The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-02-10

| place Enbodened by numbers and taste
of blood, they pressed UP closer and closer,
till we could almost reach them, the fore
most bounding around and spapping at the
poor hog, which was now terrified almost to
death, and exerted itself to the utmost to
escape from their sharp tangs.
| Up to this moment | had been so busly
engaged and so excited with the sport, as to
give no thought to our own danger; but
now, confess. began to feel very uneasy,
not to say alarmed. Where had all these.
beasts come from and what was to be the
end of the gathering? 1t seemed as if all
Russia had poured the:-, out on one spot
There must have been thousand -perhaps
| five times that number-tor | could not
count them. They had arranged themselves
in the form of a crescent, the center OF the
arc resting on the hog, and the two wings
, reaching forward to the rear of the horses
which snorted with fear, and required all
the skill of the driver to hold them. 1t was
wild, impressive sight, with just enough
danger to make it sublime. The heavens
were clear the moon round and fall, the
plain almost a dead level, the snow as white
as milk, bright and glistenins with here and
there athin light covering, over hard crust,
that flew up in feecy clouds, like the fine
spray of WATERFALL and over this we were
dashng, with three fiery horses abreast, and
n rolling cloud Of wolves to the right, left,
and rear of us, in the form of crescent.
their keen eyes looking like so many little
balls of fire. We were all standing up,
loading and firing the count directly to the
rear, and his friend and myself to the right
and left.
As | have said I had begun to feel some,
what anrrned-for saw that, should any
accident happen, such as the fall of one of
the horses, or the upsetting of the troika,
we could scarcely hope to get off with life,
but did not like to mention my fears to
persons who had so much experience as my
companions.
At last seeing that matters were steadily
becoming worse instead of better, and that,
rreat as was the number of oar foes, they
we're still increasing. ventured to say
"Connt, these ravenous beasts are press.
Ing mp very close? ~
"lndeed they are!' he replied, taking
1iick. keen survey of the whole scene
They are getting pretty we'll forward, too -
ne parSued. with an anxious glance toward
the horses. Il confess don't like that
What do you say, Paul. he added address.
ny the driver.
My lord, find it very difficult to manage
the horses
DO you think we are in any serious dan
ger now, Paul.
Il don't like to sec the beasts creeping so
far forward, my. lord"
"Nor |, and think we had better knock
over few of the FOREMOST
We nov. by the counts advice, directed
oar fire ut the two hornS Of the crescent
bu; though we shot do~n the foremost with
great rapidly and continued to 10 so J.I'
onr guns became heated could not zap &, at
i thinnei taem in The least, Or had GOOD
elect 1t broke their regularity and threw
them into some confusion, it is truo: but
this, f.ncied, worked against us by causing
them to become bolder and press around us
closer.
by my faith" at length exclaimed the
count, in "a tone that betrayed some degree
of alarm, 1--WE must get out of this soon or
the beasts will be upon US! never saw so
many before in my life. and have shot till
| am tired. Let ME see We must have
fred three hundred times apiece and allow
ing that only every other shot has been eff.
frctual, we must have brought down. say.
FIVE hundred wolves; and yet they are clos
ing up around US, more numerous than ever,
d countless legion! One trip. one tumble,
one tilt. and we are gone. How now, Paul,
my brave lad-how are you going to get us
ont of this?'
by giving the horses their heads and let
ting them take steady turn to the left, so
as to change the position Of the whole body
Of pursuers at Once
care you sure of the animals! T.
81 think can trust them"
"And the troka, Paul ~
II shall do my best, trusting to Heaven.
, my lord. think the risk far less than rid.
ing as we are"
Then save us at your will Paul. and
| look to me for handsome reward when you
f have put us safe within the castle gates"
The next few minutes were exciting be.
yond anything had ever witnessed in my
life. The driver shook the rens, gave pc.
| cnar chrp and whistle, and our noble
, steeds, as anxious to escape as ourselves,
' sped away like the wind. | fairly held my
breath, feeling that crisis had come involv.
, ing life and death. Away, away we flew
e the kee air cutting our faces, and the light
5 snow binding our eyes. and the little troka
v bounding over the gistening surface like a
gallant boat on the foam crested pillows.
t watched the dark clouds of living animals
g with their lolirg tongues and eyes of fire
and saw, with feeling of JOY that cannot
. express, that they were slowly but percepti
$ bly, falling behind; that we were gaining or
them inch by inch, it was true-bu. still
f gaining on them. If the noble horses ctaIlC
bat hold out at this speed and no acciden
! should befall us We were all breathles
with intensity of feeling -the single chirp o