Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-04-12

Us and sending US on our way rejoicing.
Once, on turning line of ice-hum-
mocks about seven miles from shore. we
we're met face TO face by five gaunt gray
wolves, evidently just over from her
Majesty's dominion. At the sight OF as
away they scurried, going down lake,
with bodies fairly hugging the ice in
mad anxiety TO annihilate space. They
we're followed by a chorus Of yells from
Us that served the double purpose OF
stimulating them to greater efforts and
OF recalling the forgotten courage that
somehow had gone into retirement In 1
the vicinity Of our boots; but we had lit
tie to fear from the animals, for tho t
American wolf is a sneaking and despic- ,
able brute at best and any thing but |
the ferocious creature depicted in fiction ,
and in the popular works OF natural his |
tory.
Our final expedition was made on the
twenty-sixth of March. For some days
the weather had been balmy and mild,
with bright skies and occasional warm
showers. The bluff-sides back OF the
settlement were bare; the swamps we're
overfowed, the wealds and ridges in
closed ponds and miniature lakelets:
our own highway was watercourse
half yard deep. Though the sun had
I disappeared from the lake, the ice. 10
all appearances, was as solid and firm
/ as in mid-January, and we ventured
| upon 1t in all confidence OF It's security.
/ As was our custom, we drove TO the
scene of operations in pung drawn by
! q pct roam mare of mine. somewhat re-
markab1e for speed and intelligence
She was especially chosen for this duty
because of the docility and affection
that induced her TO remain in the inn
mediate vicinity of her master.
This day every thing seemed to go
wrong with us from the outset The
sleigh broke down when we were half
mile out, necessitating return for re-
pairs. 'Jeannie" manifested decided
inclination to disobey her driver. and
several times attempted to face back.
shied, once or twice all but balked, and
generally behaved in a most incompre-
hensible manner. The sky clouded over.
the air became moist and heavy and a
stiff breeze, accompanied by drizzle,
sprang up in our teeth.
Arrived at our destination, the Gus
tomary blue OF the waters OF the lake
was observed to he replaced by dingy
greenish hue in which the snatchcs
were Immediately lost to sight, though
ordinarily they could be traced in their
downward course for dozen fathoms
After lapse of six hours we had only
two great blue-cats TO show for our
trouble-hideous monsters, for which
no one had any use, since these fish are
wholly unsuited tocivilized stomachs.
Old and weather-Mise fishermen ar,
wont to prognosticate rapidly-ap
e preaching storm when these creatures
/ whose proper home is along the bottom
: are observed near the surface. Th'
: Commodore was imbued with all th'
/ superstitions peculiar to his calling, bu
: he dared not raise his voice in warning
4 knowing the ridicule that he would in
Y cur by 40 doing. Finally the win'
i abruptly shifted out OF the northeast I
o nor'-west. and blew screeching gale
!, Meanwhile nothing would satisfy tia
Y restless importantly OF the roam, whic
l. continually stamped and shrilly whin
q MED. Petting. blanket!ng food aliS
were of no avail; she even rejected TIA
r Commodore's profFered tobacco, an ur
r heard-of bit of self-denial. as she was il
d ordinately fond of the weed. At las
d when for the second time she had seize
Ie my coat in her teeth as If to draw m
Ie away, | imagined that she was i'll. an
p- demanded that we eat lunch and the
e immediately depart for home.
h. As we sat along the pnng-rail di
n cussing sandwiches and ''ill-luck
10 Junior" who chanced for the momeI
IN 10 assume an upright position With
At the vehicle. suddenly dropped baC
Y with pallid face and working lips. an
d. gasped: 'HsdreA help as, .yeilous! '
are al ddriff'"
,h Il knowed HIT | knowed all Il
sh time them catfish want snoopin' rour
= fer nothin'.' shouted the Commodor
n leaping 10 his feet, catching the maj
nc by the bride, and deftly whirling h'
TO between the thills At the same instaI
ne l sprang to the sleigh floor. altogeth'
n increduious OF the truth of the alarr
ee That we could be afoat did not see
a within the bounds of possibility. Blu
alas IL was too nearly true.
OF The numerous rivers and streams
n the coast, swollen by rains and meltir
:, SHOWS, had for days been pouring co
he stantly-increasing volumes Of warm
as water into the lake, increasing its tel
TO peraturc and disintegrating and hone
he combing the ice from beneath, until
OF gale was the one factor required to
he sure the disruption of the rotten mass.
| quickly realized our peril, FOR TO d
pY north and east all was open water, whi
Iar had approached TO within hundred TO
as of our position. Its advance had be-
HI unobscrved owing TO our preoccupatio
'ar the noise of the storm and line of hui
IN mocks that obstructed our vision. T'
iss miles away there had also opened |
10 tween us and the shore broad line
ne water, extending toward the sout
50 terminating no one could tell how
VI where.
There was not a moment 10 lose. On
adrift in the lake hope must be aba
." doned Apparently the field on whi
~ We were was yet stationary but
1as broad channel moving southwark "
'"r rapidly cutting us away from the lnsht
ss ice. There was bare possibility OF
leE. cape to the south II We could reach ~
oi geon point nine miles away. This poi
/, Nv Is spit that juts out into the lake
league or more. and below the suris
ara ts prolonged as far again asa barely 81
merged reef
~ Upon this point Is "a Government lg
iSe' house of the sfe-saying service. and