Year: 1876

The Ottawa, Canada, Free Press gives
the following account OF an adventure
with wolves, on Devil Mountain


Being cutler in the employ of Messrs.
Mclean & Co., on the Gatineau River,
[ set out on the morning OF the 29th Of
February, in company with twe Indians
to ascertain if any trespasses had been
committed on a limit owned by :hat firm.
The district is remarkable only for its
mountainous character, the range being
called Mont Diable, or DEVILS Noun
tain. I took my horse along with 1ne
SO long as 81 beaten track enabled ne TO
DO 50, when L tied him up, and continu-
Ell the journey on snow shoes. We had
gone only about four miles when one Of
the Indians, q very cunning and expert
enced hunter, solelncly warned ne to
turn back, as there were unmistakable
Indications of wolves being in close prox
ii1litys but i made up my mind to keep
or my way, and ny contempt for the
prophetic words of the Indain, came
near costing me dearly.


Approaching The foot OF the mount
ain, I beheld in full view, and only
short distance away on q small eminence
a pack of wolves, twenty-seven in num-
ber, devouring the remains Of deer.
Z ,he only resource for safety was retreat
or to climb tree, but on turning about
I found that the two Indians had gone.
I saw to my revolver Immediately, and
determined to live as long as could, and
to sell my life as dearly as possible.


I began to retreat, however, with all
the haste that my physical powers were
capable of, but was soon alarmed by
hearing the howling of The wolves in
pursuit. [ have always prided myself
on my feetness of foot, as I have seldom
met my equal, but in this race with
wolves I lost ground very fast. 1 quick
ly realized that the attempt to escape
was vain, for at that rate of going, I
could rot hold out long, and concluded
to climb q tree, and though it took me
but very few moments to reach a con-
venient bough, l was none too quick,
for the pack was nigh on hand. They
drew up in line aiooTlt ten yards from the
tree, and, considering the opportunity a
good one, [ commenced to blaze away
al them with deadly effect, no less than
four falling in answer to seven shots.
This destructive fire did not abate their
fury in the least, and I proceeded to
draw my second revolver, when, unfor
tanately, it caught on a twig, and was
js.lzed out Of nay hand TO the ground.


Ny buffalo coat I had left in the cut
ter, and, being very thinly clad, l be-
gan very soon to experience the effects
of the cold. The wolves, 1 believe, rea-
ized my helplessness, and became bold
accordingly. They walked up to the
foot of the tree, which was very small
one, and, as they could not reach me by
leaping, they began to gnaw it down.
Taking out my knife I cut the longest
limb I could reach, and leaving a hook
in the end OF it, caught hold Of large
cedar tree about ten feet off, and as the
wolves continued gnawing, and my
pearch got more and more unsteady, L
pulled in the pole and drew the tree
over toward the cedar. With desper-
atq exertion, and after several minutes of
deep anxiety, I succeeded in gaining the
cedar, and took up safe position among
the branches.


The wolves uttered fierce howl and
took their departure, but I did not ven
ture to descend form my perch until the
last sound was family heard from the
distant hills. On reaching the place
where [ had left my b orse, [ found that
he had got frightened and had gone. L
was about striking out in pursuit when
[ espied the two indians, who were en-
deavoring to secure two young moose,
which they had got into a kind of Gre
vase, at the base Of a high rock. tnr-
ned in with them, and we succeeded IN
taking them alive and unhurt. We cal
ried them to Mr.. Valents's shanty, where
they will remain until we can get them
down to Ottawa. The Indians had cour-
age enough to go back and skin the
wolves.