The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-13
WOLVES SURROUND SETTER.
Minnesota Man Has Thrilling Expert
ence in Woods.

DEER RIVER, Mimi, April 13.-
Henry Mattson, a homesteader, living
on claim on the Big Fork river abou
twenty-seven miles northeast of Bas:
lake, the terminus of the Itasca Lum.
Der company's railroad, had a thrilling
adventure with wolves last Thursday
night, news of which has just reached
here. Mattson had been to Bass lake
to buy provisions, and meeting sew
eral friends, did not get started on the
homeward journey until after 9 o'clock
The provisions he had purchased he
placed in a gunnysack which he threw
over one shoulder, while in his hands
he carried a 12-pound ham. The nigh
was exceedingly cold and dark, there
being no moon.
Mattson's way took him along 6
| "tote" road, leading through the big
woods to a numbering camp, which
marked about half the distance to his
home from Bass lake. In the dark
ness, however, Mattson wandered from
the road and struck a trail through
! the woods leading in the same genera
direction. After he had been gone
from Bass lake about an hour he heard
the bowling of wolves, but as the ami
&c rxyinf nr
he paid no particular attention tC
their cries. Soon, however, he became
He quickened his pace but, being
heavily loaded with provisions, his
clearing he glanced behind and in the
darkness saw the CLEAN Of many
eyes and the shadowy outlines of a
dozen or more wolves. He drew a re-
volver and fired at the animals, caus-
lance. They were soon back, however
and again he fired. This was repeated
until all of his cartridges were gone
but still the animals chung to his trail
Surrounded by Wolves.
Then Mattson heard the bowling
of another pack just ahead of him,
and realized that he was practically
surrounded. He looked around for a
place of refuge and nearby espied the
hollow stump of what had once been
an immense pine. Into this he clam
bered, carefully dragging his ham and
provisions with him, for he felt that
they were too valuable to sacrifice to
the wolves. Hardly had he clam
bered into the stump when both packs
were on him. They surrounded the
tree and now and then one would leap
at the settler, the upper portion of
whose body could be seen above the
stump Mattson, however, by using
his ham as a weapon. succeeded in
beating off their attack. At last one
immense fellow made a leap at him,
and in attempting a swinging blow at
him, the string by which the ham was
held parted and he was left defence
less.
The ham, however, distracted for
time the attention of the ravenous
animals, and while they were gnaw-
ing it and fighting among themselves,
Mattson remembered that among the
supplies that he had purchased were
two dozen tallow candles. He
quickly unfastened his gunnysack and
taking out the candles arranged them
in a circle around the rim of the tree
holding them upright with splinters.
He lighted them, and when the wolves
had finished their feasting on the ham
they found that their intended victim
was safe behind a circle Of flame.
They retreated short distance, sat
and waited for the fire to go out. All
night they sat there but Mattson's
supply of candles held out. and he
STAYED off attack until daylight sent
the animals scurrying away Then
he shouldered his sack Of provisions
and trudged on home.