The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-05-19
THE WOLF CHILDREN.
HUMAN BEINGS CARED FOR BY
ANIMALS.
Hsoh. Act and Eat Lila. n. Beasts With
whom rhsy Have Bess-An Attempt.
To Civiiiss Them Have Been IN
successful

t"' "NiA ~ ItbaIoeu IN some
parts OF India with a peculiar supersti-
tlous reverence. which makes the shed
ding OF his blood sometimes iniquitous.
AZ consequence the wolves are bold
ana numerous. especially in the dis
tricts where there ls little or no Euro
pean influence. Children, also. are nu-
merous. and the wolves. having no
scruples about the sacredness Of life.
have on countless occasions not only
ralded the village sheepfolds, but have
carried on children. The vast ma
Jority OF the latter have been devoured.
but here and there n poor victim, by
the agency OF some occult influence.
has been reserved for a fate worse than
death. In 1852 what was probably the
hrst circumstantial and authoritative
account OF the "wolf-chlldren" OF India
was published by Colonel Sleeman. n
British officer especially distinguished
for the leading part he took In putting
down the thugs and dacolts. Accord
ing to this authority. the first anthem
tic case OF wolf acting as foster par
ent to human child was discovered
accidentally by trooper who was rid
ing along the banks OF River Goometeo
In northern India As tho ravlnes In
that region were all infested by wolves
the soldier was not surprised at seeing
a sho wolf accompanied by three cubs
como out OF covert and go down the
river to drink. What surprised him
very much. however. was the presence
OF another creature which had the APP
pearance OF a little boy, but was evil
IDENTIFY on the friendllest terms with It's
brute companions and was treated APP
parently Just like one OF the family"
Tho creature went on all fours and
drank from the stream like the others.
The trooper tried. though unsuccessful
ly, to Intercept the phenomenon before
II escaped with the wolves into their
den. He secured the help Of some ma
uves and dug several feet until the lair
was almost reached. The wolf family
made a bolt into the open and II was
only after a stlff chase and something
OF fight that the "wolf-boy" was cap
tured. He seemed to be between Q and
8 years OF age.
They took the boy TO the village
said Col. Sleeman. but had to tie him.
for he was very FESTIVE and struggled
hard TO rush into every hole or den
they came near They tried to make
him speak. but could get nothing from
him but an angry growl or anarl. He
was kept for several days at the village
and large crowd assembled every day
TO see him. When n grown person
came near him he became alarmed and
tried to steal away. hut when n child
came near he rushed at II with fierce
anarl, like that OF dog. and tried to
bite IT,"
For about three years this being liy-
ed in charge OF British officers SCR
wants. During all that time. Ia every
instinct and habit. he remained a wild
animal, He was inoffcnslyo except
when tcased and could never be Induced
TO wear any kind OF clothing, even In
the coolest weather. Very rarely was
he known 10 walk In semi-upright
position. but he always ran to his food
on all fours. Raw meat he devoured
greedlly and would often tARe az much
an half a lamb at one meal Tie was
very fond OF uncooked bones. which
he used to crunch and guaw Ike
dog. holding them on the ground under
his hands just as a dog uses his fore
paws. lie would growl augrlly II a hui
man being came near him while he was
eating but seemed to have no objec-
ton 10 dog or jaokal: In fact, he
would sometimes share his meal with
such. He was never known 10 laugh
or even smile and once only was he
known to speak. This was lust be-
TO his head. complained that Il anhed
and asked for q drink OF water lie
drank the wator and expired almost
Immediately afterward. Another
wolf-boy" had been carried OF from
a field where he had been placed while
his father and mother were at work.
He was then about years old Moth
Ing was heard OF him for SIX years
His mother was by that time a widow
She happened 10 hear OF a "wlld-boy"
who had been captured az a place
several miles away while entering a
den In company with wolves, Curlosl-
~ drew her from her native village to
visit the place where the boy was Kept.
She recognized him by some indublt-
able birth marks az her lost son and
took him home with her. She found
him quite irreelalmable. however. and
after a few months abandoned him To
the public charity OF the village.
He was fed on hares. birds. etc. A
favorlte amusement OF the village boys
was TO throw live frogs at him and
watch how greedlly he would deyour
them. whenever n bullock died and
was skinned he gorged himself on the
carcass in company with the dogs. Dur
ing the day he hung about the village
for the sake OF what he could get 10
eat, but every evening he went on 70
the Jungle and stayed there all night
In the year 1850, while no was being
sent to Col. Sleeman. he escaped into
the Jungle and was never afterward
heard OF. The "wolf-boy of Agra" dif-
fered In no material respects from
either OF the two already described.