J :", 



498 



AUDUBON 



from a distance by the famished beasts. Prudent in a cer- 

 tain degree, the young lovers carried their axes on their 

 shoulders, and walked as briskly as the narrow path would 

 allow. Some transient glimpses of light now and then 

 met their eyes, but so faint were they that they believed 

 them to be caused by their faces coming in contact with 

 the slender reeds covered with snow. Suddenly, however, 

 a long and frightful howl burst upon them, and they in- 

 stantly knew that it proceeded from a troop of hungry, 

 perhaps desperate Wolves. They stopped, and putting 

 themselves in an attitude of defence, awaited the result. 

 All around was dark, save a few feet of snow, and the 

 silence of night was dismal. Nothing could be done to 

 better their situation, and after standing a few minutes 

 in expectation of an attack, they judged it best to resume 

 their march; but no sooner had they replaced their axes 

 on their shoulders and begun to move, than the foremost 

 found himself assailed by several foes. His legs were 

 held fast as if pressed by a powerful screw, and the tor- 

 ture inflicted by the fangs of the ravenous animal was for 

 a moment excruciating. Several Wolves in the mean- 

 time sprung upon the breast of the other negro, and 

 dragged him to the ground. Both struggled manfully 

 against their foes; but in a short time one of them ceased 

 to move, and the other, reduced in strength, and perhaps 

 despairing of maintaining his ground, still more of aiding 

 his unfortunat companion, sprung to the branch of a tree, 

 and speedily gained a place of safety near the top. The 

 next morning the mangled remains of his comrade lay 

 scattered around on the snow, which was stained with 

 blood. Three dead Wolves lay around, but the rest of 

 the pack had disappeared, and Scipio, sliding to the 

 ground, took up the axes, and made the best of his way 

 home, to relate the sad adventure. 



About two years after this occurrence, as I was travel- 

 ling between Henderson and Vincennes, I chanced to stop 



