Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-29
A NIGHT WITH CANADIAN WOLVES.
Chased by Hungry Brutes Through Thick
Underbrush and Nearly Eaten


An enthusiastic fisherman returned from
the ottawa district tells the following
thrilling story OF his experience with the
Canadian wolf:
He and an Englishman, both eager for
sport, had gone out from a solitary hotel.
some fifty miles above navigation on the
Ottawa river, in search of trout After
trying one lake, at which they were unsuc-
cessful, they proceeded through the track
less forest some ten miles away from the
hotel, to the headwaters of a chain of
smaller lakes in the vicinity In few
hours they had hooked over 400 fish, some
of them of large size. The coming dark
ness made them cease the slaughter
The Canadian strung a few of the fish
together, bur the Euglishman insisted
upon taking with him a string longer than
himself. He had about fifty pounds of fish
loaded on hSshouldcr when darkness COM
PEELED the twain to proceed on the home
ward journey. Before they had gone many
yards it was pitch dark. The Canadian
carried his gun with about half a dozen
fish, but the overloaded Englishman
dragged behind with his heavy load The
only guide through the forest was by
means of "blazes.' When they neared the
lake they had deserted in the morning II
4 shrill bark was heard on the hillside over
to the left. The Canadian knew what it
/ meant. 1t was IA warning. \ wolf had
| scented the fish.
A half minute afterward the bark was
/ repeated, and then away to the right came
! a loud ringing whine which told that the
| signal bark had been heard. The English
! man dropped his fish and asked hurriedly
/ What is that" He was told that il
! meant wolves and business, and that he
! must throw away his fish if he wished to
| escape a terrible danger. He refused, how
ever, and simply picked up his fish again
and quickened his pace. At every step the
cries grew more numerous. The pathway
had been lost, and the two men were now
hurrying through brambles and dense un-
/ dergrowth toward the lake some 500 feet
away. The Canadian remembered that he
had built a small raft of logs that morn
ing and moored it near the shore If the
raft had not drifted there was still some
| hope.
| He had scarcely paused to urge the Eng
! liShman to renewed efforts when he saw
! right at his side pair of cleaning eyes
! which frightened him so much that his
gun almost dropped from his nerveless
! grasp. He called to the Englishman to
hasten or he would he devoured As soon
as the latter caught sight of the blazing
! IL
the brush at the heels of his companion
Just then there was cracking in the
| bush, and the next moment the wolf came
| bounding forward. He made vicious
snap at the Engiishman and disappeared in
! the darkness.
The two frightened men tore their way
along the uneven path, among brambles
and vines until their clothes were in
| shreds. just almost at the brink of the
| lake there was another howl and then a
chorus of yelps. From every bush came
the CLEAN of fierce eyes. They were almost
surrounded by the savage beasts. The
| Canadian had only a little bird shot with
him, but he fired. The report made an
awful noise that resounded through the
| forest. The animals scattered in all direc-
tions atfrighted at the flash. But it was
only a moments respite Again they took
up the pursuit, bowling and yelping while
their intended victims made slow progress
over rocks, logs and Instructions of all
| kinds in an intense darkness
| When they had reached within n foot of
the lake the foremost WOLF "A big black
beast with swapping teeth, sprang upon
| them. The animal jumped high and tore
away part of the Canadians coat collar.
| He turned as quickly as ne could, and as
the beast dropped to the ground he struck
| 1t with the barrel OF his gun. The blow
drove him off a few feet and then he leveled
the remaining barrel and fired. The wolf
| fell over bowling and the fisherman took
up their rush for the shore The other
wolves paused for a moment with their
PROSTATE companion and then dashed after
| them. Before they could be overtaken,
| the men had reached the shore and the raft
As they were pushing themselves from
the shore another Welt sprang at them
The Englishman. who had kept hold of his
| club, came down upon the animals head
| with it and hir him Il stunning blow. With
! the aid of the gun and the club the men
| succeeded in pushing from the shore. All
night they drifted on the lake on their frail
| craft. The wolves novered around the
! shore all night and howled. They de
camped at daybreak and the two men went
! back to the hotel with a story to telI.-Cor
| New York Times