Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-05-07
A RUSSIAN WOLF HUNT.

We translate the following story from q late
number of NJ. Alex. Dumas newspaper. It is
an extract from one of his letters from 81. Peters
burg;
"Wolf hunting and bear hunting ore the favor
lite pleasures of the Russians. Wolves are hunted
in this way in the winter, when the wolves being
hungry are ferocious. Three or four huntsmen
each armed with a double .barrelled gun, get into
a troika, which is any sort of o carriage drawn by
three horses its name being derived from its team
and not from its form. The middle horse trots
always; the left hand and right hand horses must
always gallop. The middle horse !ro!s with his
head hanging down, aud he is called the Snow
Eater. The two others have only one rein, and
they are fastened to the poles by the middle of the
body, and gallop. their heads free-they are called
the Furious. The troika, is driven by q sure
coachman; if there is such a thing in the world as
q sure coacbman. A pig is tied to the rear of the
vehicle by a rope. or q chain flor greater security
some twelve yards long. The pig is kept in the
vehicle until the huntsmen reach the forest where
the hunt is to take place, when he is taken out and
the horses started. The pig, not being accustomed
to this gait, squeals, and his squeals soon degene.
rate into lamentations. His cries bring out one
wolf who gives the pig chase; then two wolves,
then three, then ten, then fifty wolves-all posting
as hard as they can 20 after the poor pig, fighting
among themselves for the best places, swapping
and striking at the poor pig at every opportunity,
who squeals with despair. These squeals of ago
ny arouse all the wolves in the forest, within a cir.
cult Of three miles, and the troika is followed by
an immense flock of wolves. 1t is now a good
driver is indispensable. The horses have an in
stinctive horror of wolves, and go almost crazy;
they run as fast as they can 60.
The huntsman fire as fast as they can load; there
is no necessity to take any aim. The pig squeals
the horses n~eigh-the wolves howl-the guns
rattle; it lie q concert to make Mephistopheles jealJ
Gus. As long as the driver omman his horses,
fast as they may be running away, there is no dan
ger. But, if he ceases to be master of them, if
! they balk, if the troika is upset, there is no hope.
The next day, or the day after, or a week after
wards, nothing will remain Of the party bu, the
wreck of the .roika, the barrels Of the guns; and
the larger bones of the horses, huntsman and dri
YER.
Last winter Prince Repnins went on one of these
hunts, and it came very near being his last hunt.
He was on q visit with two of his friends to one Of
his estates near the steppe, and they determined to
60 on a wolf hunt. They prepared q large sleigh in
which three persons could move at ease, three Wig
orous horses were put into it, and they selected
for q driver a man born in the country AMI expe
rienced in the sport. Every huntsman had q pail
of double barrel guns and enc hundred and fifty
ball cartridges. 1t was night when they reached
the steppe; that is, an immense prairie covered
with snow. The moon was full, and shone bril-
|%liantly; it's beams refracted by the snow gave
light scarcely inferior to daylight.
The pig was PUT out Of the sleigh and the horse
whipped up. As soon as the pig felt that ne wa,
dragged he began to squeal. A wolf or two up
1peared, but they were timid and kept a long way
of. Their number gradually increased, and a
their numbers augmented they became holder
There we're about twenty wolves when they cam
within gun range of the troika. One of the part
fired; a wolf fell. The flock became alarmed an,
half fed away. Seven or eight hungry wolves re
manned behind to devour their dead companion
The gaps were soon filled. On every side bowls ans
wered howls. on every side sharp noses and brillian
eyes were seen peering. The guns ratified volley al
ter vo,ley but the flock Of wolves increased instea
of diminishing, and BOON it was not a flock but
vast herd of wolves in thick serried column.
which gave chase 10 the slelgh.
The wolves bounded forward so rapidly the
seemed to fly over the snow, and SO lightly not
sound was heard their numbers continued to in
crease, and increase they seemed to be q sileu
tide drawing nearer and nearer. and which til
guns of the party, rapidly as they were dischsrl
ed, had no effect on. The wolves formed q va,
crescent, whose horns began to ncompass Ii
horses. The numbers increased so rapidly the
seemed to spring out Of the ground. There VIZ
something weird in their appearance, for whe
could three thousand wolves come from in sue
c. a desert of snow. The party had taken the p
into the sleigh ; his squeal increased the wolvs
Sc boldness. The party continued to FIRE but they ht
n now used above half their ammunition and hi
We but TWO hundred cartridges left, while they we
ty surrounded by three thousand wolves. The tv
We horns of the crescent became nearer and neare
gh and threated 10 envelope the party.
MS If one of the horses should have given out Il
se fate of the whole party was sealed. "What
ng you think of this Ivan 7" Said Prince Repnin
g, speaking to the driver. 81 had rather be at hon
o. Prince" "Are you afraid Of any evil conseque
re, ces ?" "The DEVILS have tasted blood. and Il
'v- more you FIRE the more wolves you'n have
30. "What do you think is the best thing to be done
Of MAKE the horses 90 faster" care you sure
it The horses Z" Eyes, Prince" Are you sure of o
no safety" Tho driver made no reply. He quicken
in the horses. and turned their heads towards hon
lat The horses few fastsr than ever. The driver Q
nd cited them to increased speed by o sharp whist
Ill. and made them describe a'curve which ~intersect
cd. one OF the horns Of the crescent. The vol,
lie. opened their ranks and let the horses pass.
The The Prince raised bis gun 10 his shoulder, Y