Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-03-22
A Russian Wolf Hunt.

Wolf hunting an hear hunting are the
lavorite pleasures of the Russians. Wolves
are hunted in his way in tile winter, VIII n
the animals, Icing hungry are frocous
Three or four hnntsmen each armed with
double-harreled gun, get into - t. oika, vhich
is any sort Of il carriage drawn by thre-
norses. its name being derived from lis team.
and not from It's form. The middle horse
rrnls with his head hanging down, and Is
called. the Snow Eater The two other.
have only one rein, aid they are fastened
TO the poles by the middle Of he BODY and
gallop iheir heads frre-lhey are called th-
Furious. Tn. lroika is daivrn by a sure
coachman-f there is such a Thing a. a sure
coachman. y pig is tied Ia the rear Of H..
vehicle ly rope or chain (for greater
security M twelve yards long. The pig
i. kept in The vehicle until the hunts,nen
reach The forest where The hunt il 10 take
p ace, when he is taken out and tie horses
started. The pig not being accustomed to
this gait, squeals, and his squeals sa6n
degenerate into lamentations His cries
hrng on one WOLF wfo gives the pig elase !;
then Two wolves, then three, then ten. then
fifty woves-all posting as harl as they cat,
go after the poor pig, fighting among them
selves for the best places. Swapping and
striking at the POOR pig at every opportunity,
who squealS with drspair. These Jeqm.al,
Of aeonv arouse all The wolves in the lor,st.
Ai,hiu a circuif of hreemiles. and lie troka
is followed by an immense flo X of wolve-.
1t is now thai good rvrr is Indispensable.
The horses have an instructive horror of
wolves, and GO almost crazy they run a.
fast as they can 20.
Th- huutSmen irr as fast as ihev can
'osd there is no necessity 10 take amy aim
pig sqqeal., The horses neigh, the wolves
howl, the guns rattle; il is concert TO
make Mephstorphiles jealous. AS long rs
the dryer commands his horses. as fat as
they may be rqnping away, fh.re is no
danger. But if br ceases IL be mater of
th"m. if the troika is upset, there is 70 hope.
The next DIV, or he day after, or a week
afierward, nothing vii! remain If The party
hut the wreck of the troika, the barrels of
The gans. and the larger bones Of the horses,
huntsrnen. aud driver.
Last winter, Prince Rrpinc went on one
of these hunts, and it came very near being
his last hunt. He was on visit with tyo
OF his friends 10 one Of lis estates near the
sieppe, and they determined to 60 on wolf
hunt. They prepared large sleigh in
which three persons could move at ease /;
three vigorous horses were put into IL. AMI
they selected for a driver man born in the
country, ani thoroughly expert ! ced IN the
>post. Every huut-man hal a pair Of
4 Ii 4
fifty eattidges. 1t was night when they
reached The steppe; that is, an imm ne
prairie covered with snow. The moon wa
full, aud shone brilliantly; It's Terms. re-
fract-i by the snow, gave light scarcely
inferior TO daylight.
The pig was put out ofthe sl-igh and the
horses whipped up. As snon a the pig felt
thai h. was dragged, he began 10 squea'
A wolf or iwn appear d, bui hey were iinid
aud kept a log was Off Their Numbers
gradually increased. and as thy gained
strength they became bold,r. Tlrte were
about twenty wolves when they came with
in gun raag- Of the iroika. One Of the
party ired-a wof iell The ilock hecame
alarmed. and half lied away Seven or
eight hungry wolves remaiard b~hinl 20
devonr tieir dead companion. The gaps
we're soon filed. On every side howls ans
werea howls on every sid sharp n Sc and
brilIiaat eyes @ere seen peeriag. Ft guns
riiiled voiley after volley hut the 90 : ot
wolves increased instead ofamni,biog. and
soon i was not a f5ck. bni a va>s he 4 of
wolves in thick. serriri columns, which
gave chase 10 The sleigh.
The wolv-s bonded forward 50 rspidly
they seemed to Fly over the snow and 50
lshtiy not a sound eas heard heir nam
ber- coniinn- d 10 increase they seemel 80
be a silent tide drawing nearer and which
The guns Of the party. rapidly as thsv wer-
disclaseed. had no effect on. The woise.
forine3 a vas; crescent. ", os- horis bezan
to rncasspass tie hors'-s. The Numbers in-
CT. a@ei % rapidly ,hry seemed To spsing
%; q The aun5 Thsfc vas soa1. hing