The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-01-19
Thf Californian.
HORSES AND WOLVES.

r. bor.e isa Powerful enemy to contend
nth. Valian. in disposition, aud endowed :
y nature with q consciousness Of his strength r
e 10 able to wage fearful war when occasion
euu,res. The horses Of the Russian steppes, n
]. hieh are congregated together under the +
are Of her,lsman. in large droves or "ta-
are often called upon. especially IN
he spring season, when the foals are delicate,
md the wove. rendered desperate by hun
ger, to defend their young from the attacks
,f these raycnous animals. A traveller IN
Russia SAYS that at such times
The Russian wolf trusts rather to cum
ming than TO strength. For party Of wolves
openly to attack a taboon at MONDAY would
re 10 rush upon certain je>truct'oh, and
however severely the wolf may be pressed
hv hunger, he knows his own weakness too
we'll to venture on 80 absurd an act of tener- ;
ivy At night indeed il the tatoon happen
TO be a little scattered. and the wolves in tol- /
cradle numbers, they will sometimes attempt
q rush, and general battle ensues. An adj !
nirable spirit of coalition di:plays Itself a.
inong the horses. On the first alaIm, STALL
ions and mares come charging up to the
threatened point and attack the wolves with
an ilnpetuosity tina. often puts the providers
to instant flight. Soon. however, if they feel
themselves sufficiently numerous, they return
Aaj hover about the taboon till some poor
foal strsggles a few yards from the main body
when it is seized by the enemy, while the
mother ,prnging to.its rescue, is nearly GER
tain to share its fate. Then it is that the
battle begins in real earnest The.mares
form q circle, within which the toals take shell
ter. We have seen'pictures in which the
horses are represented in circle. presenting
their hoofs to the wolves. who thus appear to
have the free choice to fight or let it alone.
Such pictures are the result Of imagina-
ton, and bear very little resemblance to the
reality, for the wolf has, in general. to pay
much more dearly for his partiality to horse
flesh. Tie hor ses, when they attack wolves,
do not turn their tails towards them, but
charge upon them in a solid phalanx, tearing
them with their teeth. and tramplins on
them with their feet. The stations do not
fall into phalanx, but gallop about with their
streaming tales and erected names, and seem
to at at once as generals, trumpeters and
standard bearers Where they see wo!tlhey
rush upon him with reckless fury, mouth to
mouth. or if they use their feet a. weapons
81 offence, it IS ALWAYS with the front, and
not with thcihindcr hoof. that the attack is
made With one tlow the stallion often kills
bis enemy or s'uns him. Ifso. he sna''l'es
the body up with his teeth, and filings it to
the mares. who 'rampic Upon it till it be.
comes hard to saw what kind Of an animal
the skin belonged to. fifth. stallion, howev-
er. fail to strike a home blow at the first on
Get, he is likely to fight losing b1tt'e, for
eight VI ten hungry wolves fasten on his
throat. AMI never quit till they have torn
him to the ground; and If the horse be
prompt and skiIliul in attack. the wolf is moi
deficient in sayacity, but watches for every
little ADVANTAGE, and is qaick to avail himself!
Of it; but let him not hope, even if he sue
cced in killing horse, that he will be allow
I'd leisure to pick the bones; the taboon rev
er fails to take ample vengeance, and the bat
lie almost invariably terminates in the con
plete discontinue Of tue wolves. though not
perhaps, till more than one stallion has hat
q leg permanently Disabled. or has had lis
siis marscd ior lie win the inpres. Of hi:
enemy's teeth.
These grand battle. happen IN. seldom
aud when they do occur. it is probably al
Ways against the VOLTS wish. Ills $. stem Of
warfare is a predatory one, and his uolcy Is
rather to surprise outposts, than to mediate
a general attack. liz trusts more to his run-
ming than his strength. lie will creep eau
tiou>ly through the grass. taking especial
rare to keep to leeward Of the taboon, and
he will remain crouchc'l in ambush ill he
perceives mare and her foal grazing a lit.
lie apart from the rest Even Their hc makes
no attempt to spring upon hi. prey, bat keeps
creeping nearer and nearer, With his head
leaning on his fore feet, and wacsing his tail
in friendly manner, to initiate as much as
possible the movements aud gestures of a
stch-jog. 1t the mare, deceived by the
ireacherous pantomine, venture near enough
TO the enemy, he will spring at her throat,
and despatch her before she has time to raise
an alarm; then sezing on the ioal he will
make oG with his booty. and will often be
oat Of sight before either .:erd or herdsman
Suspect his presence. It is hot often, howrv-
er, that the wolf succeeds in obtaining so easv
. victory. If the mare detect him. an in
s,ant alarm is raised, and should the ls.bunt.
shik he near. the wolf seldom fails to enrich
him with skin, for which the fur merchant
is At all times willing to pay bis ten or twelve
roub!es. The VOLTS only chance on such o.
casions. is to make for the first rav,nc, down
which he rolls head foremost "a gy mna.tic feat
that the tabuntshik on his horse cannot VEN
ture 10 initiate"
NEW FIRM