Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-10-31
DANGEROUS FISHING.
A Night On an Ice FIoe With Fam
ished Wolf


Lake fishermen. who maintain that
fishing huts are in no danger Of be-
ing carried away in the ice, and
northern hunters who assert with
equal wisdom that the gray wolf is
never seen in Michigan save in the
farthest recesses Of the north, are
nature takers, all of them. Two
years ago, in the dead Of winter, DR..
M. A. Leach was out on Lake Michi-
gan in a friends hut, fishing through
the ice. Everything was proceeding
merrily when-says the doctor:
Then came sudden report,
sounding like thunder. The ice was
going!
Il rushed outside, but the snow
was binding, and 1 could, of course,
not even see the shore line. l stood
perplexed for a moment, but as l
had no compass, there was nothing
for 1t but to keep warm and trust
to luck. All around the thunderous
reports were sounding and the Ice
was quivering strangely. I was fright
ened, but as there was no help for it,
went back to the hut and kept on
fishing.
This was about noon. 1 noticed,
to my relief, that there were no
cracks coming beneath the hut. so
that If the ice did go out I should at
least be on a big cake-for a time.
The big cakes do not last very long
in Lake Michigan. L could not tell
what was happening outside, for the
wind was shrieking and bowling hor-
ribly, and every few seconds the ice
would split with a resounding crash.
So, for lack Of something better to
do, 1 arranged frying pan had over
the little stove, and to keep up my
food supply l started frying some
of the fish, after cleaning them out
side the hut. In a few minutes the
place was filled with a most appetiz-
ing odor, which, presume, had
something to do with what followed.
First of all / heard a series Of low
whines outside; then something
scratched at the door. opened 1t In
amazement thinking some dog had.
perhaps, been lost on the ice and had
found my hut. To my surprise, how
ever, a great unkempt animal en-
tered and fawned about my feet, lick
ing my boots; and although 1 had
never seen one l knew that 1t was
gray wolf The animal seemed ter
rifed beyond measure by the split
ting ice and the storm, for he kept
casting fearful glances at the door,
and showed no sign whatever of
wildness."
AS the doctor had no other weapon
than his knife and a frozen fishing
line, he was in q quandary. But the
wolf seemed lonely and showed a
strong desire to make himself at
home, so they naturally decided to
| let it go at that, and spent the night
quite charmingly together. The next
morning-hear what the doctor says:
II awoke to find the sun up, the
day bright and clear, and the land
four or five miles west Of u.s. All
around floated cakes Of ice, going
the same way as ourselves in the
h grip Of some current. My fears
passed away with the bright sun
light, and l used up my last wood In
cooking some fish for the wolf, while
finished the basket of provisions.
80 the wolf and 1 went out in the
sunshine, and now the animal grew
surly and. no longer welcomed my
approaches. 1 believe that so long
as the danger lasted he was coWed,
but that with the approach of day,
and when rescue was at hand for me,
all his savage nature returned upon
him with redoubled force. However
that may be, two hours later l saw
a dot moving among the ice, and as
it neared saw that 1t was a fish boat,
doubtless with a rescue party on
board. And now came the most sur
prising part of my adventure.
"The boat was about half a mile
distant and the occupants having
seen me and waved to me, started to
make their way through the floating
ice. 1 saw the wolf watching them
with bristling hair, and suddenly he
turned to me with a low growl. l
~. Af loI but hn
no notice, and / began to fear that
he realized that my rescue would not
include his. At any rate, he drew
back a few steps, his eyes fixed on
mine. Then, with a quick movement,
he sprang at me.
Il had no weapon, except snort
knife, which was closed. All l could
do was to jump aside, hitting him
with my fist as he missed mean old
boxing trick. But l had not counted
on that savage side slash Of the great
teeth, and when the animal gained
his feet and turned to fly at me again
my hand was streaming with blood
from a small cash. l heard shouts
from the approaching fish boat, but
as the party was unarmed, they could
not help me.
Immediately upon getting his bal
ward me slowly and sprang again.
This time 1 was really frightened,
and, with a wild idea of holding him
away till my friends could assist me,
l met him half way, grasped his
throat in both hands, and we both
fell to the snow together, for the i'm
pact of his leap was tremendous. l
hung on to his throat, but, although
l kept the cleaning teeth off could
not hold his feet. He struck at me
savagely with his hind paws, the
sharp claws tearing through my coat
like knives, and l realized my dan
ger just in time to cast myself back
ward. Instantly the wolf returned to
the attack, and this time the look In
his face frightened me so that l did
not wait for him. l whipped my coat
away and threw 1t in his face; then
turned and, running to the side of
the icecake, leaped into the water.
Il am a good swimmer, and the
boat was only 100 feet distant, so in
no time l was on board and getting
into warm clothes. The engine was
stopped, and we lay there watching
the wolf He seemed puzzled at my
disappearance, running backward and
forward on the ice; then he looked
at the boat and hOwled dismally.
None of the men liked to attack him
with knives for their only weapons.
and so presently the boat was turned
about and we threaded our way out
from the ice to the free water. Be-
hind us the lonely wolf sat watching
uS disaDDear and slowly, hOpeleSSly