, 1896-03-03
WOLVES M WHISKEY.
Two Fishermen Owe Their Lives to
Ingenuity in Making Bait.

William Mcknight, of Buffalo, and
James Barnes, of Hoboken, had a pecu-
liar and exciting experience when on a
fishing trip last week. Among the
Pennsylvania hills, a few miles from
this city, there are several lakes, well
stocked with fish. Tip-up fishing has
become a favorite winter paStime in
this vicinity, and these men settled
down for a two weeks vacation around
the lakes. 1t was their custom to set a
dozen or more ines over night, and
the next morning they would find fish
Of their hooks.
For the first few days it went all
well. Then, on arriving one morning.
they found not only no fish, but that
their lines were broken and the hooks
missing. Tracks on the snow told
them that the bear was the guilty one.
Bear traps and similar devices were no
avail in capturing him. The fish dis
appeared and the stock of hooks was
rapidly lowered. Barnes suggested a
plan. They procured a quantity of
whisky of the 'red-eye' brand and
proceeded to pickle a number of fish
they had caught in the daytime. Re-
moving their tip-ups, they placed the
fish near the holes in the ice.
They did not reach the spot the next
day until nearly nightfall, and then a
strange sight met their eyes. On the
ice lay a large bear. alive. but frozen
fast to the ice. He had evidently par
taken excessively of the "doctored''
fish, and lay in a pool formed by the
partially melted snow. AS the sun de-
clined, the water CONCEALED, freezing
Bruins long hair to the ice, and when
he recovered his sober senses it was to
find himself a prisoner. The fishermen
were armed with an ak. a hunting
knife and a shotgun. A charge of lead
put al end to Bruins suffering, and
they proceeded to cut up their game.
When at work a sound at the edge
of a patch of woods bordering on the
lakes caused them to glance III and a
swift, gray object darting across the
ice sent a chill of horror through their
veins. Though they had never seen a
vol they instantly realized they would
soon be called to battle with one OF
mankind's %fiercest enemies. Before
they could collect their thoughts the
gray object appeared again, another
and another. until a band of wolves
were circling around them, shifting the
The pack was a small one, num-
bering not over half a dozen, but so
far as their means of defense was con-
cerned 1t wis more than sufficient to
mean death.
They would have given considerable
to have the charge of lead which was
now in bruins body back in the gun.
They had only a hunting knife n an
AK. Nearer and nearer came the
wolves. Neither of the men spoke, but
both braced themselves. Mcknight
with the ak. Barnes with the knife.
Suddenly Mcknight dropped his Ak
and seized a pail they had been carry
ing. 1t contained a quantity of the
"doctored' fish they had prepared for
another trap. These he hurled, one at
n time. toward his circling enemies.
Ravenous with hunger, they stopped
not to investigate. but fought for these
remnants of a feast. 1t sent a chill
through the men as they watched the
struggle, and realized their possible
fate. Soon, however. the liquor began
to work, and as one Of the pack would
show signs Of stupor his comrades
would fall upon and rend him to pieces.
Three OF the animals were disposed of
In this way. when the remainder, real
izing something was wrong with them,
withdrew to the shelter of the woods.
1t is unnecessary to say the fishermen
did o give chase, but they will always
insist that whiskey saved their lives
Globe-Democrat.