The anti-monopolist., 1875-01-07
4 TRAPPER HllpPED.
He Tyaes - Catch Z Uear and 10
Hiamself Caught-A Terrible Ex-
pafieQce.
lBrom the Virginia Nev.) Chronicle.]

R9f180C0s 4
lgrom the Virginia QNev.) Chronicle.]
A party Of hunters from this city,
who have just returned from an exPe-
dition into the Sierra Nevada, about ~
miles from town, relate the following
incident: On last Thurs.
day afternoon, about s O'Clock. two Of
the party were on the trail Of deer,
which led them into remote raylne 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 the pursuit:
On their return one Of them discharged
his gun at hare, and soon after 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-
eh,s'0 the wind, they ssy shouted Sutst's sloud.
when the cry was repeated. As night
would soon come, they held . consnlta-
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.choIpers. They started
on, but soon . prolonged and mournful
howl was borne down the wind and
again reached their ears. They stared
at each other q moment, and then BY
simultaneous impulse turned in the
direction from which the sound pro-
ceeded. They went on for some dis
tance, Aoundering 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 60 away
and leave me 70 ''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 enc side
of the hut nearly as high as the roof
and. as they could see no entrance, they
went around to the other side. AS
soon as the occupant saw them he ut
tered ordinations Of the greatest joy
and explained his situation in few
words by stating that he had built .
bcar-trap and had caught himself in il
five days before. The door was made
Of heavy logs, and was so arranged as
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 pried it VI
sufficiently for the prisoner to crawl be
!. meath. He appeared more dead thar
alive, but, by the judicious use Of
flask Of brandy. they were able t
get him to their camp about dark
! where their companions had a blazin
; fire awaiting their return. TIL
half-famisaed man ate ravenously. h
was supplied with plenty of hot coffee
and smoked pipe, after which hi
strength somewhat revived, and h
3 gave the following account Of how h
got into the condition in which he va
, found. He said his rame was Thoma
. Way, and that he had been engaged il
chopping wood in the mountains dur
ing last summer. Since the first snow
fall, about q month ago. he had fre
quently noticed tracks Of bears anon
the pine trees, and had often tried t
get shot 1t them, hut without success
At last the idea struck him to build
pen such rs he had often seen grizzl
bears caught in in Lake county, Califol
). il where he used to live. He e1
o planned that . bear trap is made b
9 building > small, square house {
;, he.vy. hewed :ogs, and covering
J with strong roof. The door is (
G heavy logs, also, and slides up an
down in grooves. When it is up ther
n is an entrance about Ave feet high an
l. four feet wide. A sheep is killed Al
!. hung up inside Of the pen, attached
+ I rope, which is connected with tril
ger. SO that when the bear enters III
4 seizes the mutton the door falls. and b
le is Gagged. Way went to work and con
; pleted his trap to his satisfaction, An
= intended to bait it the same night. Ha'
Q ing . curiosity to see how it woul
g work, he went in and pulled the rol
= slightly, when the door fcl! down. =
J. attempted 70 raise it, but was horro
'e stricken, and his hair stood on er
; when he found that he was unable
e move it. He worked and struggle
o but the heavy weight refused to NOV
The pen worked only too successfully
and he wae caught in his own tral
G. He yelled, shouted, called Tor help, b
b knowing that he was miles from
h human habitation and in savage loc1
ol ity where few persons ever venture
:. he sat down II blank despair. I
: spent that night in agony. and got b
y little sleep. It commenced to snow. b
r fortunately he had heavy blanke
j. overcoat. The next morning he COZ
70 menced shouting again until his thTo
y Vas sore, but MAS only answer,
D, by the howlings Of q
s, tempest. he had set b
1e gun against ) stump outside. u
ee lonSed 10 get at it and fire it OF u
d be might attract somebody's attentic
a. He soon began to get hungry. y
he hirs4 he 0uerched bV thrusting b