A n U N T E B ' S LIFE. 135 



ap it, till at last I discovered where the trap had stnick in 

 the bank as the wolf was crossiug the stream. I then 

 followed the trail, with great difiBculty, till it became 

 fresher ; when off went the dogs, and immediately they 

 were on the old fellow in a hollow tree ; and such fight- 

 ing, and cutting with teeth, I never saw before or since. 

 He was the largest and strongest wolf I ever met in ray 

 life. He remained in the tree, with his mouth wide open ; 

 and every time a dog came within reach, he would sink 

 every tooth into him. I encouraged the dogs to make an- 

 other set at him ; when the strongest took a deep hold on 

 one of the wolf's ears, while the other seized the remain- 

 ing one. He then bounded from the tree, and the two 

 dogs threw him on the ground. He tried again and again 

 to recover hjs feet, but they tumbled him down, until they 

 were all tired ; when I took a club and beat him on the 

 head until he was dead. I took off his scalp and hide, 

 which were worth nine dollars — the price of two calves. 

 That was the way I served every bear and wolf : I always, 

 to a certainty, took my own out of them for every trespass 

 they made on me. 



I still continued to shoot what deer and young turkeys 

 I had need for, and caught trout when we wanted them. 

 When hay-cutting time came, I usually got some young 

 man to help me ; for by this time I had ten or twelve head 

 of cattle, and two horses. 



On one occasion, I had one young man helping me, and 

 we had come to the house for our dinner ; but as Mary 

 had gone to see her mother, we had to prepare our own 

 meal. After we had eaten, we sat ourselves down in the 

 door to rest a while, when a hog began to squeal. I knew 

 what was going on. 



I took down my rifle, and told the young man to keep 

 the dog" quiet, and I would catch a bear stealing some- 



