New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-03-13
woicyyunting In Russia,
Vivid Account ofgIunttng Adventures In
Russia-The Exci'tng Rsce-The Battle
with the Wolves

correspondent of the London Morning
F"Sf gives lively account Of wolf-hunting
which j. one Of the favoritc sports in those
parts Of Russia where the animals have not
disappeared before advancing civilization
At some abnormal hour between night and
morning, you are aroused by ii vigorous
shake and hoarsc admontion to tumble
up and look sharp about it, for there's no
time to lose" You make haStv toilet,
and, sallying forth, see in front of your hut,
IN the dim light of the coming dawn, huge,
dark, shapcless mass, which, as your eyes
get used to the darkness, assumes the form
OF broad, heavy, three-horse sledge with
very high sides not unlike an enormous wash
ING tub, around which fit three or four spec
trail figures with lantcrns-thc fitful glare
making their grim, bearded faces look GRIM
mer and less human than ever. Guns, am
munlti0n, haversacks, &c, are slowed away
IN the bottom of the conveyance; and last
but not least, young pig, protesting against
his abduction with 4 lOudness and tluency
thai would do honor to 4 Hyde Park meeting
All ben. now ready, the hunters squeeze
themselves into their places, the driver
shakes his rcins with wild whoop, and
away we go in the darkness. Mile after mile
of the frozen waste goes by like a dream, till
at length the spectral shadows of the forest
begin to gather round us, aud the squcals OF
our unlucky zig (whose ears one of our part
is vigorously pinching) begin TO he answered
by another sound which no one who has vet
heard ii will easily forget not the long
melancholy howl whcrewith supperless vol
may be heard bemoanng himself on the out
skirt Of our village any night in the week, but
the quick, snarlng cry of one who sees his
food coming and wishes to hasten it. And
behold, there they come at last, the gaunt
why, slOuchng fellows, with their bushy
tails, and flat, narrow heads and yellow,
thevlsh, murdcrOuS eyes. Crack! the fore
most of the pack rolls over on to his side
kicking convulsively; but the rest gallop on
unheedinS. Crack, crack! and two more
fall dead, blotting the snow with a smear Of
dull crimson. Some of the boldcst pursuer-
swarm up to the sledge, and attempt to Leaf
over its projecting sides, while we pount
their heads with the butt ends of our pieces
and chop their paws with hatchcts, and slash
them across the eyes with hunting knites, the
two hindmost of our party meanwhile blazing
away over our shoulders as fast as they car
load. And so for time the running iigh
goes fercely on, making altogether very
striking tablcau.
But "the pace is too still to last, )" as ouI
| leader remarks with a knowing grin. \ rur
at full speed through the deep snow trie!
even full grown wolf too severely to be con
| tinued beyond a certain time, aud in the face
of stout resistance the beasts inhcren
cOwardice is sure to come to the surface
sooner or later. Already three or four gaunt
shaggy veterans, who have probably had
good supper over night, begin to hang baci
as if doubling the wisdom Of risking thei
lives for hypothetical breakfast. The spec
Of the rest slackened by degrees, and a
length the whole pack dropped off "a if b
tacit agreement, leaving us to pursue our wa
unmolestcd. As we emerge again upon tn
open plain, across which the open beams {
the rising sun are just beginning to fall, W
see the last of our grim followers sinking lik
a belatcd spectre into the gloomy shadows {
the forest which we have quilted.