AN ADVENTURE WITH WOLVES. 39 



that, during storms, large fields of ice, on which 

 numbers of wolves are congregated, break loose from 

 the shore, or the land ice, in which case, as soon as the 

 beasts perceive their danger, but see no possibility of 

 escape, they rush to and fro, keeping up the while a 

 most woful howling, heard frequently at a great dis- 

 tance, until they are swallowed up by the waves." 



The wolf has a peculiar fondness for pork,- and often 

 makes a wholesale attack on the farmers' pigs. This 

 weakness of the animal for the unclean flesh often 

 causes him to fall a victim to his depraved tastes. A 

 young pig is conveyed on a winter night in a sledge 

 over the snow, as a bait for wolves. Three men gene- 

 rally go together on this peculiar kind of sporting ad- 

 venture. The pig is carried in a sack until the sledge 

 arrives at a likely locality, when it is taken out, and 

 one of the men begins to pinch its tail, which of course 

 causes poor piggy to squeak. Should there happen to 

 be wolves in the neighbourhood, the cry of the pig 

 soon attracts them to the spot, and they pursue the 

 sledge, remaining for some time at a respectful dis- 

 tance, licking their chaps at their anticipated feast. 

 This agreeable thought is irresistible, and they ap- 

 proach nearer and nearer, until they come within range 

 of a rifle, when one of them pays the penalty of his 

 fondness for pork. This sport is attended with some 

 danger, for should a pack of wolves attack the sledge, 

 it is by no means improbable that horse, men, and pig 

 may be devoured. 



Some years ago, a Norwegian Amtmand, a friend of 

 the author, was travelling in a carriole between Kongs- 

 vold and Jerkin, two mountain-stations established in 

 1120 by King Eyestein, for the accommodation and 



