Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-12-20
oorralrcd the Wo,res.


II remember little brush / had with
wolves in Northern Wisconsin before the
war. said man by the name Of Jones, ac-
cording to Sarby's Magazine. "The wolves
there were the large timber variety, aud II
being hard winter, they were constantly
hungry. They were fierce and dangerous,
and would attack man when there were
no more than two or three of them together.
zone day in January, l was going from
0jibway City to Pumme de Terra River on
foot, accompanied only by my dog. Bones
was not dog that would ever go about the
country asking folks in his poor, dumb way
where he could find a large pack Of wolves.
When about fifteen miles from Pomme de
Terra noticed that Bones was becoming
uneasy. Five minutes later observed that
he was wearing the hair on his back pom
padour. / suspected wolves, and was
right. They soon came up not fifty yards
behind. There were at ieast 100 Of them
large, gaunt hungry. savage wolves, Their
fierce howls reverberated through the start
lei forests like the diaboical shrieks Of
frenzed demons in torment saw that a
hand to-hand contest with them was out Of
the question. Flight was my only hope
Picking up Bones by the nape Of the neck,
tucked him under my arm and started.
For forty minutes, gentlemen, ran like
a cat in dog show. l suppose covered
ten miles, notwithstanding that the snow
was deep in some placer, and in others the
underbrush interfcred. The wolves kept
close behind. When turned my head |
felt their hot, venomous breath on my
cheek. They lcaped up and nipped at the
tail of poor Bones, which was waving and
tossing behind on the terrific wind which
my fight engendered like plume Of a
knight of old going into battle. Their
howl, weird, aud hidious as the sinking
wall of 10000 lost souls, shook the pine
needles from the trees and tore the nerves
Of the unfortunate Bones in n way which
was painful to see.
"At the end OF ten miles began 10 tire.
A large spruce tree stood in my path and l
climbed it. PerchiDg myself on lower
limb some fifty feet from the ground, and
tying Bones ia place on another with bit
Of string, I looked down on the angry,
.urging sea Of wolves below. felt safe
aud lit my pipe and gave my dog ham
bone which he'd in my pocket. But soon,
to my surprise, the wolves began most ex-
traordinary tactics, nothing less, gentle
men, than gnawing down the tree. One
hundred sets Of rayenous fangs tore and bit
the trunk. knocked the ashes out Of my
pipe and began to look at the situation Sc
riously. ] noticed on the branches about
me chunks Of raw spruce gum about the
size of my fist. Taking my knife pried
one of and dropped it 10 a wolf below. He
snapped his jaws upon it with famished
greed. He never opened them again, the
resinous mass holding them firm as wise.
"At the end of twenty minutes / bad the
jaws Of every wolf welded together past all
hopes of opening. I then descended with
Bones who now barked saysgeIy and at
tackled the wolves with great spirit. With
his assistance drove the bafiled, helpless
creatures to Pomme de Terra like flock OF
sheep. There was at that time $40 bounty
on wolves. We rounded them up in the
court house yard and ! drew $1,000 from
the County Treasurer, after which repair
ed TO lie Grand Monarque Hotel and order
ed supper, not forgetting TO bespeak the
largest soup bone in town for my dog.
returned to Ojibway City the next day, but
saw no wolves"