AN ADVENTURE IN THE BACKWOODS OF AMERICA.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 95, 12 August 1852, Page 3

AN ADVENTURE IN THE BACKWOODS OF AMERICA.

"Talking of wolf hunts," said Black, "I can tell you a story." Wereupon Joe turned over towards the fire, and looked up at Black, but in so doing, struck his foot against Nora's iioso, who sprang suddcnlv upon him, thinking i( was some (if Joe's 1(111, whereat Jon rolled out into the room and woUo Leo up, who joined the sport, and while Joe was wrestling with the (logs, Hlaek eonlinued oil this wise—"When I lirst came to the ealiiu, there was no clearing within thirty miles, and the only neighbour I had was (ieorge H—, who died last year, up the cedar hill, ten miles or so away, ft was a little lonesome, and yet 1 liked it for a year, and I saw (ieorge three times during the twelvemonths. Hut the next six months I never saw a man, and I used to sit and look at myself in the still water over the. side of my canoe, and like; it, for it seemed as if I had company. Hut one day in November 1 was tired out of being alone, ami 1 started oil' towards evening to go up to Ceorge'.s. I crosed the river just here, and went along up to Ihe edge of the water, swinging my rille in my hand,.whistling for company's sake, for it made a pleasant eelio in lite woods. The night was coolisli, very clear, anil their was a pleasant iiiouii. Just a> I reached the rock brook, close on the sido of the pond, I heard a growl that startled me, and, stepping short, I saw a wolf standing, wit'i his paw Imrled in tlm carcase of a deer, while his jaws were full of the llesh, Ilul he was licit e;iliu<r, fur hi' had seen me, and seemed lo lie discussing the «: iimpar- , alive merits of his meal heiiire him and the possible meal wli'ch I presented for him. lie wasn't any of your dog wolves, hut a grizzly rascal, large as I.eo yonder, wilh larger hair and stouter legs. He snarled I once or twice more, and I was fool enough lo show light. If ( had lei him alone,doubtless lie wou'd have been content with his feed; for they are cowardly animals, except when there aro droves of litem, or unless you (lis-

irb tlieir.eaiing. I look a short aim at liim ml shot. lie* .jumped llio instant I (Hilled io nigger, umil missed liis breast and broke is fore paw. Then lie veiled and came at if, and I heard, as I limited, (ift.v more iiswor lihll. ll was not leu seconds before .was in the first crutch or the nearest tree, nd four of ihegriz/.lv scoundrels were under looking at me. whining and licking their ps, as if their mouths waleivd lor me. I jdn'l understand their language or I would avc suggested the idea of satislyiug their ppetites on (lie deer dial lay a few rods o!). lilt I co'.ild not persuade them to take any lints of that soil, and so I loaded my rille ud shot one of ilieni as dead as llie doer, here was more for ihcsu lo eai il lliey had •hosen lo devour their own sori, hut I ouldn't blame tliein I or refusing the lean, :ony .carcase of such a comrade, especially vhtii a tolerable well liilleiied man was in a mall sapling dost: by, and the more especally when, if tl:ej had any eyes, tliey could ee that the sapling was splitting in two at lie crotch, and I must mini: down soon in :pjlc of my repiignaiice to a closer actjuainanc(! willi them. So it was though, and icfore I had lime lo reload my rille anddes)a!cli anoiher of Iheni, crack went the Irce ind I dropped my rille just quick enough jo catch willi arms and legs around the ,ree and hold on for my lire, till I could get jut my knife from my pockel, open il, and shove it in m\ belt. That done, I watched ay chance, and if ever there was a scared wolf, that one was when I lighted on his jack, and wound niv arms round liini, and ivo rolled away together. The oilier two lidn't understand it at all, and backed off to watch the light; a pretty moonlight tussel that was. At length Ihe wolf got me under, ;\iid he and 1 both thought 1 was done for. lie planted his iwo paws in my breast, and Ihe claws left marks that are their yet, while lie seized my shoulder willi his viilanous jaws." black paused to show us the scars on his breast and arm, particularly the large scar where the flesh was torn from Ihe bono on his shoulder, lie continued —" I was a little faint when his teeth went in. It was unpleasant, and I had lime 10 Ihink of a dozen other ways of dying, any one of which I would have preferred lo that, had a choice been possible. The wolf didn't like the hold lie had, for he lore out his teeth, and tore out my coal, shirt, and Itcsh 100, and seized again on my far cap. Il was a lucky mistake for me. I fell his wet lips oil my forehead, and had just lime to let go my bold of his throat and clinch my knife, when he shook off the cap and made another attempt lo gel a mouthful, but his throat was in no lix to swallow il if he got it, for my knife blade was working desperately across his jugular, and llie point of it was feeling between the verieba) for his spinal marrow, lie was a dead wolf, and lie gave, it lip like one fairly whipped. I had bled considerably when I rose, but I wasn't weakened a particle. The w hole had passed in less lliau half a minute, and 1 was ready for the other two that now came at mo both together. 1 seized my rille and met one with Hie barrel across Ihe nose and floored hint. As he picked himself up I seized him by the hiud foot. If the first wolf was seared when I fell on liini, this one was more. so. I shall never forget the howl which escaped him as 1 swung him into the air andstruek.lhe other a blow with the body of his comrade. The oilier one, the first I had wounded, frightened at the novel light, vanished in Ihe wood,and I was left with this one in my hands, lie seemed to let out his voice with tremendous force as he swung round my bead twice. The centrifugal force, as tliey used to call it at school, forced out his wind, but as I let hint fly his scream was fairly demoniacal. He went a rod from the bank, and ihe howl slopped only when he reached Ihe water. I was faint and weak, and my visil lo (ieorge was of course oat of ihe question, so I seized my rille. loaded il with dillicully as I ran, and, following the water. 1 at length saw him come up. lie struck iu for ihe shore, but seeing ine he didn't dare to land. 1 teased liini so for two miles, ami each time he approached the shore I showed myself and be kept off. lsaw lie was getting lireil, but I didn't want lo shool him yel, and I followed liini till he went over the rapids and into llie deep hole by Ihe haunted rock. Ilere I had lo leave Ihe river bank and so I watched him swimming along theedge of the rock until he found a little shelf, on which lie crawled out and shook his hide. lint he couldn't gel lip thai rock, that was pretty certain ; and while lie was discussing il all alone by himself, I helped him lo settle the question wilharifle ball in his side. Hp gave a mail half bark and half yell, and sprang into the river, bill didn't rise, again. How I got to my canoe I don't know. I managed to paddle over and get in here, half dead, with my blood all over me, and my wounds

frozen dry. It was a month before i was well enough to hunt again, and I have been shy of wolves ever since." As Black concluded, I looked at him with wonderment, knowing that this was not the most hazardous adventure of his life by many. He gazed into the lire a little while, without speaking, he sighed heavily and thou, resuming his kindly look again, stooped to pat Leo, who was sleeping wiili his broad lower jaw on Joe's breast, while Joe lay on hisback, looking up at the bark roof, and listening to the roar of the tempest.— American A.'mjtiine.