Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-09-22
A Russian Wolf-Hunt.

in that country to keep down an animal danger
! GUS, from its numbers, to human life:
At an advanced period of winter, when the
wolves become ferocious for want of food, three
Or four hunters, each possessed of light
double-barreled gun, take their places in what
is called a troika--a species of drosky-drawn
by three horses, from which, and not from its
shape, it gets its name. The horse in the mid
die is trained to run at trot, and the other
two ION its right and lefty nevor, quit the gal
lop The former trots with his head low, and
is called the Snow-eater the other two prance
with their heads loose, and are named the
Furies. The whole equipment, thus directed in
its course, presents the appearance of fan. A
driver who can be we'll relied on conducts the
troika
To the back of the carriage young hog is at
tached by cord, or, for more security, by a
chain, between three and four feet in length.
1t is quietly taken in the vehicle to the entrance
of the forest where the chase Is to proceed
there it is put on the ground, and the driver
incites the horses, which start off at a trot and
gallop respectively, as we have mentioned;
while the hog, little used to such an amusement,
raises cry which soon degenerates into what
may be called lamentation At this noise the
nearest wolf shows it's nose, and sets itself to
pursue the hog, soon followed by two, then by
three, and ultimately, it may be, by fifty of its
brethren They all make claim for the poor
hog, and fight among themselves to get at it {;
some of them stretching out to it a blow of their
claws, and others endeavoring to bite it. The
lamentations OF the poor animal pass into cries
of despair, which arouse the wolves in the deep
est recesses of the forest; they presently congre-
gate from three leagues round, and the troika is
pursued by whole troop of them.
Then it is that the urgent need of good
driver is apparent. The horses, which have an
instructive horror for the wolves, become in
tractabe the trotter in the middle tries to gal
lop, and the gallopers to get the bit between
their teeth. During all this time the hunters
fire at random, there being no need to take aim.
The hog cries, the horses neigh, the wolves
howl and the guns fire, producing hideous
concert among them. The equipage, the
hunters, the hog, the troop Of wolves, are in
yolved in whrlwind which scatters the snow
all around, and looks like q cloud in storm
dartng thunder and lightning
IF the driver is master Of the horses, wild as
they may be, all goes well but should he lose
command of them, or should the harness slip,
or the troika be overset, it is all over Next
day, two days, or eight days after, the debris of
the vehicle is discovered, with the guns the car
casses of the horses, and the large bones of the
hunters and of the driver.
: Last winter Prince R undertook one Of
these hunts, and it had nearly proved his last.
He was, along with two friends at one of his
estates which borders on wilderness, and they
, resolved to have chase of the wolves, or rather
it may be said, to be chased by them. A large
sledge was got ready, in which three persons
, could move at ease; three strong horses were
yoked to it, and it was intrusted to driver Of
great experience-a native of the district Each
' hunter had pair of double-barreled guns and
five hundred ball-cartridges, and their places
were so taken that the prince looked to the back
, and his friends each to a side of the sledge.
At night they arrived at the ground-an i'm
mense desert covered with snow The full moor
shone brightly, and its rays, refracted by TIN
. white surface, spread light like that of day
t The hog was attached, and the train started.
Finding itself drawn on in spite of its efforts,
raised cry, whersup wolves appeared
J, not many at first, timid also, und keeping at
t great distance. Gradually their numbers In
a creased, and they approached the hunters, VIII
), commenced by giving their troika an ordinar
d motion, notwithstanding the trembling i'm
@ patience of the horses About twenty wolve
I, came up, when the party found themselves nea
e enough to begin the massacre. Off went shot
it and wolf fell the whole band appeared
y get alarmed. and diminished in number b
III about half. In fact, contrary to the gener'
u belief that wolves do not feed on one anothe
A. seven or eight starving ones had stopped benin
ii to devour their dead companion but the vacal
t. cy was soon supplied. On all sides howlir
oil replied to bowling, and all round were sec
ce pointed noses and eyes sparkling like carbuncle
to The animals were within gunshot, and tt
G. hunters made d running fire but though evel
ne shot took effect, the band, so far from beir
I'd diminished, rather got larger. 1t soon ceast
sc to be band, and become troop the clio
rs ranks of which pressed on the hunters. The
he course was so rapid that they seemed to fly
th the snow, and so lightly as not to make Il
smallest noise. Like flowing tide they a
preached increasingly, and did not retreat befo
ms the fire of the three hunters, well kept up as
tn was. They formed an immense crescent at t
IS, back Of the troika, the two horns of whl
" began to get in advance OF the horses, and nul
k Der increased 50 rapidly, that it actually seem
a. as if they sprung out oil the ground. There W
ed something fantastic in their appearance, and
,e- became quite impossible to count the numot
ng now showing themselves in u desert where
ng was in general difficult to see more two or thr
nil in day. The hog had ceased to cry, and hi
been taken again into the sledge, where its cr
recommending. redoubled the boldness OF t
,re wolves. The firing did not cease, and half t
,se ammunition was not expended. There renal
rs, ed perhaps, about two hundred balls The t'
ere horns of the crescent got higher and nigher a
ut threatened the formation of n circle, inclos
scdge, horses, md hunters.
Should any one of the horses fall, all wou
TO be over and, already terrified, they seemed
lat breathe fire, and pranced most turiously a
" Iwildly,