1740-1808 Catholic Mission diary accounts of the topography, fauna, flora and Indian tribes of the Allegheney Mountains in the Eastern part of the Continent---The howl of the wolf is a constant threat to settlers and their livestock and horses by the mid 17th century due to the wolves traditional prey of deer, moose, elk, buffalo and beaver being hunted and trapped to virtual extinction levels..............Wolves and Cougars were forced to stalk domestic prey...............When humans were situated between the wolves and the horses, cattle, sheep and pigs that the wolves now had to exclusively target for food, human casualties could(very infrequently) result..............Many historical authors feel that for a short time in the 18th century, that despite traditional prey being scarce, wolf populations increased due to the abundance of unprotected livestock that traversed the woods and fields of the day...................Of course, by the close of the 1700's, the long riflle of the human animal had virtually snuffed out the howl of the wolf as well as the roar of the cougar and bear East of the Mississippi River.

A
NARRATIVE
OF THE
MISSION OF THE UNITED BRETHREN

AMONG THE
DELAWARE AND MOHEGAN INDIANS,
FROM ITS COMMENCEMENT, IN THE YEAR 1740, TO THE
CLOSE OF THE YEAR 1808.

COMPRISING
ALL THE REMARKABLE INCIDENT'S WHICH TOOK
PLACE AT ThEIR MISSIONARY STATIONS
DURING THAT PERIOD.
INTERSPERSED WITH
ANECDOTES, HISTORICAL FACTS, SPFEChIES OF IN
DIANS, AND OTHER INTERESTING MATTER.
BY JOHN IiECSEWELnER,
Who was many years in the service of that Mission.

The Allegheny Mountain Range (also spelled Alleghany and Allegany, pronounced /ælɨˈɡeɪni/)–informally, the Alleghenies–is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada. It has a northeast-southwest orientation and runs for about 400 miles (640 km) from north-central Pennsylvania, through western Maryland and eastern West Virginia, to southwestern Virginia

 "The ascent of the Alleghany Mountains was begun March 3oth while a heavy snow was falling. This snow ceased about the middle of the afternoon, allowing them barely time to reach a hunter's cabin at the foot of the mountain at dark, which, had they missed, they would have perished. The journey from that point is well described by Heckewelder
At last, after a hard day's journey, and just as night came on, we suc ceeded in reaching the cabin of a hunter, whose name was Jack Miller, (also Saucy Jack,) in Edmonds's Swamp. Scarcely had we entered, when the wolves began their dismal howl, which was the hunter's night music all the year round.
Jack had no stable; but our horses found tolerable pasture on a piece of land of about three acres, which had been cleared and fenced in by the hunter and his sons. The young men offered to watch our beasts, and protect them from the wolves. A bell was fastened to the neck of each horse, a few fires were kindled, the hunters took their guns, and, followed by their dogs,, began their watch, while we tried to refresh ourselves by a good night's sleep. But in this we were disappointed.

Everything, however, is overgrown with heavy grass, & as this becomes matted down during the winter, we soon perceived that this would serve as a good shelter for numberless snakes. Besides this, the ground was so thickly overgrown with plum trees, hazel-bushes, and black-berries, that there was no getting through them except by means of the paths made by the bears, deer & wolves.

April, 1768. . . . May 9th, they proceeded with the three Indian Brethren, Anthony, Abraham, and Peter, with their families, partly by water down the rivers Susquehanna, Tiaogu, and Ohio, and partly by land across the country.... Those who went by land, were obliged to pass through many fires, in the forest, which rendered the air extremely hot, and filled it with smoke and,, suffocating exhalations. They lost I several nights rest, by the dreadful howlings, and even bold attacks by wolves, who sometimes ventured so near their fires, that they were obliged to drive them away by pelting them with 'firebrands.

  Delawares and Mohegans  arrived upwards of Forty of them together, in a body; and at another time about the same Number, but mostly of the Nantocok Tribe; all of whom behaved civilly, and attended divine service during their stay.

WHITE DEER, (emptying into the Susquehanna from the West, in
Union County). In Delaware, Woap'tuchdnne, i. e., white-deer stream, 1,
WICONISCO, (emptying into the Susquehanna from the East in Dauphin County), corrupted from Wikenkniskeu., signifying, a wet and muddy camp.1 (Note. Probably some Indians encamped along the creek, where the bank was wet and muddy.)
WINGOHOCKING, (the South branch of Frankford Creek), corrupted from
Wingehacking,"" signifying, afavorite spot, or planting.
WISSAHICKON, corrupted from Wi`sameckhan,tt signifying, cat. jish stream.
WissiNomiNG, (the Tacony, or North branch of Frankford Creek), corrupted from Wischdnemunk, j t where we were frightened.
WOLF CREEK, (a branch of the Slippery Rock in Mercer County), called by the Delawares Tummeink, signifying,§§ where there is a wolf, i. e. the place of wolves.

In the Winter following, when the Rivers were covered with Ice, a great Number of Wolves came into the, parts, traversing the Country in packs, and attacking every animal they could meet. They came sometimes into our village, attacking and killing our Hogs, they would even sometimes seize the largest of them. At one time they attacked and killed a Chippuwa Man and his Wife. At another time, one of our Indian Brethren coming from Detroit on the Ice, was pursued by a pack of these Animals, for several Miles, but being furnished with Skates, they could not come up with. them. Many however were killed,, by our. Indians, by decoying them to places, where they destroyed themselves.

The Indians fasten a Musket loaded with buck or Swan shot, to the ground, at the end of-and close beside the trunk of a large long log, or fallen Tree, with the Muzzle fixed towards the other end, and raised so, as to point to the object intended, next, a string, or thin cord, measuring the exact distance, from where the Gun is tied down; to the- far end of the log or tree, and to which at the one end a piece of Meat is fastened, while the other end is tied to the trigger: is properly fixed. Then gathering, or cutting small brush, they enclose the Gun and line from one end to the other-similar to a light brush fence, .which is to keep the Animal off from entering the enclosure at any place from the side, which if not prevented, he, by touching the string with his foot might cause the Gun to go off"" to no purpose. If the log or Tree, by the side of which the line is, is not supposed to be of sufficient height,, to prevent the Wolf from leaping over, small brush is also laid throughout on this log. The Wolf in his range, getting the scent of the Meat, and coming up, seeks for an open place to come at it, which, being in front of 'the muzzle of the Gun, which had been cocked, the moment he lays hold of the Meat, he himself draws the trigger and is shot. I have in the Year 1773 seen 16 heads of Wolves which had been killed in this manner, brought in in the course of io Days.