Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

The incursions of bears and wolves into settled parts of Norway and Sweden, are described as having been frightful during the winter just passed. The bears come fearlessly into the villages and the smaller peasant settlements in Norway, break into the cattle enclosures, kill the oxen and cows and feast themselves whole nights through; while the wolves seem to have full sway down as far south as the 63 degree of latitude. All Scandinavia lies buried deep in snow, and the wild beasts driven to extremity, unite in bands and force their ways even to the midst of the towns and villages. A letter from Pitea, a port on the Gulf of Bothnia, dated February 12, states that in the parish Gillvara, in Swedish Lapland, an exceedingly severe and long continued snow storm prevailed during the latter half of January, more severe, indeed, than any experienced on the whole extent of the coast. During this storm Lapps employed in the transportation of ores were obliged to lie by five days, at the mine of Gillivara, it being impossible to travel. During this time, ten wolves paid a visit to a Lapp named Emmerson, and killed a hundred of his reindeer. Several similar instances of destruction by these animals are given as having occurred both in Sweden and in Norway.