The morning call., 1893-03-05

TONED the rescuers also are to be believed,
although they dld not see the dance.
Thomas PAGES experience is about the
latest on record. 1t happened in the early
part Il January Of this year, and in the
Mineral King country. about fifty miles
east Of P0rterville. Page is a miner, and
for great many years has lived near the
head waters Of the haweah and Kern riY-
prs. He knows every trail between Moore
q Smiths mills and Death Valley on the
0tner side of the range and as far south as
tie Iehachipa.
AT the time mentioned he was living with
three other miners in a cabin near their
mine, not far from Mount Whitney. For
several days the men had been unable to
work ca account of bad weather and snow.
- They put in their days in very mOnOton-
GUS way and time hung heavy on their
LANDS. When the weather began to break
Page signlhed his intention of going out and
getting little fresh meat, as the snow was
frozen hard and it would be easy to follow
E. game. 1t was late in the day and the
Others told him he had better wait until
morning, but he paid no attention to them,
and taking his rifle and knife started forth.
He went up the road but a short distance
before he saw a mountain sheep, to which
' he gave chase, and in a mile or so had
come near enough for a shot. His aim was
good. and soon the sheep was shouldered
and Page started home thinking how glad
the boys would be TO get the meat.
While hs had been going up the mountain
for the sheep he was conscious OF peculiar
FaiteTing sound behind him that he could
Hgt locate, and yet il seemed to be on all
sides. Several times he stopped and looked
. back, but could see nothing except The
snoW-coyered mountains, with The dark
: pine trees on the sides thrown into violent
contrast against the dazzling whiteness.
he could see nothing of an animal nature
. and concluded the sound must have been
'twIgs cracked by the frost and falling on to
the soft feathery surface.
While occupied with killing the sheep
and getting it on his shoulders, he had for
. gotten the sound, but as soon as he was
started he heard it again. This time it was
all around him and seemed to be quite
near. He was not alarmed, but he wished
he was back in his cabin with the sheep,
. skinned and cut into juicy chops. .broiling
over the hre IN the Dig chimney. He quick
ened his sleps, but IL was long way back
where he had to carry the heavy sheep.
Still he struggled on and the sounds kept
getting nearer aud nearer, aud darkness
was coming on. The snow took on q soft
blue tone and the sky had crimson glow
at the horizon that blended into a cold
sieely glitter at the zenith. where a few
stars were feebly struggling into brilliancy.
The soft crimson light quickly faded and
soon there was only few oraDge-colOred
. beams glowing behind the darkened pines.
=. Page had got to within half mile Of his
home when he was alarmed by seeing an
. :enormous gray wolf few hundred feet
:hitdu Va ulll. ne SET uDhU Inc fDHep anu
raised his rife for a shot, but the beast had
vanished, although the soft pattering could
be heard on all sides, and the man realized
that he was surrounded by wolves which
were undoubtedly driven to desperation by
hunger: There was nothing to do but
make the best fight he could and run for the
cabin without the sheep.
Hehad no sooner made up his mind how
60 act than he heard the pack drawing
. closer and closer 10 him, aud could see dark
TrTf no
Nearer and nearer they came, and Page
commenced shooting with good effect. He
could hear the snarls OF rage and pain when
ever wolf was struck.
The road was blocked in front by writh-
. ing mass of wolves, and on all sides they
could be heard snarling, but they did not
Seem to want TO come near for some reason.
+ 1t was now dark, and the full moon just
rising over the top Of the mountains, but
not high enough to give any light. Page
realized the danger of his position and really
saw no way out Of it, He could not kill ali
the animals, nor could he get past them on
any side. There were no trees be could
climb, and even if he did 1t was only a
question OF few hours before he would
1ieeze 10 death. as the weather was growing
bitterly cold. Seeing no chance of escape,
he commenced shooting as fast as he could.
determined 10 kill as many as possible. and
also with the hope that his friends in the
cabin would hear him.
The wolves were within a few feet OF
him and we're silently drawing closer.
Page kept on shooting, and without no.
tieing il moved off the road and into the
pine forest. Before be was aware ne was
In place that was strange to him in the
light given by the rising moon. 1t was a
Sort OF level, open place in the forest, and
was several acres in extent None of the
animals had as yet yentUred to attack him,
but they kept getting nearer every ao-
ment, while he killed them as fast as he
could throw the lever Of his rife. He
killed dozens, but at last had to stop for
want Of ammunition. His belt was empty
and his rife useless. so he threw it away
and drew his knife.
For several minutes he stood in the mid
die OF the bowling pack ready to plunge his
kufe into the first that sprang at him.
Each minute seemed year. but Page had
been In as tough places before and did not
waste any time thinking about his past life.
2. He simply waited for the time TO come for
h4m to kill as many OF his enemies as pos
sible before lie died. He fully believed that
his time to leave the world had come, but
be determined TO live as long as possible
and die,like hunter.
he turned around slowly. keeping his eye
on the fosr most of the pack, ready TO make