The Philipsburg mail., 1899-06-02
THE WOLF CHILDREN.
HUMAN BEINGS CARED FOR BY
ANIMALS.
Aook, Act and Eat Like the Beasts with
whom They Have Been-An Attem pts
to Civilizs Them Have Been I'm
suCcessfuL


may seem, the wolf is regarded in som
parts OF India with peculiar supersti
.lous reverence, which makes the shed
oing OF his blood sometimes iniquitous
consequence the wolves are bolC
anu numerous, especially in the dis
.'ricts where there is little or no Euro
pean influence. Children. also. are MI.
merous, and the wolves, having nc
scruples about the sacredness of life
nave on countless occasions not only
ralded the village sheepfolds, but have
carried of children. The vast ma
1or1ty OF the latter have been devoured
out here and there poor victim, by
the agency of some occult influence
mas oeen reserved for fate worse than
ueatn' In 1852 what was probably the
hrst clrcumstantial and authoritative
account OF the "wolf-children" of India
was published by Colonel Sleeman. a
BRUSH officer especially distinguished
1or the leading part he took in putting
aown the thugs and dacoits Accord
ing 10 this authority, the first authen-
tlc case of wolf acting as foster par
ent 10 human child was discovered
accidentally by trooper who was rid
ing along the banks of River Goometee
IN northern India. AS the ravines in
tnat region were all infested by wolves
'ne solder was not surprised at seeing
sne wolf accompanied by three cubs
come out of covert and go down the
river to drink. What surprised him
very much, however, was the presence
oI another creature which had the ap-
pearance of little boy, but was evil
oently on the friendliest terms with it's
brute companions and was treated ap-
parently just like one of the family"
Inc creature went on all fours and
drank from the stream like the others.
Tne trooper tried. though unsuccessful
~, TO intercept the phenomenon before
IL escaped with the wolves into their
den. He secured the help of some ma
tives and dug several feet until the lair
was almost reached. The wolf family
MADE bolt into the open and it was
only after stiff chase and something
OF hight that the "wolf-boy' was cap
tured. He seemed to be between 6 and
. years of age.
They took the boy to the village,
said Col. Sleeman, "but had to tie him,
Tor ne was very restive and struggled |
hard to rush into every hole or den |
tney came near. They tried to make |
MIN speak, but could get nothing from
MIN but an angry growl or snarl. He
was kept for several days at the village
and a large crowd assembled every day
10 see him. When a grown person
came near him he became alarmed and
tried to steal away but when a child
came near he rushed at 1t with fierce
snarl. like that of dog, and tried to
bite it,"
For about three years this being liv-
ID in charge of British officers SER
wants. During all that time, in every
instinct and habit, he remained a wild
ANIMAL He was inoffensive except
When teased and could never be induced
% wear any kind Of clothing, even in
he coolest weather. Very rarely was
1e known to walk in a semi-upright
but he always ran to his food
N all tours. Raw meat he devoured
'reedily and would often take as much
Is half lamb at one meal. He was
'ery fond of uncooked bones, which
10 used to crunch and gnaw like a
og. holding them on the ground under
lis hands just as dog uses his fore !
avs. He would growl angrily if a hu- {
nan being came near him while he was
ating, but seemed to have no objec- t
lon to dog or jackal; in fact, he
1ould sometimes share his meal with !
uch. He was never known to laugh I
r even smile, and once only was he s
nown to speak This was Just be-
ore his death. He put his hands up a
, his head. complained that it ached s
nd asked for drink of water. He c
rank the water and expired almost
afterward. Another
wolf-boy" had been carried off from
field where he had been placed while
Is father and mother were at work. !.
e was then about years old. Moth !.
lg was heard of him for six years. :,
is mother was by that time widow. =
ne happened to hear of "wild-boy"
no had been captured at place = =
'veral miles away while entering a
N in company with wolves. Curiosi- :.
drew her from her native village to Z
sit the place where the boy was kept. =
,e recognized him by some indubit- -
'le birth marks as her lost son and -
ok him home with her. She found =
m quite irreclaimable, however and -
ter few months abandoned him to -
Q public charity of the village. x
He was fed on hares. birds, etc. A o.
vorite amusement of the village boys "
IS to throw live frogs at him and ol
Itch how greedily he would devour H.
em. Whenever a bullock died and 81
Is skinned he gorged himself on the
rcass in company with the dogs. Dur
3 the day he hung about the village
r the sake of what he could get to on
{. but every evening he went off to ca
. jungle and stayed there all night. tn