Year: 1879

startled by a series of long, plaintive howls, at a considerable distance, and in different directions, and which our eX- perience told us were wolves, seemingly calling and answering each other through the great forest.

 1.-The wolves of this region were of the larger and fiercer species and though ordinarily and singl ly they might not at tack human being, yet in numbers and pressed by hunger, as they generally were at this season of the year, l by no means felt certain that we should not be | molested.

 Accordingly we quickened the pace of our horses and as we hurried on grew every moment more uneasy and alarmed as l noticed that many of the sounds gradually approached us. We had just entered deep hollow, where few large trees stretched their huge branches over a dense thicket, when suddenly there arose several loud, harsh, paying and snarling sounds close at hand. The next moment there was quick rustling and thrashing among the bushes; and then some six or eight large wolves -lean, gaunt and maddened with hunger sprung into the path close beside us.

 "This happened so suddenly and un- expectedly that my wife gave slight scream and dropped her rein; and the horse, rearing and plunging at the same moment. unseated her; and she fell to the ground, right in the very midst of the savage beasts, whose glaring eyes shonesin the darkness like so many coals of fire.

 Fortunately her sudden fall startled the wild animals little; and as they momentarily drew back, she, with rare presence of mind. at once gathered her buffalo robe, which she had dragged with her, in such manner about her person as to protect herself from the first onset of their fangs. The next moment the ferocious animals, with the most savage l grOwls, sprung at her, at me, and at the two horses simultaneously. Hers at once shook himself clear of his foes and fled; and mine began to rear and plunge l in such manner that I could not make use of single weapon, and only by main strength kept him from running away with me.

 :" It was terrible moment of exciting agony; and the instant that l could re- lease my feet from the stirrups 1 leaped to the ground with yell-my rifle slip self by the concussIOn, and my steed rushing like lightning after his flying companion over the frozen snow.

 " Luckily, had my loaded pistols and my knife convenient to my grasp; and scarcely conscious of what I was doing, but thinking only that the dear mother of my little ones lay fairly beneath three or four of the furiously fighting and snarling wild beasts, I grasped the weapons, one in each hand, cooked them at the same instant, and fairly Jumping into the midst of my enemies, placed the muzzles against the heads of two that had turned to rend me, and fired them both together.

 Both shots, thank God! took effect it could not be otherwise-and as the two wolves rolled bowling back in their death agonies, their starving companions, smelling and getting a taste of their blood, and instinctively comprehending that they were now fairly in their power, fell upon them with the most ravenous fury, and literally tore them to pieces, and devoured them before my very eyes, almost over the body of my wife, and in less, I should say, than minute of time.

 '' Ascertaining by a few anxious in quiries that my wife was still alive and unharmed bade her remain quiet, and, picking up my rifle, l proceeded to load all my weapons with the greatest dis patch.

 As soon as I had rammed the first ball home I felt tempted to shoot another of the animals; but at that moment l heard distant bowling, and fearing we should soon be beseG by another pack, 1 reserved my fire for the next extreme danger and hurriedly loaded the others.

 By the time I had fairly completed this operation our first assailants, having nearly gorged themselves upon their more unfortunate companions, began to slink away; but the cries of the others at the same time growing nearer, warned me to be upon my guard.

 '' had just succeeded in getting my wife more securely rolled in her protect ing robe-as the safest thing could do in that extremity-and myself, pistols in hand, in defensive attitude over her body, when some eight or ten more of the savage and desperate creatures made their appearance upon the scene.

 "Ihere was mOmentary pause as they came into view and discovered me during which their eyes glared and shone like living coals-- and then, with terrific growls and snarls, they began to circle round me, each moment narrow ing the space between us.

 Suddenly one more daring or hungry than the others bounded forward and received 8 shot from one of my pistols directly between the eyes, and as he rolled back upon the snow a part of the others sprang upon him, as in the case of the first.

 But had no time to congratulate myself that I had disposed of him; for almost at the same instant l felt the lac erating fangs of another in my thigh, which caused me to shriek with pain :; and my poor wife, with aD answering shriek, believing it was all over with me, was about to get up and face the worst, when, shouting to her not to stir, that I was still safe, placed my pistol against the head of my assailant, and stretched him quivering on the snow also.

 ''I still had my rifle in reserve; and pointing that at the fighting pack, I poured it's contents among them. How many were wounded 1 do not know ]: but almost immediately the space around us became once more cleared of our bowling enemies some limping as they fled, and appearing to be harrassed by the others

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