The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-05 00:00:00

AN ADVENTURE WITH WOLVES IN
LITHUANIA.
A friend, who is out in Lithuania, wrote to tell me of a
very narrow escape he had In the winter from being torn In
pieces by wolves, and I give it in his own words (says a
Correspondent of Land and Water):—

"I was staying at a friend's house when Madame
B— received the intelligence of her sister-in-law,
Madame Kertch's, accident, and Natalie Kertch, a
girl of twelve, who was staying at her aunt's, desirstaying
to go home to see her mother at once. Our host was
absent, so I offered to -take the child back, and the
drochsky was turned out, the horses harnessed, and
we turned in. We had not gone more than four or
five miles from the house before a sort of buran
came on, a violent high wind accompanied by snow,
but it fortunately did not last long, though it delayed
us some little time, and I was glad to find when it was
over that that the horses quickened their pace, but I
noticed that our driver looked alarmed, yet still urged
the animals on. I inquired the reason of this, and
heard to my dismay that he believed we were followed
by a pack of wolves—horses, he said, could smell the
danger a long way off. A short time proved that his
fears were correct, and the horses rushed madly on.
We fortunately had two guns, and I am, as you know,
a fair shpt, but I still hoped we should not come into
such close quarters with our pursuers as to render it
necessary to use them. The pack gained on us, our
horses began to flag, and the driver called out ' Fire ! '
I obeyed, and for a moment or so the wretches seemed
to have received a check, but on they came again. My
little charge screamed terribly. 'Shoot me, kill me !
don't let them tear me and eat me,'
andthe t did for the instant flash across
shemy shrieked
mind
that
thought
gt;
such a death as the poor little girl
proposed would be preferable for us both, but
matters had not become quite so desperate yet.
Our driver gave the horses their heads—how he secured
the reins I know not—but his hands were at liberty,
and he loaded one gun as I fired the other. Each
charge produced a momentary check or pause, which
was of course in our favour, but I doubt our ultimate
escape if, just as two of the foremost wolves were
nearly up with us, a company of horsemen,
acom-
panied by some magnificent hounds, had not suddenly
appeared on the scene. They were a hunting party,
headed by Prince who, having heard of the
ravages committed by this very band of wolves, were
come out to seek for them, and most providen-
tially arrived oil the spot in time to save us from their
fangs."—L.

PENSIONS IN THE ROYAL NAVY.—The Lords of the
Admiralty have decided that the following classes of
men shall be allowed to remain in the Royal Navy,
instead of being pensioned after completing 20 years'
service, and that they are to receive for such service
an addition of 6d. a day to their pay, provided they
are considered fit, and that they re-engage for a further
period of five or seven years, but they are not to be
retained after attaining the age of 50 :—All petty
officers of the seaman class and artificers, ex-ept
engine -room artificors and skilled seamen, who are
provided for by existing rules, stokers, and lending
stokers, In consideration of this increase of pay no
Increase of pension will be allowed for such subsequent
service.