The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1859-07-20
A Russian Wolf Hunt.

A Russian Wolf Hunt.
We translate the following story from
late number OF M. Alexander Dumas's news
papers. 1t is an extract from one of his
letters from St. Petersburg -
Wolf hunting and bear hunting are the
favorite pleasures Of the Russian. Wolves
are hunted in this way irf the winter, when
the wolves being hungry are ferocious.-
Three or four huntsmen each armed..with a
double barreled gun, get in troika, which
is any sort of carriage drawn by t,hree
hores-its name being derived from its
team and not its form. The middle horse
trots always the left hand and right hand
horses must always galIop. The middle
horse trots with his head hanging down,
and he is called the Snow.Ea,er. The two
others'bave only one..reln, and they are fas-
tened 10 the poles in the middle of the body,
and gallop, their heads :ree..;..they are called
the Furious.
The troka is driven by a sure coachman,
if there is such thing in the world as
sure coachman. A pig is tied to the rear OF
the vehicle by rope or chain, (ior great
er 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 10
this gait, squeaIs, and his squeals soon de.
generate into lamentations. His cries bring
out one wolf, who gives the pig chase {;
-.hea- two wolves, then three, then ten, then
fifty wolves-all posting as hard az they can
alter the poor pig, fighting among them.
selves for the best places, swapping and
striking at the poor pig at every opportu.
nifty, who squeals with dispair. These
squeals of agony arouse all the wolves in
the forest, within circuit of three miles,
and the troka is followed by an immense
flock of wolves.
1t is now a good driver is indispensable.
The horses have an instructive horror of
wolves, and 60 almost crazy they run as
fast as they can go. The huntsmen fire as
fast as they can load-there is no necessity
to take aim. The pig squeals-the horses
neigh-the wolves howl-the guns rattle (;
it is concert TO make Mephistopheies
jealous. AS long as the driver commands
his horses, fast as they may be running
away, there is no danger. But, il he ceases
to be master Of them ; il they baulk, if the
troika is upset, there is no hope. The next
day, or the day after, or a week afterwards.
nothing will remain of the party but the
wreck OF the troika, the barrels OF the guns,
and the larges bones of the horses, hunts.
men and driver.
Last winter Prince Repnine went on one
Of these hunts, and it came very near being
his last hunt. He was on a visit with two
of his friends to one Of his estates near the
steppe, and they determined to go on a
wolf hunt. They prepared large sleigh
in which three persons could move with
ease, three vigorous horses were put into it
and they selected man born il the country
and thoroughly experienced in the sport
Every huntsman had pair of double bar.
relied guns and hundred and fifty ball car.
tridges. 1t was night when they reached
the steppe that is, an immense prairie
covered with snow. The moon was full,
and shone brilliantly its beams refraclet
by the snow gave light scarcely inferior to
daylight.
The pig was put out of the sleigh and the
horses whipped up. AS soon as the pig
felt that he was dragged he began TO squeal.
A wolf or two appeared. but they were
timid, and kept long ways off. Their
number gradually increased, and az their
number augmented they became bolder.-
There were about twenty wolves when they
came within reach of uoika. One of the
party fired wolf fell. The flock became
alarmed and half fed away. Seven or eight
hungry wolves remained behind TO devour
their dead companion. The gaps were soon
filed. On every side howls answered howls,
on every side shap noses and brilliant eyes
were seen peering. The guns ratified vol.
ley afler volIey. But the flock of wolves
increased instead of diminishing, and soon
it was not flock but vast herd Of wolves
in thick serried columns which gave chase
10 the sleigh.
The wolves bounded forward so rapidly
they seemed to fly over the snow, and so
lightly, not sound was heard their num-
bers continued to increase, and increase,
and increase they seemed TO be silent
tide drawing nearer and nearer, and which
the guns of the party, rapidly as they were
discharged, had no effect on them. The
wolves formed a vast crescent, whose horns
began TO encompass the horses. Their
number increased so rapidly they seemed to