AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



35 



In the depth of a hard winter, many years ago, Captain 

 Eurenius and a friend were one evening transversing the 

 Wenern lake, which was then firmly frozen over; this was 

 at no great distance from the town of Wenersborg, situated, 

 as I have said, at the southern extremity of that noble ex- 

 panse of water. 



They were in a sledge, and jogging quietly along, when, 

 suddenly, their horse pulled up, and became violently 

 alarmed and agitated. For a while they were at a loss to 

 divine the reason why the animal should be so much 

 affrighted, but on looking ahead, they discovered a drove 

 of twelve or fourteen Wolves; these presently approached 

 to within a very short distance of their vehicle, and seemed 

 to threaten them with an immediate attack. 



Ver}r unfortunately, they had no gun along with them on 

 this occasion ; but both were armed with good swords. 

 Captain E. therefore took the reins, whilst his friend jump- 

 ing out of the sledge, posted himself, sabre in hand, imme- 

 diately in front of the horse; by these means their ferocious 

 assailants were kept at bay. Finding himself thus protect- 

 ed, the poor animal again moved forward. 



The man now kept advancing a pace or two a-head of 

 the horse, brandishing his sword all the while to drive off 

 the Wolves; these were never more than a very short dis- 

 tance from him, and often so near, that he could almost 

 touch them with the point of his weapon. 



In this manner, the two travellers proceeded for five or 

 six miles, and until they reached the very outskirts of the 

 town of Wenersborg, when the Wolves thought it prudent 

 to beat a retreat. 



Captain E. said, moreover, that the Wolves never attempt- 

 ed to get into the rear of the sledge, but always kept in ad- 

 vance of it. This, if it be practicable, is usually the case 

 with those animals; and is supposed to be owing to their 

 dread of falling into an ambuscade. 



Some fifty years ago, when quite a boy, Captain Eure- 

 nius was one starlight and very cold night, returning from 

 a dance in the vicinity of Wenersborg. It was Christmas- 

 time, and there were fifteen or sixteen sledges in company: 

 most of the horses were provided with such bells as those 

 of which I have made mention. In the middle of the 

 cavalcade was a sledge occupied by a lady; at the back of 

 the vehicle, as is frequently the case, sat the servant, who 

 was driving; whilst on a bear-skin, which covered her feet, 

 a favourite lap-dog was reposing. In passing through a 

 wood, however, and in spite of the jingling of the bells, &c., 

 a large Wolf suddenly sprang from a thicket, when, seizing 

 the poor dog, he leaped over the sledge, and was out of sight 

 in a thick brake on the opposite side of the wood in the 

 course of a few seconds. 



A somewhat similar anecdote to the above was related to 

 me by Lieutenant Oldenburg. 



Two of his friends, whose names I forget, when on a jour- 

 ney in the winter-time, were accompanied by a favourite 

 dog, which was following immediately in the rear of the 

 sledge. All of a sudden, two famished Wolves dashed at 

 the dog, who, to save himself, ran to the side of the vehicle, 

 and jumped over the shafts between the horse and the body 

 of the carriage. The Wolves, nothing deterred, had the 

 audacity to take a similar leap; when, as ill-luck would 

 have it, they got hold of the poor animal. 



The dog, however, was large and powerful, and his neck, 

 besides, was armed with one of those formidable spiked 

 collars so common to be seen in Sweden. From these 

 causes, he was enabled to escape from the fangs of his assail- 

 ants, when he at once sprang into the sledge, as if to claim 

 protection from his masters. 



Here, however, the Wolves were afraid to pursue him, 

 though, for a considerable distance, they still continued to 

 follow the vehicle. On this occasion, both of Lieutenant 

 O.'s friends were unarmed, and, in consequence, the beasts 

 escaped with impunity. 



Another anecdote, of rather a curious nature, was told me 

 by an acquaintance of mine in Wermeland. 



A peasant was one day crossing a large lake in his sledge, 

 when he was attacked by a drove of Wolves. This fright- 

 ened the horse so much, that he went off at full speed. 

 There was at this time a loose rope hanging from the back 

 of the vehicle, that had been used for binding hay, or other 

 pui'poses: to the end of this a noose happened to be attach- 

 ed. Though this was not intended to catch a Wolf, it 

 fortunately effected tliat desirable object; for one of the fe- 

 rocious animals getting his feet entangled within it, he was 

 presently destroyed, owing to the pace at which the horse 

 was proceeding. 



The poor peasant, at last, reached a place of safety. 

 Though he had been dreadfully frightened during the chase, 

 he not only found himself much sooner at the end of his 

 journey than he had expected, but richer by the booty he 

 had thus unexpectedly obtained. The skin of a Wolf, in 

 Sweden, is worth, at this time, about fifteen rix-doUars, or 

 as many shillings. 



The following circumstance, showing the savage nature 

 of the Wolf, and interesting in more than one point of view, 

 was related to me by a gentleman of rank attached to the 

 embassy at St. Petersburg: it occurred in Russia some few 

 years ago. 



A woman, accompanied by three of her children, were 

 one day in a sledge, when they were pursued by a number 

 of Wolves. On this, she put her horse into a gallop, and 

 drove towards her home, from which she was not far dis- 

 tant, with all possible speed. All, however, would not 

 avail, for the ferocious animals gained upon her, and, at last, 

 were on the point of rushing on the sledge. For the pre- 



