The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-02-28

II was. II mistake not the fret day
In December on which got = most
beautiful shot at large buck elk. and
II proved my last shot for that ssason.
says writer In Forest aud Stream.
l did not give him time 10 dodge
AS he came To full stop the bead
Oiled handsomely on his breast aud !
pulled. sending a small. sharp cone Of
lead directly into 1.-THE sticking place"
which must have ranged nearly tho
whole length OF him Away he went
over the opposite knoll and loaded
quickly, whistling meanwhile 70 con-
vince myself that wasn't bit excit-
ed.
Mile after mile / followed the trail.
finding plenty OF blood all the way.
but seeing nothing OF the elk. and -
last tho sun (which went down ~ =
prepostcrously early hour on that day)
gave indications OF sudden leAve-tak-
ing lit began to grow dark. ! still
hurried on as best could. feeling hot
and anxious. until. AT the edge OF m
immense swamp night overlook me
and could keep the trail no further
Here | decided to let the dog GO; hs
had been showing unwonted eagerness
all the way. and was sure he could
find the elk In a few minutes also
having found II he was sure 70 notify
by bowling long aud loud. SO sent
| him In. For some five minutes altar
no started all was silent. then caine
The howl / was waiting and wishing
for. Good the elk was safe aud with
in half milo OF me.
There was no use attempting 10
penetrate such swamp after dark
a man would be IA fool 10 try it--so
commenced collecting wood for fire
aud making other little arrangements
for passing the night endurably. Hard
IN had begun TO fix rough camp.
however. when from the swamp arose
such series OF yolls and howls as few
nervous persons would care 10 hear Ia
close proximity on dark night Snd
In marvelously short time Pete. the
dog was covering and growing AT my
feet In an agony OF terror.
The swamp seemed literally alive
with wolves. They collected about the
carcass OF the elk aud in the stiffness
OF the night fancied l could hear tho
bones crack under their powerful laws.
AS they fought. snnrled. gormandized
aud howled by turns II was In vain
that went as far into tho swampsas l
could get shouting myself hoarsetand
firing toward them repeatedly. The
rascals seemed 10 know l was impo-
tent TO do them any harm and only
howled the louder.
| knew the brutes too we'll 70 expect
anything more than the bare antlsrs
after they were done with IL; so gave
up trying 10 scare them and listened
to their beastly snarling and wrang-
ling MS they gobbled aud tore at my
elk, inwardly swearing that while I
lived never would let slip an oppor-
tunity for taking wolf scalp They
soon finished the elk aud after. that
kept up "A hullnbaloo Mt intervals all
night. 10 the extreme terror OF Pete.
who shivered and watched necessarily.
Some time after midnight II com
mcnced raining most furiously. tho
wind blowing almost hurricane ut
the same time. and II was with the
greatest difficulty that l could keep
tho fire alive. To make matters worse
the weather grew rapidly colder aud
before morning 1 was shaking 70 the
point OF dissolution with the ague. I
had nothing 10 eat, had left my half
pint flask ~ the shanty and had
neither blanket nor axe. On the
whole. IL was one OF the nights 70 be
romem bered and more or less OF them
are chronlcled la the memory OF every
genuine still-hunter But for the con-
founded ague | could have managed
TO extort some fun from IL too.
After tho fire got low aud gave out
but very little light tho wolves, grew
very bold. coming within few rods
aud bowling as II for wager; at
every fresh yell Pete would shiver
with redoubled vigor. pressing his
ribs against the log and whining
pitieously; at last. In the very eftrcms
OF cowardlce and fear. he jammsd
himself as far under the log Nc pos
sible. where ho lay whining aud shiv-
ering unit, daylight. Few hunting
dogs will face wolf singly very few.
indeed, but will cover when near =
pack OF them. In justice TO Pete. and
as may not have occasion TO mention
him again. | will say that he turned
J out all things considered. tho best
still-hunt dog ! have ever owned or
trained.
Morning dawned at length aud sick
as / certainly was. l determined TO
have look nj The scene OF the pre-