The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-08-23
RIDING ON SNOW SHOES.
DOWN A MOUNTAIN PUR-
sUED BY HUNGRY WOLVES.


wooded Mountain Side.
! Perhaps not many people east Of the
Rocky mountains have ever travelled ON
snow Shoes The Norwegian snow Shoes
OF skees, are the ones mostly used here
Going down a decline one goes at such
terrific rate Of speed that one has to
use brake-that is, "ride the pole"
which is generally a stick some eight
feet long, which is held in front in the
hands and then sat upon so it will
pillow In the snow, thus lessening the
speed.
On the nth Of February started from
my cabin at the foot of Storm mountain
to make a trip TO the top to see il the
fur bearing animals were still out. It is
only about ten miles to the top, and l
reckoned that ] could easily make there
and back in day. Packing slight
lunch tied il to my belt and started.
When l had reached the top and looked
it over ] was surprised to find the sun
Just going down. Darkness falls very
sudden la this country after sundown,
and l concluded to await the rising of
the moon, which knew would rise soon
after dark, as 1t would be dangerous
lsnowshoeing down the mountain side in
the dark, for one could not keep the trail
and would be liable to rush headlong
against tree or go plunging over a
preoipice
SURROUNDED BY WOLVES.
! Darkness fell as / have never seen it
before. Everything was obliterated. l
sat ON my snow shoes at the head of the
trail waiting for the light of the moon.
The silence was oppressive. All around
me / could see the dim outlines of the
snow capped peaks, dark and somber,
rearing their heads toward the sky.
must have fallen asleep, but / awoke
with start at the cry of a panther COM
ing from path of green timber a short
distance to the left. This was followed
by the cry of a timber wolf, which was
answered by another and another, until
the hills resounded with their weird
howlA Soon gaunt shadows fitted from
tree to tree all around me- Then the
awful thought burst upon me that was
surrounded by wolves, which at this sea
son of the year are very hungry and
fierce
If could keep them at bay until the
moon rose 1 was safe, as | could easily
keep away from them AS one came
close / did very foolish thing. Pulling
my revolver, shot him through the
body. With fearful yell he started to
run, the blood pouring from the wound
in stream. He was pounced upon in a
second and torn to pieces by his com
panions. Crazed bya taste of blood the
whole yelping pack charged upon me.
It was growing light in the east where
the moon would soon rise, but was still
too dark to travel with safety; but l tar
ried not.
Hastily slipping my feet in the leath
ers of my snow shoes l started down the
steep incline as if shot from n catapult
Down, down, down into the darkness
rushed at a headlong rate. A gaunt
brute crouching near tree sprang al
my throat, but he had not calculated Oh
my rate Of speed and passed harmlessly
through the air ten feet behind me. On
came the pack, but their cries became
fainter and fainter, and l soon began Il
ride my pole and slacken my rate o.
speed, as l was passing close to the
brink of precipice and soon had turn
to make, which one cannot easily do
with snow shoes twelve feet long.
stopped at the turn to await the rising o
the moon, which soon came up, making
it az light as day.
FLYING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SIDE.
believed that the wolves had left Il
hunt some slower game, but that delu
sion soon suffered rude shock. Sool
the yelps commenced with redoubleC
fury as they scented me, and came close
and closer. l. got ON my shoes and waited
nothing loath to showing them agar
how easy it was to give them the slip
On they came, and as they got close
started out once more, but was horrifie,
to find that at this place the decline wa
not great enough for the shoes to run
themselves had forgotten until thi
time about this place. There was benc
about 500 yards long, and from ther
the trail veered to the right and for hal
mile descended very nearly at an angl
of 45 degs.; then the angle was not quit
20 much, but still very steep, down
trail as straight as n string TO my cabin
seven miles below.
On came the bowling pack, and know
ing II was life or death to get to th
steep decline before my pursuers l ben
every energy to reach it. As l reache
the turn could hear their yelps rigl
behind me, and could even hear thei
haavv hraatbine Uu,ila u,as t,,-,io
..e A.,
Diloe' one Dis VI uVe ~ auE az, ''iloe VI Vi
rest reached me- ana win fearfr
snarl sprang at my head. stopped, an
'solP ~, nv, sboas ond s+.,.tod 1,,,,,,, II,
atAen hill nluneed down with
sneea that no steam co,,ld Give I've.
8sv lile srectres. looi-ino doy,, n
narrow natb n seemed lilre n ,,1n,oa !
SsstTncton
Nv nola soar,,aa lil,a a ,i,,a s+o,,, -,
ny Pcio nii"PPVN iihO q PiPo oVOlh VI