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Hartford, 7 N. from Brooklyn and
30 W. from Providence, R. I. Pop-
ulation, 1830,1,981.
Pomfret contains the * Wolf Den,”
celebrated for the bold exploit of
the gallant Putnam, who resided
here some years. He died at Brook-
lyn, in this state, in 1790.
The aperture to this den or cave,
which is situated under a high ledge
of rocks, is about two feet square.
It is about forty feet in length* nar-
row, of uneven surface, and in no
part of it can a man stand upright.
The sides of this cave are of smooth
rock, which appear to have been
rent asunder by an earthquake. Af-
ter making the necessary prepara-
tions for his venturous expedition,
Putnam entered the den, and “ hav-
ing groped his passage 'in the hori-
zontal part of it, the most terrify-
ing darkness appeared in front of
the dim circle of light'afforded by
his torch. It was silent as the
house of death. None but mon-
sters of the desert had ever before
explored this solitary, mansion of
horror. He cautiously proceeding
onward came to the ascent; which
he slowly mounted on his hands and
knees until he discovered the glar-
ing eye-balls of the wolf, who was
sitting at the extremity of the cav-
ern. Started at the sight of fire,
she gnashed her teeth, and gave a
sudden growl. As soon as he had
made the necessary discovery, he
kicked the rope as a signal for pul-
ling him out. The people at the
mouth of the den, who had listened
with painful anxiety, hearing the
growl of the wolf, and supposing
their friend to be in the most immi-
nent danger, drew him forth with
such celerity that his shirt was
stripped over his head and his skin
severely lacerated. After he had
adjusted his clothes, and loaded his
gun with nine buck-shot, holding a
torch in one hand .and tbe musket
in the other, he descended the sec-
ond time. When he drew nearer
than before, the wolf assuming a
still more fierce and terrible appear-
ance, howling, rolling her eyes,
snapping her teeth, and dropping
her head between her legs, was
evidently in the attitude and on the
point of springing at *him. \Atthis
critical instant he'leveled and fired
at her head. Stunned by the shock,
and suffocated with the smoke, he
immediately found himself drawn
out of the cave. But having re-
freshed himself, and permitted the
smoke to dissipate, he went down
the third time. Once more he came
in sight of the woll, who appearing
very passive, he applied the torch
to her nose, and perceiving her dead,
he took hold of her ears, and then
kicking the rope, (still round his
legs,) the people above, with no
small exultation, dragged them both
out together.” |
Poplin, X. II.,
Rockingham co., i9 24 miles W.
S. W. from Portsmouth, and 33 S.
S. E. from Concord. There is a small
pond in the N. part of the town-call-
ed Loon pond; and the town is wa-
tered* by Squamscot,.or Exeter riv-
er, beside several’ small streams.
The soil is generally of a good qual-
ity, and the surface of the town is
not broken by high hiils. Poplin
was incorporated, in 1764. The in-
habitants are principally industri-
ous farmers. Population, in 1830,
429.
Porpoise, Cape, Me.
This, cape lies in the county of
York, and forms the N. E. bounda-
ry of Kennebunk Harbor. N. lat.
43° 22', W. Ion. 703 23k
Porter, Me.
Oxford co. Porter is bounded W.
by New Hampshire, and Ossipee
river separates it from the county
of York. It lies 99 miles S. W.
from Augusta, 42 W. N. W. from
Portland, and 37 S. W. from Paris.
Population, 1837, 1,087. Incorpo-
rated, 1807. |
