St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-10-19
4 PIONEER WOLF HUNT.
ne Dead couated Up One hondreA ana
rhirty-Reur Wbea the slaughter was

4 PIONEER WOLF HONT.
Thirsy-fsar wbea the slaughter was
Over.
Awav back in the fifty's, remember
ne lived in q new country, but thinly
settled, where the wolves. were
menace to the safety. not only of the
domestic animals, but to the settlers
children. was but . lad then, hred.
with all the ambition of inexperienced
youth, and longing for fame like IN
old politician. The highest ambition
of INV life was to kill = wolf, and. ac-
eordlingly, 1 often begged my father to
let me accompany him on one OF his
hunting expeditions. At last one day,
TO nv delight he consented. There
was to be . spiral hunt that night, and
was permitted to go to the stand or
scaffold and wait the arrival OF the
hunters.
This stand consisted of four poles.
firmly pinned to as many trees about
fifteen feet from the ground. and COW
cred with smaller poles and brush 50
as to make . safe and comfortable
resting place. Knowing the woods
like an old hunter I had no difficulty
in finding the place where soon
scrambled into position, and with my
old flint-lock waited the coming ex-
citing events The state had just
passed bounty law, allowing five dol
lars a head for every wolf scalp that
was brought in, and therefore 1t
became profitable, IS well rs excellent
sport
The old hunters stopped at tho edge
of the forest, which was almost adj
Joining the house. and after rubbing
asafetida on their soles, separated,
and each taking 4 different route. made
4 circuit of the stand some three or
four miles in extent, gradually draw
ing nearer 70 the center rs they
walked. This occurred about the mid
die of the afternoon, and such was the
extent of their journey that all OF
them did not arrive until nearly dark.
The first one to come in was my
father, impclled, no doubt, by fear
of my safety. was lying on the scat
fold, sound asleep, when he came, and
nearly fell to the ground when awak-
ened. Presently the others came in,
one ut time, till there were six of us
Each hunter had one hundred rounds
of ammunition for his muzzle-loading
rifle, and sat down and told stories OF
adventure till near ten o'clock before
we heard . sound of anything that
called for q passing thought At last
sudden silence was observed, as if by
instinct. and then = nurmur OF ap-
| h.o,,-h< the rk.
| 1.-THE gray-backs have struck our
trail at last"
| "Yes, and they are making . run for
u.s." calmly remarked NV father.
| Presently we could see dark shadows
fitting hither and thither through the
bushes, gradually getting nearer and
more numerous All were still ~
death, but strictly on the alert The dis
NAL howls and short, sharp snaps were
now heard on every hand, and suddenly
with q bound one old dog bounded
right out in the open moonlight near
our scafold. My father raised his
rife, and the sharp report that followed
revealed the fact that at least one had
paid the penalty with his life. At the
sight of their dying comrade it seemed
Is If fury was turned loose, and amid
the awful confusion that reigned no
one uttered . word, but simply loaded
and fired as fast rs they could. the shot
taking effect in nearly every instance.
They were now as thick rs bees, and
as at rather long intervals my old mus
ket rang ont, there would be sudden
scattering and then closing of ranks,
like we'll disciplined soldiers.
We kept up our slaughter till about
two o'clock in the morning, without
apparently diminishing the number,
and at last ceased for the lack of am
munition. The others lay down and
calmly slept till morning, but the ex-
element had been too much for me.
and lay and listened to the nproaf
all night long. At daylight the wolves
dispersed to their lairs, and we came
down to count the spoils OF our victory.
There were the scalps OF one hundred
AMI thirty-four wolves to tell the
story, besides many that had been
torn to pieces and devoured by their
ravenous companions
Eut what gave me, and, in fact, all
Of US. the greatest shock was when we
discovered that one of the trees which
supported our scafo!d had been
guawed nearly in two during the
night Had they accomplished this
feat they would have precipitated us
into their midst, where we would have
been ON equal footing with themselves
but hopelessly in the minority. They
all said they had never seen such Z
thing attempted before, and resolved
60 take larger trees ON which to build
their scahold next time.
Among the dead WAS . wolf which
had young, and one of the hunters said
he knew just where the lair was. and
it would be fitting climax to go and
take them alive. To this all readily
assented. and accordingly we set out
deeper into the forest Presently we
came to an old hollow log and as we
set down our guns the leader or guide
said: Now, boys, stand outside and
will 60 in and throw out the young
ones" Accordingly in he went, and
In about . minute the sounds of the
night seemed about to be repeated.
Look out, boys:'' came from the
depths of the log. 1--WE found the old
one at homer A moment later he
came out with face and hands laeer-
ated and bleeding, but with knife in
his teeth: he was dragging after him
the carcass of . dead void.
We then chopped . hole in the leg
mp near the den and made easy prison
ers of the six young ones These we
| ~>--:>I hDvn~ olive md rnisad some nj
them for pets until they got big
enough to kill sheep. when we had ia
destroy them and get the bounty on
their scalps, to0.-N. O. Times-Demo-
erat.
The Doy'e Hlaest Rlshing-Ksd.
The arrival Of the rod. in four joints
with an extra tip. brass reel and the
other luxuries for which q true angler
| .v;11S~~1~ al&~ ~n~ thA