Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-04-21
A Pretty Tight Place FOR . Man.-A
Thrilling Adventure On Devil
Mountain.
From the Ottawa Free Press.

|
Beng a euler in the employ OF
Messrs. McLaren & Co., on the Gait
neau river, I set out on the morn
ing of the goth of February, IN com.
pany with two 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 be-
ing called Mont Diable, or Devils
Mountain. l took my horse along
with me so long as a beaten track
enabled me to do so when I tied him
up and continued the journey on
snow-shoes. We had gone only
about four miles when one of the In
dians, very cunning and experience
ed hunter, solemnly warned me to
turn back, as there were unmistaka-
bic indications of wolves being in
close proximity, but l 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, l beheld in full view, and only
short distance away on a small
eminence, a pack of wolves, twenty
seven in number, devouring the re-
mains of deer. The only resource
for safety was to retreat or to climb
a tree, but on turning about 1 found
that the two Indians had gone.
saw to my revolver Immediately, and
determined to live as long as I could,
and to sell my life as dearly as pos
sible.
1 began to retreat, however, with
all the haste that my physical powers
were capable of, but was soon alarm
ed by hearing the bowling of The
wolves in pursuit. I have always
prided myself on my fleetness of foot
as l have seldom met my equal: but
in this race with wolves l lost ground
very fast. l quickly realized that
the attempt to escape was vain, for
at the rate I was going 1 could uot
hold out long, and concluded to
climb tree, and although it took me
but a very few moments to reach a
convenient bough, was none TOO
quick, for the pack was nigh at hand
they drew up in line about ten yards
from the tree, and, considering the
opportunity good one, I commenced
to blaze away at them with deadly
effect, no less than four falling in
answer to seven shots. This dis
tructive fire did not abate their fury
in the least, and / proceeded to draw
my second revolver, when, unfortu
nately, it caught in a twig and was
jerked from my hand to the ground
My Buffalo coat I had left IN the
cutter, and, being very thinly clad,
began very soon to feel the effects OF
the cold. The wolves, I believe
realized my helplessness, and became
bold accordingly. They walked ur
to the foot of the tree, which was &
very small one, and as they could no,
reach me by leaping, they began to
gnaw it down. Taking out my knife
1 cut the longest limb could reach
and leaving a hook on the end of it
caught hold of large cedar tree
about ten feet off, and as the wolves
continued gnawing and my perch got
more and more unsteady, l pulled in
the pole and drew the tree over to-
ward the cedar. With desperate
exertion, and after several minutes Of
deep anxiety, l succeeded in gaining
the cedar, and took up a safe positi
tion among the branches.
The wolves uttered fierce how
and took their departure. but I did
not venture to descend from my
perch until the last sound from them
was family heard from the distant
hills. On reaching the place where
l had lett my horse, 1 found that he
had got frightened and had gone
| was about striking out in pursuit
when l saw the two Indians who were
endeavoring to secure two young
moose, which they had got into a
kind of crevasse at the base of 4
high rock. I turned in with them,
and we succeeded in taking them
alive and unhurt. We carried them
to Mr.. Valent's shauty, where they
will remain until we can get them
down to Ottawa. The Indians had
courage enough to go back and skin
the wolves.