Pioneer Days And Dangers

Among the interesting reminiscences of pioneer days in Washtenaw, the following froni a oorrespoudent of the Grass Lake News is well worthy of a place : "We have expeoted to hear of some accident or fatality from the early wolves wheu theyroamed the forests of Michigan, seeking whom they might tree or devonr. He or she mnst b6 familiar witb the treeing of the late Hon. David Rose, of Sharon, in the late 30s or early 40s. Re left Clark's ag-aiasfc the earnest protest of the Clark family, to remain with theru uatil moniing iustead of goiug through the wootls where wolves vvere bowling on either side of the trail from Clark s to the boy's home, but David had courage that rose above the fear of the then familiar wolf, so he started out with pockets full of stones, with a club iii either hand, to risk and battle the always hangry wolf. He had not gone more thau half a niüe before he saw flocks of them aronud him and heard the woods ring for miles around with a peculiar howl which told the neighboring packs to come and share a good meal out of David. He looked back and repeuted that he had not accepted the hospitality and warning of the Clark family, bnt the wolves were on his track by the score with diamond eyes and pearly teeth and the impulse to go back turned his mind to an open grave and fragmeuts of a boy torn to shreds and -50 wolves, each with one of his bones, runing through the woods in either direction. The next second he resolved to go ahead, whioh he did with all his might, nrind and strength, but wheu he had olimbed the hill on the Ferguson farm a new world was before bina. Wolves had come from either point of the compass and he was surrounded arid the quickest move he could make was plenty slow enough. He iniraediately sprang for the nearest tree and had not got six feet from the ground before the enraged, hungry and disappointed brutes were hauging to the limbs of the tree all howling to get the first bite from the climber and in five seconds the vacant space for rods around the tree was alive with frothing and opened mouths, seemingly determine to devonr the now unhappy man. But he was now out of their reach and they could only scratch, bite and tear the bark from the tree and try to dig it down to get at their escaped victiru. They only barked and howled and would not give up. They would lie down and play possum in hopes, perhaps, David would volunteer to leave his perch, but nocome down for David ! Then they set up anotber tremendous howl and were reinforced by many more fresh workers and all staid and howled about the tree until daylight, when the noise of the early ohoppers and barking of dogs drove them into the brush to rest for another attaok on either man or beast. These are simply ontlines of what 39-ers heard every week. PerhapsChas. Robinson, of Grass Lake, oould give the circnmstances more in detail, and what Rose thought while in nis strange captivity. At the time Deacon Crafts, Clark, Brown, Ingalls, Fish, Griffith and all the early slashers thought his escape from death a uairaole. Yes, from Detroit to Jacksonburg, the Tamarack City, several raen were treed by wolves, chased by cataniounts, wildcats and lynxs. Among them were John Main, Boomer and Holmes of Saline, Dr. Btirbanks of Ann Arbor, Amaziah Stone of Michigan Centre, aud hosts of others. yes, being chased by wild animáis in the 30's and early 40'swas as common as being chased today by creditors. The black bear was a pet beside the other named wild animls including the razor back boar and a cornered wild hog. They would fight wolf, dog or man ■when in captivity. Their tusks were like sharp horns,from two fco six iuches long and they knew justhow to manipúlate them to cut your tbroat at almost every pass they made, though like the bear when seen in the woods would ruu from man. Wild hogs oatside the boar, deer, bear, elk and such large game, were eaten by most of the inhabitants. Some ate the coon, fox and woodchnck. Wolves, wildcats, lynx, catamounts would eat you. The eagle would occasionally swood down and Dick np a pig or latnb with seemiugly no preferénce which, but these happanei in some other ueighborhood and ia hearsay, etc."