The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-01-01
4 1RApPER TRAPPED.
Himself Caught..A Terrible Elk.
PerleMce.

tErom the Virginia (Nev.) Chronicle.l
A party of hunters from this city,
who have just returned from an expe.
dition into the Sierra Nevada, about 40
miles from town, relate the following
remarkable incident: On last Thurs
day afternoon, about 6 o'clock, two of
the party were on the trail Of deer,
which led them into remote rayine in
the Businesses Of the mountains, into
which they had not before ventured.
The snow being about two feet deep,
and the walking very heavy, they be-
came discouraged, and, losing all hope
OF overtaking the deer, which they had
wounded, they abandoned tho pursuit.
On their return one of them discharged
his gun at hare, and soon aftor a
faint halo was heard at some distance to
the right, as iffrom some one in distress.
Uncertain whether they were not mis-.
taken and had not been de-
the wind. they shouted aloud,
when the cry was repeated. AS night
would soon come, they held consulta.
ton, and were about preceding to
their camp, three or four miles away,
concluding that the noise was made by
wandering Indians. or came from par
ty of wood.chorpers. They started
on, but soon prolonged and mournful
howl was borne down the wind and
again reached their ears. They stared
at each other moment, and then by
simultaneous impulse turned in the
direction from which the sound pro.
ceeded. They went on for some dis.
lance, foundering through the snow
down precipitous descent which led
them through gloomy canon. As
they drew nearer the voice of human
being could be distinctly heard call
ing for relief: They answered that aid
was approaching. The mans yells Of
misery changed to cries of Joy, and
they could hear him at intervals shout.
ing, "For Gods sake, don't 20 awav
andlcave mel" "Come and get me out!
lam caught, and starving!' Still they
could see nothing, but guided by the
mans cries. and cheering him with
hopeful answers as they advanced, they
pushed forward, and at last discerned
what seemed to be small cabin built
Of logs, without windows or doors.
The snow had drifted against one side
OF the hut nearly as high as the roof,
and, as they could see no entrance. they
went around to tho other side. As
soon as the occupant saw them he ut.
tered EXPLANATIONS Of the greatest Joy,
and explained his situation in a few
words by stating that he had built a
bear'trap and had caught himself in it
five days before. Tho door was made
Of heavy logs, and was so arranged ss
to slip down into its place from above.
They tried to lift it up but failed.
Finally, by means Of = stick Of timber
which lay near by, they pricd it up
sufficiently for the prisoner to crawl be-
meath: He appeared more dead than
alive, but, by the judicious use of .
flask Of brandy, they were able to
get him to their camp about dark.
where their companions had blazing
fire awaiting. their return. The
ha(f.famisked man ate ravenously. He
was supplied with plenty Of hot coff 9,
and smoked pipe, after which his
strength somewhat revived, and he
gave the following account of how he
got into the condition in which he was
found. He said his name was Thomas
Way, and that he had been engaged in
ehopping wood in the mountains dur.
ing last summer. Since the first snow.
fall, about . month ago, he had fire..
quently noticed tracks of bears among
the pine trees, and had often tried to
get shot At them, hut without success.
At last the idea struck him to build .
pom such Is he had often seen grizzlv
bears caught in in Lake county, Califor.
mia, where he used to live. He ex.
planned that bear trap is made by
building = small, square house Of
heavy. hewed logs, and covering it
with strong root. The door is Of
heavy logs, also, and slides up and
down in grooves. When it Is up there
is On entrance about five feet high and
four feet wide. A sheep is killed and
hung up inside Of the pen, attached to
rope, which is connected with trig.
ger. SO that when the bear enters and
seizes the mutton the door falls, and he
u Gagged. Way went t. work and com.
plsted his trap to his satisfaction, and
intended to bait it the same night Hay.
ing curiosity to see how it would
work, he went in and pulled the rope
slightly, when tho door fell down. he
attempted 70 raise It, but was horror.