THE WOLF. 61 



Gen. Putnam's adventure with a wolf. 



Mr. Putnam having groped his passage to the 

 horizontal part of the cavern, the most terrifying 

 darkness appeared in front of the dim circle of 

 light afforded by his torch ; and all was silent as 

 the house of death. Cautiously proceeding 

 onward, he came to the ascent, which he 

 slowly mounted on his hands and knees, till he 

 discovered the glaring eye-balls of the wolf, who 

 was sitting at the extremity of the den. Startled 

 at the sight of fire, she gnashed her teeth and 

 gave a sullen growl ; upon which the general 

 kicked the rope, as a signal for pulling him out. 

 The people at the mouth of the cave hearing the 

 growling of the wolf, and imagining their friend 

 to be in the most imminent danger, drew him 

 out with such celerity, that his shirt was stripped 

 over his head, and his skin severely lacerated. 

 However he boldly persisted in his resolution, 

 and, having adjusted his clothes, and loaded his 

 gun with buck-shot, he descended a second time. 

 On his second approach, the wolf assumed a very 

 fierce and terrible countenance, howling, rolling 

 her eyes, snapping her teeth, and dropping her 

 head between her legs; but when she was on the 

 very point of springing on him, Mr. Putnam fired 

 at her head, and was immediately drawn out of 

 the cave. After refreshing himself, and permit- 

 ting the smoke to dissipate, he went down again, 

 and on applying his torch to the animal's nose, ' 

 found her dead; then taking hold of her ears, 



