Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-08-31
AMMONIA SAVED HIM.
A PENNSYLVANIA DocToR,s GxPe-
 RENcE WITH WOLVES.

Lost In a Wilderness, He Had to Abandon
 His Horse and For Forty.eight Hours
 Carried on a Contest With His Life as
 the Stake
 The following is true wolf story written from data furnished by Dr. Thornton of Lewisburg, Pa, whose fa. ther figures as the hero:
 About the year 1845 wolves were abundant ill Tomhiokon valley, between Catawissa and Hazleton. When the Catawissa railroad, part of the Phil- adelphia and Reading, was being built, Dr. Thomas A. H. Thornton, practie- ing physician, ono cold autumn night was called out of bed to visit patient about 20 miles from his home. At that time there were no regular roads as we now have. In their place the traveller used narrow paths or trails. Dr. Thorn ton in his anxiety to reach the bedside of the sufferer attempted to make short cut. He lost his way and for a week wandered through the wilderness and, having no gun, was obliged to subslst on roots and herbs The doctor was on horseback and after wandering aimiessly about the painless forests for four or five days got into large swamp, where the horse stepped into quag mlre, from which his owner was unable to extricate him, and the animal had to be abandoned, imbedded as he was almost to his belly ill the soft and boggy bed. The doctor removed the saddle bags containing his supply of medicine, etc., threw them over his shoulders and started off.
 Several hours after the doctor got put of the swamp where he had aban- doned his horse he was mortified to see that he was being followed by band of five or six wolves. 1t first they Eept at respectful distance when stones were thrown at them, bat finally, as if they appreciated the helpless condition of their intended victim, and as dark ness came on, the hungry, bloodthirsty band became bolder and bolder They circled around the terrified and faded man and, closing in, started to attack him on all sides. One more vicious and impulsive than the others made spring at the doctor throat but well direct ed blow from a club temporarily dis abled the animal and caused his raven ous companions to discontinue at that time their prameditated and combined attack.
 The doctor. by this thrilling episode and the frightened condition of tho wolves, succeeded in going perhaps mile unmolested when, to his great horror. he found the whole pack, led by the vicious brute he believed he had maimed with his club, hot on his trail The stunning blow administered to the leader of the hoWling band seemed to have only intensified the brute's cour- age and thirst for blood. The man, weakened by long exposure and loss of food, realized that he would soon be torn to pieces if he did not adopt some new means of defense.
 Fortunately, as the animals began dosing around him for another on- slaught, he reached a high rock and mounted on its top, where a giant tree served to protect him from falling back ward. He reached this eminenee in time to provide himself with some stoues and two or three good clubs before his iltr. suers started to attack him. He stood back to the tree, and as the animals att tempted to come up he drove them back with his primitive weapons. A large stone hurled with great force and ac- curaey broke the head of one of the as- sailants, and this gave the doctor breathing spell.
 "The man, however, realized that he must soon quit his refuge, and, remem- boring that he had in his saddlebags large bottle full of ammonia, he deter mined to employ it as a final resort to save his life. He quickly removed one of his green baize leggings, tied it se- curely to q stick, and after saturating the logging with ammonia he boldly started down the rocky promontory to- ward the wolves The cunning animals, apparently aware that he could be moro easily overpowered on level ground, separated, slunk off and permitted him to proceed several hundred yards before they renewed tho pursuit. They did not, however allow much time to elapss be- fore they took the trail of the man who had thus far so successfully baffled their powers.
 "The doctor stood still and waited until one Of the brutes rushed within an arm 8 length, when be struck him in the face with the cloth saturated with ammonia. This reception was most novel and unique one for the wolf, who ran off bowling with pain. Two more of the band were slapped across the mouths with the saturated baixe, and they also left. After this experience tEe wolves followed the doctor till day light next morning, when they gavo up the chase, which they had continued fog AS hours and wbioh unquestionably would have resulted in a most horrible death if it had not been for the contents of the ammonia bottle.