The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-05-14
9rlrst Nlislcllonp.
4 Russian Wolf Hunt,

1t is an extract from one of his letters from
st. Petersburg:
"Wolf hunting and bear hunting are tn,
favorte pleasures of the Russians. Wolves
are hunted in this way in the winter, whel
the wolves being hungryRre ferocious. Three
or four huntsmcn, each armed with double.
barrcll,d gun, get into troika, which is any
sort of IA carriage drawn by three horses t.
name being derived from its form. The mid.
die horse trots with his head hanging down
and he is called the Snow Eater. The two
others have only one rein, and they are fast.
entd to the poles by the middle of the body,
and gallop lhcir heads trce-they are called
the Furious. The troika is driven by a sure
coachman, if there is such n thing in the
world as sure coachman. A pig is tied to
the rear os the vehicle by n rope. Tor chain
Tor greater secnrty), some twelve yards long
The pig is kept in the vehicle until the hunts
men reach the forest where the hunt is TO
take place, when lie is taken out and the
horses started The pig, not being accus-
toned to this gait squcals: and his >QuealS
soon degenerate into lamentations. His cIi,s
bring out one wolf, who gives the pi. chase /:
then two wolves, then three, then ten, then
fifty wolves-all posting as hard as they can
90 after the poor pig, fighting among them.
selves for the best places, swapping and strik
ing at the poor pig at every opportunity, who
squcals with despair. These sque,!s Of agony
arouse all the wolves in the forest, within a
circnit Of three miles, and the troka is fol-
lowed by an immense flock of wolves. 1t is
! ow good driver is Indispensable The
Lorses have an instructive horror of wolves
and go almost crazy; they run as fast as they
can go.
The huntslHcn fine as fast as they can load;
there IS no necessity 10 take amy aim. The
pig squcalS the Gors,s n,ish--the wolves
howl-lhc guns rattle it is concert to
make Mcphi>toph,l,S jealous. As long as The
driver commands bis horses, fast as they may
| t running away. there is no danger. But if
he ceases to be master Of them ifthcy balk if
the lroika is upset, there is no hope. The
next day or the day after, or a week after
wards, nothing Will remain of the party but
the wreck OF the uoika. the barlells of the
guns, and the larger bones Of the horses,
hunssmen, and driver.
Last winter Prince Repnne went on one of
these hunts and it came very near beng
his last huut. lie was on visit with two OF
his friends to one ufms estates neal the seppe
and they determined 10 60 on wolf hunt
They prepared large sleigh in which three
persons could move at ease, thice vigorous
horses were put into it, and they selected for
driver man born in this country, and
thoroughly experienced in the sport. Every
huntsuan had pair Of double barrel guns,
and one hundred and fifty ball cartridges. Ia
was night when they reached the sleppc :
that is, an immense prairie covered with
snow. The moon was full, ard shonc bril-
liantly: its beams refIacted 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 lie was dragged he began to s9ueal. A
wolf or two appeared; but .hcy were limd
and kept long ways off. Their numbers
gradually increased, and as they gained in
strength they become bol,l,r. There were
about twenty wolves when they came within
gun range Of the toika. One of the party
fired wolf FILL The flock became alarm.
ed and half fed away. Seven or eight hnn-
CRY wolves remained behind to devour their
dead companion. The gaps were soon filled,
on every side howls answered howls; on
every size sharp noses and brilliant eyes
were seen peelng. Theguns ratllcd yollcy
after voliey but the flock Of wolves increased
instead of diminishing, and socn it was not u
flock, but a vast herd OF Wolves in thick SCI
ricd 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 mum.
bcrS continued TO increase and increase, and
increase: they seemed to be Il silent tide
drawing nearer and nearer, and which the
guns OF the party, rapidly as they were dis
charged, had no effect Oh. The wolves form
ed vast crescent, whose horns began to en-
compass the horses. The numbers increased
SO rapidly they seemed to spring out Of the
ground. There was something weird in
their appea rance, for where could three thous.
and wolves come from in such IA desert OF
snow. The party had taken the pig into the
sleigh his squeal increased the wolves bold
ness. The party continued to lire, but they
had now used above half then ammunition
and but two hundred cartridges LETT. while
wolves. The two HONS Of the crescent be
came nearer and nearer, and threatened t.
envelope the party.
Ii one of the horses should have given out
the fate of the whole party was scaled. -
What do you think Of this Ivan (" SAFE
Prince r, prime, speaking TO the driver :"
would rather be at home. Prince" Are
you afraid Of any evil consequences g :" The
devils have tasted blood. and The more yol
fire the more wolves you'll, have" "What
do you think is the best thing to be DONE
Make the horses 90 faster" Are you
sure of the horscs?" Yes, Prince" Ar
you sure of our safety" The driver mad,
no reply. Hequchencd the horses, and turn
cd their heads towards home. The horses
flew faster than ever. The driver exciteG
them to increased speed by SHARP
whistle, and made them describe a curve
which intersecttd one of the horns of the ere
scent. The wolves opened their ranks ane
let the horses pass
The Prince raised his gun to his shoulder
For Gods SAKE, don't fire ~ exclaimed III,
driver; " we are dead men if you do !" ii,
obcyed Ivan. The wolves, astonished by
this unexpected act, remained motionless fol
a minute. DHng this minute the troika
was vcrst from them. When the wolves
started again after it, it was too late, the,
could not overlakc 1t. a quarter Of an hou
aftciward they we've in sight Of home Pine
Rcpnne thinks his horses ran at least 81,
NILS in these fifteen minutes lie rode owe
the steppe the next day, and found the bones
of more than two hundred wolves.
A NOVEL Use FOR FLoUR.--lt is state,