The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-03-16
THE DAILY EMPIRE.
II. IL ROBINSON,
PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR.
A RUSSIAN WOLF HUNT.
tcoNcLuDED.l.

/
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 gatherings 1t seemed as IL all
Russia had poured them out on the spot.
There must have been ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
five times that number--for could not
count them. They had arranged them
selves in the form of'a crescent, the center
OF the are resting on the hog. and the two
! wings reaching forward to the rear of the
horses. which snorted with fear, and re-
quired all the skill Of the driver to hold
them. 1t was a wild, impressive sight
with just enough of danger to make it sub
lime, The heavens were clear, the moon
round and full, the plain almost a dead
level the snow as white as milk bright and
glistening, with here and there thin, light
covering over hard crust, that flew up in
feecy clouds, like the fine spray of water
fall and over this we were dashing, with
three fiery horses abreast, and black, roll
/ ing cloud of wolves to the right, left and
rear of us, in the form of a 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, began to feel some
what alarmed-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 had so much experience
rs my companions. At last, seeing that
matters were steadily becoming worse in
stead of better and that great as were the
numbers of our foes, they were still in
creasing, ventured to say, Count, these
| raVenCus beasts are pressing up very close !"
| Indeed they arew he replied, taking n
quick, keen survey of the whole scene.
They are getting pretty well forward.
tooF' he pursued, with an anxious glance
toward the horses Il confess don't like
that. what do you say, Paul ?' he added,
addressing the driver
MY lord find it very difficult to man
age the horses" 4l
do you think we are in any serious
danger now, Paul?"
~ don't like to see the beasts creeping
so far forward, my lord"
Nor |, and ! think we had better knock
over few OF the foremost"
We now, by the Counts advice, directed
our fire at the two horns of the crescent
but though we shot down the foremost
with great rapidity, and continued to do
so till our guns became heated, could not
perceive that 1t thnned them in the least
or had any good effect. 1t broke their
regularity and threw them into some con-
fusion, it is true; but this, so far from be-
ing an advantage to us, / fancied worked
against us, by causing them to become
bolder, and press up around us still closer,
by my faith. " at length exclaimed the
Count. in tone that betrayed some degree
OF alarm, "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
until am tired. Let me see We must
have fired some three hundred times apiece
and allowing that only every other shot
has been eifectual, we must have brought
down, say, five hundred wolves; and yet
they are here, closing up around us, more
numerous than ever--a countless legion
One trip, one stumble, one tilt, and we are
gone! How now, Paul, my brave lad
how are you going to get us out of this ?"
rBy giving the horses their heads, and
letting them take steady turn to the left |
so as TO change the position of the whole
body Of pursuers at once"
Are you sure of the animals 2"
II think can trust them"
"And the troika, Paul ?"
IL shall do my best trusting TO heaven,
my lord think the risk far less than
riding as we are"
Then save us at your WILL Paul, and |
look to me for handsome reward when
you shall have put us safe within the castle
gatesw
The next few minutes were exciting be-
yond anything ! had ever experienced In |
my life. The driver shook the reins, gave |
a peculiar chirp and whistle, and our noble
steeds, as anxious TO escape as ourselves /
sped away like the wind. l fairly held my |
breath, feeling that a crisis had come in |
volving life and DEATH Away, away we |
flew, the keen air cutting our faces, the |
light snow binding our eyes and the little |
troika bounding over the glistening surface |
like a gallant boat on the foam-crested bill /
lows. l watched the dark rolling cloud of
living animals, with lolling tongues and |
eyes of fire, and saw, with feeling of joy
that can not express that they were slowly .
but perceptibly falling behind that we
were gaining on them--inch by inch, Il was
true-but still gaining on them If the
noble horses could but hold out at this
speed ana no accident should befall us |
We were all breathless with intensity Of
feeling-the single chirp or sharp whistle
OF our driver being the only human sounds
that issued from our party. Gradually the
horses began to turn, slowly turn, In a
broad circle 10 the left, so us to flank that
horn OF the crescent As we came grace
fully round. so ms In a measure to face our
snarling pnrsners. surprise and fear for
moment threw them into confusion. I'm
pulsively they parted, and suffered us to
pass through their dense ranks and gain a
homeward start before getting clear
comprehension that we were actually escaD-
ing and leaving them behind. Then, with
loud, angry yells, they laid down TO the
chase, but were no match for our fleet
coursers. that every moment widened the
space between them and their foes Oh,
how loved the noble brutes that were so
gallantly saving usl
"Brayol" at length burst In yell from
the excited Count; "bravO, my noble steeds,
and bravo, gallant driver this nights
work shall be remembered TO you ALI"
His words of rejoicing were instantly
changed 70 cry Of dismay as one of the