The daily gazette., 1874-12-11
A.TeaRlsLe 4 4, SITUATION.
A NAN oAusuT IN A BHARTRAr.

" NAN CACaHT IN A B1ARTRAP.
The Virginia City (NsvD Ch,vnscle
OF November 26th relates the follow
ing ~ '.'''. ~ .s..A...
A party Of hunters from this city,
who have Just returned from an expe-
dition into the Sierra Nevada, about
forty miles from town, relate the fol
lowing Incident last Thursday
afternoon, about 4 o'clock, two of the
party were ON the trail of a deer, which
let them into q remote ravine in tho
fastnesses Of the mountains, into which
they had not before ventured.
A prolonged and mournful howl
reached their ears, and they turned in.
the direction from which the sound
proceeded. They went founderipg
through the snow down preciptious
descent which led them into gloomy
canon. As they drew nearer the voice
OF human being could be distinctly
heard calling for relief.
Guided by the man 3 cries, and cheer
Ing him with hopeful answers as they
advanced they pushed forward and at
last discerned what seemed to bea small
cabin built of heavy logs, without win
dows or doors. The snow had drifted
against one side of the hut nearly as
high as the roof. -..
His rescuers tried in vain to lift the
door of his prison. Finally, by means
of a stick of timber which laid near by
they pried 1t up sufficiently for the
prisoner to crawl beneath. He appear
ed more dead than alive. by the judi
cious use of o flask Of brandy they
were able to get him to their camp
about dark. He gave the following ac-
count OF his situation:-
His name was Thomas Way, and he
had been chopping wood In the noun.
tains during the summer. Since the
first snowfall, about O month ago, he
has frequently noticed tracks of bears
among the Pine trees and had often
tried 10 get a shot at them, but without
success, At last an idea struck him to
build q pen such as he had often seen
grizzly bears caught in in Lake county,
California, where he used to live. The
tap is made by building small square
house of heavy hewed logs, and cover.
ing 1t with strong roof. The door Of
heavy heavy logs also, slides up and
down in grooves. When II is up there
IL an open entrance about FIVE feet high
and four feet wide. A sheep is killed
and hung inside the pen to a rope
which Is connected with trigger, SO
that when the bear enters and seizes
the mutton the door falls and he is
Gagged. Way completed his trap to his
satisfaction, and intended to bait it the
same night
Having a curiosity to sec how 1t
would work, he went In and pulled
tho rope slightly, and the door fell
down. He attempted to raise 1t, but
was horror-strieken when he found
that he was unable to bulge 1t more
| than an inch. He worked and strug-
gled, but the heavy weight refused to
move. The pen worked only too sue.
| cessfully, and he was caught in his
own trap. He shouted for help, but
knowing that he was miles from a
human habitation, and in a savage 10.
/ ed, he soon sat down in blank despair.
He spent that might In agony, and got
but little sleep. The next morning he
commenced shouting again, until his
throat was sore, but was only answer
ed by the howlings of the tempest.
Thus day after day elapsed, during
which lhis mental suffering were ter.
rible. II tell you, men," said he, 81
though of everything l had ever done
in all my life, from the time ! was a
boy six years DID," s,.h
At last brilliant idea struck him.
He had matches, and would burn hi
way out. With the heel Of his boot hf
would kick and grind log until he
had accumulated a quantity of dust
and splinters, which he would light
with a'match and then blow the fire
with his hat until he had burned a hole
large enough for his exit. All the day
previous TO that on which hc was found
he was thus employed, but upon tria
the scheme would not work. The wood
refused to burn. and he again lay down
to die. That day passed, and and the
next he had abandoned all hope, ani
he was calculating how long IT waRld
Of take strong. healthy maj
Of die starvation. He was III
la stupor, ,abject state of wher
he heard sthe report Of a gun. A
first he was In doubt whether it wa
not the effect of his own maddenet
Imagination, but he hallooed with al
his might, and kept on shouting. Wher
his cries were answered he was almos
delirous with joy, He was profuse IL
his gratitude to his deliverers, but de
clared his intention Of getting out o.
the Sierra Nevadas as soon as possible
and abandoning bear-hunting
-- : : :
Big Invention.