The _Trepanning Wolf_.
There’s a Story of a Man of Quality in _Ireland_, that a little before
the Troubles there, had Wall’d in a piece of ground for a Park, and left
only One Passage into’t by a Gate with a _Portcullis_ to’t. The Rebellion
brake out, and put a stop to his Design. The Place was Horribly Pester’d
with _Wolves_; and his People having taken one of ’em in a _Pit-Fall_,
Chain’d him up to a Tree in the Enclosure; and then planted themselves
in a Lodge over the Gate, to see what would come on’t. The Wolf in a
very short time fell a Howling, and was Answer’d by all his Brethren
thereabouts, that were within Hearing of it; insomuch that the _Hubbub_
was Immediately put about from One Mountain to Another, till a whole Herd
of ’em were gotten together upon the Outcry; and so Troup’d away into the
Park. They were no sooner in the Pound, but down goes the _Portcullis_,
and away Scamper the _Wolves_ to the Gate, upon the Noise of the Fall
on’t. When they saw that there was no getting out again, where they came
in, and that upon Hunting the whole Field over, there was no Possibility
of making an Escape, they fell by Consent upon the Wolf that drew them
in, and Tore him all to Pieces.
The MORAL.
_Any Man that has but Eyes in his head, and looks well about him, will
find this Exploit of the Wolves, to be no more then the common Practice
of Vindictive Flesh and Blood, on the one Hand, and the common Fate of
Publick Incendaries on the Other._