The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-02-05
A HARD FIGHT FOR LIFE.
AN EXPERIENCE OF TWO CANA
DIAN FISHERMEN.
Attacked by Wolves While Working
Their Way Homeward Through
Eoress at Night-Running
Fight and Escape.

An enthusiastic uSlofmdu WHO mas
lately returned from the Ottawa dis
trict tells the following thrilling story
of his experience with the Canadian
wolf. says the correspondent of the
New York Times.
He and an Englishman, both eager
for sport had gone out from a solitary
hotei. some fifty miles above naviga-
ton on the Ottawa river, in search OF
trout After trying one lake. at which
they were unsuccessful they pro-
ceeded through the trackless forest
some ten miles away from the hotel
to the head waters of chain of
smaller lakes in the vicinity. In a
few hours they had hooked over 400
fishes, some of them of large size. The
coming darkness made them cease the
slaughter.
The Canadian strung few of the
fish together, but the Englishman in
sisted upon taking with him a string
longer than himself He had about
fifty pounds of fish loaded on his
shoulder, when darkness compelled
the twain to proceed on the hOmeward
journey. Before they had gone many
yards it was pitch dark. The Cana
dian carried his gun with about a
dozen fish, but the overloaded English
man 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. shrill bark
was heard on the hillside over to the
left. The Canadian knew what it
meant 1t was warning. A 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
Englishman dropped his fish and
asked, hurriedly: What is that?" He
was told that it meant wolves and
business aud he must throw away his
fish if he wished to escape a terrible
danger. He refused. however. 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 underground to-
ward the lake some 500 feet away.
The Canadian remembered that he
had built small raft of logs that
morning and moored it near the
shore. If the raft had not drietcd
there was still some hope.
He had scarcely paused to urge the
Englishman to renewed efforts when
he saw right at his side a pair of gleam-
ing 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 be devoured. AS soon as the
latter caught sight of the blazing eyes
he dropped his fish and rushed through
the brush at the heels of his compan-
ion. just then there was cracking
of the brush and the next moment the
wolf came bounding forward. He
made vicious snap at the Englishman
and disappeared in the darkness. The
two frightened men tore their way
along the uneven path, among BRAN
bles 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 eyes.
They were almost surrounded bv the
savage beasts.
The Canadian had only little bird
shot with him, but he fired. The re-
port made an awful noise that re-
sounded through the forest The an
imals scattered in all directions.
off nhf tod ct
only a moments respite. Again they
took up the pursuit bowling and
yelping. while their intended victims
made slow progress over rocks, LOGS
and distractions of all kinds in in
tense darkness. When they had
reached within 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 he
could and as the beast dropped to the
ground he struck it with the barrel of
his gun. The blow drove him off a
few feet and then he leveled the re-
naming barrel and fired The wolf
fell over bowling and the fishermen
took up their rush for the shore.
The other wolves paused for few
moments with their PROSTATE com
panion and then dashed after them.
Before they could be overtaken the
men had reached the shore and the
raft AS they were pushing them
selves from the shore another wolf
sprang at them. The Englishmar.
who had kept hold of his club. came
down upon the animals head with 1t,
and hit him 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 raft. The wolves
lowered around the shore all night.
and howled. They decamped at day
break and the two men went back to-
the hotel with a story to tell
Where Composed.
a. D. ~