34 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



on these expeditions. The following anecdote was related 

 to me by Mr. Garberg, at Gefle. Of the truth of the story, 

 which occurred near to that place, that gentleman did not 

 seem to entertain a doubt. 



About twenty years ago, during a very severe winter, 

 and when there were known to be many Wolves roaming 

 about the country, a Captain Nordenalder, together with 

 several companions, started off on an excursion similar to 

 those I have been describing. 



The party were provided with a large sledge, such as are 

 used in Sweden to convey coke to the furnaces, a pig, and 

 an ample supply of guns, ammunition, &c. They drove 

 on to a great piece of water which was then frozen over, in 

 the vicinity of Forsbacka, and at no great distance from 

 the town of Gefle. Here they began to pinch the ears, 

 &c. of the pig, who of course squeaked out tremendously. 



This, as they anticipated, soon drew a multitude of fam- 

 ished Wolves about their sledge. When these had ap- 

 proached within range, the party opened a fire upon them, 

 and destroyed or mutilated several of the number. All 

 the animals that were either killed or wounded were 

 quickly torn to pieces and devoured by their companions. 

 This, as I have observed, is said invariably to be the case, 

 if there be many congregated together. 



The blood with which the ravenous beasts had now glut- 

 ted themselves, instead of satiating their hunger, only 

 served to make them more savage and ferocious than be- 

 fore; for, in spite of the fire kept up by the party, they 

 advanced close to the sledge with the apparent intention of 

 making an instant attack. To preserve their lives, there- 

 fore, the Captain and his friends threw the pig on the ice; 

 this, which was quickly devoured by the Wolves, had the 

 effect, for the moment, of diverting tlieir fury to another 

 object. 



Whilst this was going forward, the horse, driven to des- 

 peration by the near approach of the ferocious animals, 

 struggled and plunged so violently, that he broke the shafts 

 to pieces: being thus disengaged from the vehicle, the poor 

 animal galloped off, and, as the story goes, succeeded in 

 making good his escape. 



When the pig was devoured, which was probably hardly 

 the work of a minute, the Wolves again threatened to 

 attack the party; and as the destruction of a few out of so 

 immense a drove as was then assembled, only served to 

 render the survivors more blood-thirsty, the Captain and 

 his friends now turned their sledge bottom up, and thus 

 took refuge beneath its friendly shelter. 



In this situation, it is said, they remained for many 

 hours, the Wolves in that while making repeated attempts 

 to get at them, by tearing the sledge with their teeth. At 

 length, however, assistance arrived, and they were then. 



to their great joy, relieved from their most perilous situ- 

 ation. 



Captain Eurenius, when he was quite a boy, in com- 

 pany with a brother who was younger than himself, once 

 went on a similar expedition to those of which I have been 

 speaking. 



It was in the depth of winter, the cold at the time being 

 very severe, when these striplings proceeded in their 

 sledge to an inlet of the Wenern, which was then sheeted 

 with ice, and which was known to be much frequented by 

 Wolves. 



They had a pig along with them, as usual, who, by the 

 application of a corking-pin, they soon caused to open his 

 pipes in such a manner that he might have been heard at 

 two or three miles distance. These cries soon attracted 

 the Wolves to the spot : when they had approached to 

 within a short distance of the sledge. Captain Eurenius dis- 

 charged his piece, and severely wounded, as he supposed, 

 one of the number. 



The report of the gun, however, caused the horse to 

 take fright, when capsizing the sledge, and smashing the 

 shafts to pieces, he went off at full gallop, with the latter 

 dangling at his heels. 



The Captain and his brother were now in a rather awk- 

 ward predicament : they had, besides, lost their ammuni- 

 tion, and had only one loaded gun left. Leaving the pig 

 in the sledge to its fate, they therefore faced towards their 

 home, from which they were distant several miles, at their 

 best pace. In this while, as it may be supposed, they cast 

 many an anxious look behind, to see if the Wolves were in 

 pursuit. 



These fears, however, were at length relieved; for, after 

 proceeding some way, they met their father and a posse of 

 people advancing to their assistance ; these had seen the 

 horse come galloping home with the broken shafts; when, 

 knowing the nature of the service on which these two ad- 

 venturers had been engaged, as well as the direction they 

 had taken, they lost no time in hastening towards the spot. 

 The meeting was a joyful one; the father being not a little 

 delighted thus to find liis sons in safety. 



The whole party then repaired to the scene of action: 

 here they found the pig had been taken from the sledge 

 and devoured. This also seemed to have been the fate of 

 a wolf, — the same, it was supposed, that Captain E. fired 

 at ; for some pieces of skin, and bones, of one of those 

 ferocious animals, were found near to the spot. 



During severe weather, when Wolves are famishing with 

 hunger, their natural timidity, as I have said, forsakes 

 them, and then they oftentimes conduct their attacks in the 

 most daring manner. Among several instances of the kind 

 which have come to my knowledge, I select the following: 



