundred of them, and a thrill of
horror shot through me as Issaw their
steady plotting Of us through the gather
ing twilight. All the grewsome stories 1
had ever heard Of travellers being overtaken
and killed by these animals came to me. /
had, it was true, my rifle and revolvers,
but could not hope to kill half the pack,
and there was not tree, as well knew,
within six miles. AS I thought this out,
one of the wolves sprang at the pony's
throat. He shook it off with a spring for
ward, but another leaped up instead. /
brought my whip down on the creatures
back and it fell with yelp.
Lashing right and left / cleared short
space ahead for brief moment, when the
pony shot on, straining every nerve. But
the pack was on us once more, and a gigan-
tic fellow, hurting himself straight at the
pony's throat, fastened its fangs in the
flesh, dragging the poor animal down on
it's knees I leaned forward and placed my
pistol close to the VOLTS ear and fired. 1t
fell over dead, but 1 saw that the pony was
bleeding to death with great hole in it's
neck, from which the blood was pouring in
stream. At the sight the wolves seemed
to go mad and fell upon the pony with
fury.
Taking advantage of the moment I
leaped from the saddle and ran for it,
knowing that as soon as they finished the
pony would share it's fate. What hoped
to do I cannot tell, but the instinct was
to run, and l did. In less time than it
takes to tell it heard them coming, and
casting my eyes desparingly about I saw
only the cleaning snow, looking all the
whittier and more cruel for the moonlight
pouring from the full moon just rising.
But as gave myself up for lost / heard
a rush of feet from the opposite direction
from that the wolves were coming, and
the next moment band of elks swept into
sight. Magnificent fellows they were, too,
eight males and three does, with couple
of calves. They had evidently been stam-
peded by something, and swept past me
without seeing me, but stopped short on
catching sight of the wolves.
The does turned back and started to gal
lop away in the direction from which they
had come, but one of the bucks gave sort
of cry and they stopped short and huddled
together, with the fawns between them,
while the bucks surrounded them, Each
lowered his horns and awaited the attack
of the wolves, which, seeing the Gordon of
bristling bone, paused Disconnected for
moment, but it was only till the foremost,
a gaunt old wolf, gave howl and threw
himself upon the lowered antlers. He was
flung fully ten feet, with broken back,
but his fate did not deter the others. They
threw themselves upon the elks only to be
pierced by the prongs that tore them cru
ely. It was not until full twenty had in
this way been MANNED and killed that they
seemed to realize the hopelessness of the
thing. That they desisted at all was
matter of surprise to me, for, as every
plainsman will tell you, these animals are
simply fearless and as logged as mule.
had watched this battle from hillock
on which had seated myself. Why didn't
runp Where would have run to? Be-
sides, the cold was numbing, and watched
the fight with a drowsy interest, as if it
had nothing to do with me at all. fully
expected that when the wolves found that
they were not to have the elks they would
try me, but they had evidently forgotten
all about me and only sat around for a
while eying the horn barrier wistfully, as
if hoping that the elks would tire out, but
finding that the formidable antlers re-
manned sullenly presented to them, they
finally trotted off. The elks waited for
some minutes longer and then breaking
rank moved off in the opposite direction.
1 was by this time SO nearly frozen that it
was all I could do to reach one of the
valves and tear 1t open and creep inside
Was he big enough? Why, man, the white
wolf is as big as a calf year old. They
left these parts some time ago, but while
they were here they were certainly feared
by man and BRUTE
Well, staid in that ones carcass until
lily UlOOO SOU W ClICuldU1uS dSdlu, Gu6u
erawled out and managed to set fire ia
some trash, sticks and the like that found.
Here / staid till day, when my partner.
Nelson, found me- He had heard the
wolves the night before, and feared might
fall in with them, though he hardly ex-
pected me home so soon. We found only
the bare bones of my poor pony, and /
knew had such cause to thank the elks
for their timely service that it was years
before could bring myself to shoot one of
the beautiful and Intelligent creatures. I
thought for long time that I had wit
messed something extraordinary, but an
old frontiersman informed me that it was
the way of the elk to meet his foe when
not taken by surprise-Nebraska Cor, st,
Louis Globe-Democrat,
The New Way.
First Bank Director-I think it would be
good idea, some time or other, to quietly