The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-01-11
DANGEROUS FISHING.
A Night On an Ice Floe 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, DIR.
NJ. A. Leach was out on Lake Michi-
gan in friends hut, fishing through
the ice. Everything was proceeding
merrily when-says the doctor:
Then came a sudden report,
sounding like thunder. The ice was
going!
Il rushed outside, but the snow
was binding, and could, of course,
not even see the shore line. | stood
perplexed for moment, but as l
had no compass, there was nothing
for it but to keep warm and trust
to luck. All around the thunderous
reports were sounding and the ice
was quivering strangely. l was fright
ened, but as there was no help for it,
I wetn back to the hut and kept on
fishing.
This was about noon. l noticed,
to my relief, that there were no
cracks coming beneath the hut, so
that if the ice did go out 1 should at
least be on a big cake-for a time.
The big cakes do not last very long
in Lake Michigan. I 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 resounding crash.
So, for lack of something better to
do, I arranged>a frying pan had over
the little stove and to keep up my
food supply, 1 started frying some
of the fish, after cleaning them out
side the hut. In a few minutes the
place was filled with most appetiz-
ing odor, which, I presume, had
something to do with what followed.
First of all 1 heart series of low
whines outside; then something
scratched at the door. I opened it 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 had
never seen one I knew that it was
a 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 frozen fishing
line, he was in a 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 ng-hear what the doctor says:
81 awoke to find the sun up, the
day bright and clear, and the land
four or five miles west of us. All
around floated cakes Of ice, going
the same way as ourselves in the
grip of some current. My fears
passed away with the bright sun
light and I used up my last wood in
cooking some fish for the wolf, while
1 finished the basket of provisions.
$50 the wolf and I went out in the
sunshine, and now the animal grew
surly and no longer welcomed my
approaches. I 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 I 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. I saw the wolf watching them
with bristling hair, and suddenly he
turned to me with a low growl. 1
offered him bit of fish, but he took
no notice, and l 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