Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-10-18
A NARROW ESCAPE.
sr COLONEL eDAr.

writer wAa connected with Un1te(
States survey company, engaged Il
remArking and staking the interna
i tional limo between the upper Btitisl
provinces and land belonging u th'
/ United States, near the Red river o
the north, on territory known At tha
time as Northern Minnesota. 1twa
here that the following adventure
which ! am about to relate, oecufrcd
| A company ofthree of 40 had bcel
sent by the chief to explore . tnedi
um sized lake, through which :h0 In
ternational survey line ran. Our bus
iness was to ascertain how much o
| the lake lay within Uncle Sans linn
its.
/ We left camp about 2 o'clock In tn,
afternoon, and after 4 weary tsaml
| Of five miles through Z forest, our VA
obstructed by logs and under brush
we arrived on. the shores of the lake
It was dismal place. No habitation
were near. Nothing met the eye blf
the level stretch Of ice upon the sur.
face Of the lake, and a wilderness o
tall pines, spruce and birch, surround
ing 1t on all sides.
Some time was consumed In llud
ing the marks left by former sur.
vcying company, and ascertainine
the course marked out across the lake
But at length this Was accomplishoa,
and we prcparod to start for camp,
being at the lower end or the lake, OF
the point farthest from camp. One
OF my companions whom shall cal
Leighton, had brought his skates.
never left camp without mine, mo-
knowing how many weary steps they
might savc me, for the country wal
nearly one-third swamps and small
lakes.
But the third man had no skatca.-
He was q good natured rOllickina
Irishman by the name Of Jimmy Nc.
Guire, and was what IL technically
known as an Ak man; that is to say
1t was his duty to be always provided
with an Ak, for the purpose Of BLAZING
trees, cutting poles stakes &c.
Jimmy had no skates, 90 after
strapping ours on II was agreed that
he should stand before us with hi,
feet little forward, and braced foa
sliding, so that we could push him
along % we skated across the four OF
five miles Of leo that covered the sur.
face Of the lake.
Itwas coming ON night, or twilight
% we started Oh, but Z full moon wa
rising and we did not mind II, % we
had just flnished . hearty lunch Of
cold ham and bread that we had
brought from camp with ne. It waa
easy enough for M to attain a hieh
rate Of speed, and the Irishlnan nm.
dOubtedly never had such q slide be-
fore. The rate Of speed at which va
pushed him along almost made his
boots smoke.
In less than fifteen minutes we ap-
! preached the other shore, and here
VIC slackened pace. Just then We saW
some kind of animals darting out and
in among the under brush, like q lot
of dogs at play.
We stopped abruptly, almost pull
ling Jimmy over backwards, and pro-
ceeded to look more carefully. II
was but moment or two, and we
ascertained the secret Of the mystery,
for one, two, four, six, large timber
wolves presently came out OF the COW
er of brush. Five Of them raised
their long noses and gave vent to the
long. blood:curdling howl, with
which all frontiersmen are familiar.
SLOWLY father, we shall be aiten r.
breathcd Jimmy.
1t certainly looked 40 If his fears
would be realized, for the wolves
were apparently very hungry, and
we noticed with feeling Of terror.
that they intended to attack rs on the
Ice.
"No time to be lost, Colonel" said
Leighton, cxcitedly. "We must put
back across the lake and 20 around
them."
Hastily getting Jimmy before US,
we turned and shot off with arrow
like speed. But the wolves at once
took to the ice and gave swift chase.
They slipped considerably at first,
but after getting under full headway
they made long, rapid bounds, and
gained on as every moment. Besides
Jimmy impeded our progress very
much. Still, we strained every nerve,
contested every inch. A few minutes
more showed that some new device
must be attempted, or they would At
tack us. We could distinctly hear
their short, painting breath, and the
swift patter Of their feet.
"ColOnel, we must dodge!" said
Leighton, as he gave quick glance
over his shoulder. "They are right
upon us T.
.All ready!" exclaimed. "Now
to the right y
And as spoke, we made . quick,
short curve. The result was more
than we expected. The wolves, OF
course, could not stop at once, but
went sliding by us on their launches
one of them so near as to snap at my
legs. But in turning too short we
upset McGuire, who went down in
spite Of us, else we should have gain.
ed q fair start of the wolves before
they could have stopped their mo.
mentnm SO as to turn.
As it was Jimmy had "slewed y
around when we turned, slipped
from our grasp, and went sliding on
his back in nearly the direction Of the
wolves.
As the Irishman rose to his feet,
the wolves turned and rushed direct.
ly at him, only . few rods separating
them, while my comrade and myself
were several rods farther away.
But we had no idea or desertina
the faithful fellow, though the sequel
proved that Jimmy was master Of the
situation, and the hero Of the hour
after all.
As the wolves sprang forward with
open jaws, flecked with foam. Nc.
Guire unstrapped his trusty axe from
his back and poised It Tor blow
The opportunity was at hand. A
long, gaunt wolf rushcd forward
and made . spring directly at him
With swift circle Of his axe, hs
fairly split the brute's head In twain
Another wolf quickly followed, and
the invinciblc axe crushed In his
skull. Tho next wolf wavered, and
seemed inclined to back ont; but
Jimmy's blood was up, and. with {
quick spring, he leveled q sidelonl
blow that broke the brute's back, and
with fearful howls and writhinxs, I
foundered on the Ice.
| This was the end. Tho remainin6
three skunk away, and were soon los
to sight In the gloom.
"Tare An ouns! Did tho snarlln
bastes think TO ate live Irishman
wild such q shillaleh % this Az for
ninst him :" said Jimmy, cxcitedly.
i Wc tarricd long enough to securl
tho hides As trophies tor Jimmy, and
reached camp In q couple OF hour
| without further incident. But had I
not been for Jimmy and his axe, TIL
adventure might have had . differ
ent termiuation.-T Youths Con.pan
ion.
i The Heathen Chinee.
Tho Chinanlan is such q born tra
der that he has been known to tax
iAdvAnf IN va nf thu ,nse alon 4 rv yvhn all