AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
71 
reached the above mountain, where he had opportunities 
again to rest, as the side on which he ran was so perpendi- 
cular that we made but slow progress. We found that he 
would drop himself to rest, every few steps, and just keep- 
ing so far ahead as to be out of our sight, although we were 
confident he saw us continually. On arriving at the top of 
the mountain, we found he had made a start for a thicket, 
on the same mountain, before we could overtake him, but 
the course he was going was a gradual descent for about 
fifteen miles, until it terminated at the foot of another 
mountain, which was in that range called Pine Hill, on 
the head waters of the west branch of the Delaware river. 
I started off at full speed down this side of the mountain, 
making long jumps; I never felt better; and with ease to 
myself could run a mile in five minutes; my limbs felt in- 
vigorated, and my speed was superior to any of the former 
days. I continued so for nearly thirteen miles, and then 
came within sight of the Wolf. He was then but two 
hundred yards in advance of me, and he had yet two miles 
further to go before he could reach the mountain, and this 
through open wood; he used every exertion to quicken his 
pace, but in spite of his efforts, I gained on him. I had run 
but one mile since I got sight of him, and when I was within 
forty yards of him, he looked behind at me, and seeing no 
possible chance of escaping, dropped his tail between his 
legs, and stopped ; I ran within twenty yards, and shot a 
ball immediately through his body — he fell, and arose 
again ; crack went Capt. W. ’s rifle, and down he dropped 
dead, in a moment my foot was on his neck; but we were 
at a loss to express our joy — we were in the midst of an 
extensive forest, and we knew not where; we charged our 
rifles, and gave four rounds in commemoration of the four 
days’ chase. Our difficulties were not yet to an end, for 
we were determined to take him home, we accordingly cut 
a small stick, and twisted one end, fastened it to his upper 
jaw, and while one carried the rifles, the other dragged him 
on the snow. It appeared, on examining the Wolf, that 
I had struck him on the flank the day previous, when I 
fired at him, to about the depth of the ball, cutting the flesh, 
but not so as to retard his progress. We continued drag- 
ging him, and followed down a small branch, which, we 
were convinced, would either lead us to the Delaware, or 
Susquehannah; and, after proceeding about eight miles, 
came to a farm-house, occupied by a Mr. Sawyer; he soon 
recognized us, and seeing us dragging a Wolf, asked if we 
had the “three-legged Wolf?” and when we answered in 
the affirmative, says he, “ I will hold a day of rejoicing, 
for I have but few sheep left from last winter, as he then 
killed nine, and eight of them were my>best ewes, and, I 
suppose, he came here for more mutton. — Tell me,” con- 
tinued he, “ what I can do for you, and it shall be done.” 
We asked him if he would take us in his sleigh towards 
our home, or until we could find some of our neighbours 
that would take us the balance of the way. We were then 
eighty miles from our village of Deposit, in a direct line, 
and he, without hesitation, agreed to do so. The next day 
we arrived at Walton; here were assembled, some of our 
companions who had started with us on the hunt from 
Deposit, having heard the course the Wolf had taken, had 
followed us as nigh as they could guess, and this being the 
last place they could hear of us, they concluded to remain 
here. The number of persons assembled at Walton, out 
of curiosity, was about one hundred, to see the result of 
the chase, as every farmer appeared to be deeply interested 
in the destruction of this Wolf; and making a calculation, 
we found that the persons assembled there alone, had sheep 
destroyed by him nearly to the amount of one thousand 
dollars. When, therefore, they saw our success, it appeared 
as though they could not do too much for us; they escorted 
us home with fifteen sleighs (a distance of thirty miles) and 
our fame resounded throughout the whole county, with 
the benediction of “blessed is he that holdeth out to the 
end.” T. M. H. 
PETRIFIED FOREST OF MISSOURI. 
The folllowing letter, directed to Mr. Peale, of the 
Philadelphia Museum, has been received, with a specimen 
of the petrified wood, taken from the forest, and a descrip- 
tion of this interesting change of nature attached to it; both 
are inserted at length, so that all doubts on the subject may 
be put to rest. 
Greensburgh, 5th Nov. 1S30. 
Sir, 
About eighteen months since I had received from Lieut. 
G. H. Crosman, of the U. S. Army, a specimen of the 
Petrifactions in the Forest of Missouri, with the intention 
of forwarding it by some convenient opportunity, to be 
deposited in your valuable Museum. Other engagements, 
however, have hitherto prevented me from carrying this 
intention into effect, until my attention was this morning 
called to the subject by an article in the National Journal, 
of the 30th ult., extracted from the New York Evening 
Post, referring to an article in the Philadelphia Chronicle. 
It is evident, from the specimen now forwarded, as well 
as from the information received from Mr. Crosman, that it 
is a true petrifaction, and not merely an incrustation. The 
appearance would indicate a calcareous mineralizing matter; 
this, however, is not the fact, as proved by the application 
of sulphuric acid. It is evidently silicious, although I 
