The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-05-10
A Russian Wolf Hunt.

We translate the following story from a
late number of NJ. Alex Dumas newspaper.
1t Is an extract from one of his letters from
st. Petersburg
Wolf hunting and bear hunting are the
iavorite sport of the Russians Wolves are
hunted i'm this way in the winter, when the
wolves being hungry are ferocious Three or
four huntsmen, each armed with double
barrelled gun, get into troika. which is a
sort OF crrriage, drawn by three horses--its
name being derived from its team, and not
from Its form. The middle horse trots al
ways; the lett hand ami right hand horses
must always gallop. The middle horse trots
with his head hanging down, and he is called
the Snow eater. The two others hay. only
one rein, and they are fastened to the poles
by the middle of the body, and gallop with
their heads free-they are called the Furious
The trolka Is driven by sure coachman.-
Ii there Is such thing in the world as a
sure coachman A pig is tied to the rear of
the vehicle by rope or chin flor greater
security some u yards long
The pig Is kept In the vehicle until the
huntsnen reach the forest where the hunt
Is to take place, when he is taken out and the
horses started The pig, not being accus.
TONED to this gait, squeals, and his saueals
soon degenerate into lamentations His cries
bring out one wolf, who gives the pig chase:
then two wolves, then hree, then ten, then
fifty wolves-all posting as hard as thew can
go alter the poor pig, fighting among them
selves tor the lest places, swapping and
striking at the poor pig at every opportunity.
who squalls with despair These squalls Of
agony arouse all the wolves in the forest.
within a circuit of three miles, and the troika
Is followed by an immense flock of wolves
1t Is now good driver 10 Indispensable
the horses have an instructive horror of
wolves, and 90 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 anv aim The
pig squeals the horses neigh : the wolves
howl the guns rattle it is concert to make
Mephistopheles jealous. As long as the driver
commands his horses, fast as thew NAV he
running away, there i, no danger. But if
he ceases to be master of them; if they
baulk, If the troika is upset, there is no hone.
The next day, or the next day after, or
week afterwards, nothing will remain of tn,
party but the wreck of the troika, the bar
rels OF the guns, and the larger bones of the
horses, huntsmen and driver.
Last winter Prince Repnine went on one
ct these hunts, and it came very near being
his last hunt. lie was on a visit with two
of his friends to one OF his estates near the
steppe, and they determined to 20 ON u wolf
hunt. They prepared large sleigh in which
three persons could mUye at ease three viz.
orous horses were put into it, and thew selec.
ted for driver man born in the countrv
and thoroughly experienced in the SPORT
bau pair If 1
guns and a hundred and fifty ball cartridges
1t was night when they reached the s,enne:
that is an immense prairie covered with snow |
The moon was full and shone brilliantly
its beams rcfracted by the snow gave light
inferior to daylight
The pig was put out of the sleigh and the |
horses whipped up As soon as the pis felt
that he was being dragged he began to soueaI.
A wolf or two appeared but they were timid,
and Kept long ways of. Their numbers
Increased, and as their numbers
augmented they bacame holder. There
were about twenty wolves when they came
within gun range Of the troika. One of tba
party fired wolf fell. The flock became
alarmed and half fed away. Seven or eight
hungry wolves remained behind to deyour
ne, dead companion. The gaps were soon
Ai'e~- vi every sue uOWlS answered hOWls |
N every side sharp noses and brilliant eyes
we're seen peering The guns ratified yolIev
liter yoiiey but the flock Of wolves increased
instead of diminishing, and soon it was mot a
lock but vast heard Of wolves in thick ser.
led columns, which gave chase to the
leigh
The wolves bounded forward 90 ran;dIv
ley seemed to fly over the SNOW, and 80 iight.
I, not sound was heard; their number. /;
Dntinucd to increase ami increase and in
rease; they seemed to be silent tide draw.
x nearer and nearer, and which the gun. :
the party, rapidly US they were rischarred
I'd no effect on. The wolves formed a vast
'escent, whose horns began to ENCOMPASS
e horses Their number increased 30 ran.
ly they seemed to spring out of the ground.
here was something weird in their appear. i
zee, for where could three thousand wolves
me from in such desert Of snow. The
lrty had taken the pig into the sleigh his
ueAl increased the wolves boldness The
'rty continued To fire, but they had now :
ed above half their ammunition, and had
II two hundred cartridges left while they D
IRE surrounded by three thousand Wvlyes .,