464 SANGUINARY ONSLAUGHTS. 



not often molest man. The most murderous of their 

 attacks on record, were during the winter of 1820-21, 

 when they killed, within a confined line of country, near to 

 the town of Gefle, on the Bothnian Gulf, some twenty 

 human beings, the greater part of whom, however, were 

 children, and wounded many others. And though in the 

 course of this slaughter several wolves were occasionally seen 

 in company, it is the general opinion that the same beast 

 was always the attacking party, and the primary cause of the 

 mischief. From the boldness this wolf displayed, and his 

 utter fearlessness of man, it was believed he, in early life, 

 had been domesticated, and had subsequently escaped from 

 confinement. 



The subjoined details of some of the sad occurrences in 

 question, may not be without interest. 



"On the 1st of January, 1821," says the Rev. C. E. 

 Angman, " a peasant on his return from the post-house of 

 Byas, in the parish of By, and when about two miles from 

 the church, was attacked by a wolf, who pulled him down 

 from the sledge in which he rode, and dragged him along the 

 ground for some little distance ; but the man's coat, of which 

 the beast had hold, giving way, at length the poor fellow 

 was enabled to regain his legs, when running back to the 

 sledge, he pursued his journey. For the space of nearly a 

 mile, however, and until he reached the village of Leknas, he 

 was closely followed by the wolf. 



"Not long afterwards, a boy eight years old, son to the 

 discharged soldier, Jager, was attacked by a wolf. Together 

 with several others he was cutting yran-och tall-ris (the 

 sprigs of the spruce-pine and Scotch fir) for the use of 

 the cattle, in an enclosure near to the cottage. When the 



