The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-03-16
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A RUSSIAN WOLF HUNT.

L
While connected with the American lega
ton in Russia | received very pressing in.
Htation from Count Pot6wski to visit him al
hi'.castle in the country, about.tweRty leagues
from st. Petersburg, where he promised me
some rare Spbrt in hantihg wolves.
think, he said, "you will find our mode
ofdestroying these be asts sufficiently novel
and exciting to repay you for your trouble
"Don't speak of trouble, Count, in connec-
tion with visit to your castle am cet,
tain that shall find myself indebted to your
lordship for some Of the happieat hours in
my life B."
1t was towards The close Of long, dreary
winter that found myself IN very sumptaous
quarters Of the castle referred to, which stood
upon high eminence commanding an extern
aiye view of level, open plain, which was
the beginning ofa wilderness that stretched
away unbroken for many and many league.
It twas on this open plain, now covered with
the incrustatich Of snow, that the count
proposed we should have our wolf-hunt,
which to me did prove novel and exciting,
and even perllouS beyond anything had ev-
er known.
Armed With double barrelled-guns and
some 6ye hundred ball cartridges apiece, the
count, friend ofhis, and myself, set out one
afternoon in a trioka for the place where we
were TO begin our exciting sport-which,
promising it may be as new to others as to me
I will ehdeavOr to describe somewhat in de-
tail.
In the first place a tioga is sIedge, in our
case large enough to give room to three per-
sons beside the driver and is drawn by three
horses, from which fact 1t takes its name !
these horses, trained for the purpose, and
harnessed to it all abreast The one in Che
centre, the principal beast to be relied on,
MOVES with bis head down and always in a
trot, and ID called the aSnow- Eater while
the other two gallop along beside him, with
their headj loose, and are termed the ".Fu-
ries. +" To manage all these properly, and
keep the tioka from upsetting, as it skins and
dances over the frozen snow, up bill and
down dale, require driver Of great skill and
experience. Ordinarily the upsetting of this
sledge may not matter so much but when
surrounded by pack Of hungry wolves, it IS
certain death
In such a sledge and such manner, We
set off, one clear, cold afternoon, for the scene
of ohr exploits, carrying with us half grown
hog, which was to serve us for bait. We
reached our first destination, just as the sun
was sinking in his snowy bed, and the full
round moon was rising to silver over tie
scene. Then the hog was taken out and at
.ached to the troika by an iron chain, from
four to six feet long, and the horses started
forward at brisk pace over the level, gliS-
tening plain. The hog began to squeai, and
the count turned to me with a laugh.
"HOw do you like the sport, Mr. Kings
toni he said.
az think shall like it better when see
something to shoot, and this Screecbiug brute
gets his sharp tones little tnodifeap' re-
piled, half stopping my ears.
"You will have other noises TO take OF
your attention presently, said the count.
Do you think we shall be fortunate enough,
to draw ont any wolves in tbiS 6ay2"
asked.
Give me balf an hour rejoined the ecouut,
and If don't show you more wolves than
you would be willing to face on foot, then
consider mo your debtor for what you please.
After going some distance, our hog, great
ly to my relief changed his tune from his
shrill, ear-piercihg squehl, to something re-
5embling whine. The sun went down, and
the moon rose in fall splendOr, pouring over
the white, polished snow brilliant light
that, by refrActlon, was rendered almost daE.
zling. tH
aha cried the count, as a long, low Pc
culiar howl came sweeping. over the plain,
did not tell you so 2 There Is our first
ahswer to our complaining friend behind
And there again DO you hear-t4ere Is an
other and ahOt hsr--wo soon shalt barg, work
before us. See he almost Immediately added,
pointing to tho left, thste they come, " there
they comet"
looked in the direction indicated, aud saw
In the dim distance, what appeared to be two
or three small, moving shadows looked to
the right and beheld more of the same Kind
and on all sides we now heard those long,
dismal howls by which ons wolf calls
to another, and knew they were gathering
IN force, and would soon be around US.
Our chained hog continued his plainll7e
howls, and the wolves fell In behind and pres
ing forward until they came up within 6ly
yards, where, for while their timidity seem
ed 10 bold them. As their numbers iuereas-
ed, which they did every minule-ths beasts
at zines spPbearing TO spring from the earth
in mysterious Way--thsir boldnsss also In
creased and thsy graduslly grew nearer and
nearer swapping suatlins and sfowIing sad
80 frightened our horses that the driver had
much diacuily in holding them down to a
reasonable pace. %