The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-03-31
A TIGHT PLACE.
How John Gum Escaped from Pack of
Wolves.

How John Gum Escaped from Pack OF
[From the Ottawa CAM Free Press.l
Being q cutler in the employ OF Messrs.
McLaran & Co., on the Gatineau river,
/ set out on the morning of the Goth OF
February, In company with the Indians,
to ascertain if any trespasses had been
committed on limit owned by that firm.
The district is remarkable only for Its
mountainous character, the range being
called Mont Diable, or Devils Noun
tain. took my horse along with me so
long as q beaten track enabled me to do
so, when / tied him up, and continued
the journey on snow shoes. We had
gone only about four miles when one of
the Indians, very cunning and expert
enced hunter, solemnly warned me to
turn back, as there were unmistakable
indications of wolves being in close
proximity, but made up my mind to
keep on my way, and my contempt for
the prophetic words of the Indian came
near costing me dearly.
Approaching the foot of the noun
tain, beheld in full view, and only
short distance away on small eminence,
a pack OF wolves, twenty seven In num-
Der, devouring the remains of deer.
The only resource for safety was retreat
or to climb tree, but on turning about
found that the two Indians had gone.
saw to my revolver Immediately, and
determined to live as long as could,
and to sell my life as dearly as possible.
/ began the retreat, however, with all
the haste that my physical powers were
capable of, but was soon alarmed by
hearing the bowling of the wolves in
pursuit. have always prided myself
on my feetness of foot, as / have sci.
dom met my equal, but in this race with
the wolves I lost ground very fast. 1
quickly realized that the attempt to es-
cape was vain, for at the rate of going
could not hold out long, and concluded
to climb tree and though it took me
but very few moments to reach q con-
ven:ent bough, / was none too quick, for
the pack was nigh ON hand. They drew
up in line about ten yards from the tree,
and, considering the opportunity a good
one, / commenced to blaze away at them
with deadly effect, no less than four fall
ing in answer to seven shots. This de-
structive fire did not abate their fury In
the least, and / proceeded to draw my
second revolver, when, unfortunately, it
caught in twig and was jerked out OF
my hand to the ground.
NV buffalo coat had left in the cut
ter, and, being very thinly clad, I began
very soon to experience the effects of
the cold. The wolves, 1 believe. realized
my helplessness, and became bold ac-
cordingly. They walked up to the foot
of the tree, which was a very small one,
and as they could not reach me by leap
ing, they began to gnaw it down. TAX
ing out my knife cut the longest limb
/ could reach, and, leaving hook on the
end of it, 1 caught hold of large cedar
tree about ten feet off, and as the wolves
continued gnawing, and my perch got
more and more unsteady, 1 pulled In the
pole and drew the tree over toward the
cedar. With desperate exertion, and
after several minutes of deep anxiety, l
succeeded in gaining the cedar, and
took up a safe position among the
branches.
The wolves uttered a fierce howl and
took their departure, but l did not ven
ture to descend from my perch until the
last sound from them was family heard
from the distant hills. On reaching the
place where 1 had left my horse / found
that he had got frightened and had
gone. was about striking out in pur-
suit when espied the two Indians, who
were endeavoring to secure two young
moose, which they had got into kind of
crevasse at the base of high rock. /
turned in with them, and we succeeded
in taking them alive and unhurt. We
carried them to Mr.. Valent's shanty,
where they will main until we can get
them down to Ottawa. The Indians had
courage enough to go back and skin the
wolves.