American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-05-03
WOlf-Hunting i'm Russia.

A CORRESPONDENT fthe London MorNing
Post gives lively account of wolfhunt-
ing, which is one of the favorite sports in
those parts of Russia where the animals
have not disappeared before advancing
civilization. AT some abnormal hour be-
tween night and morning you are aroused
by vigorous shake and a hOarse admoni-
ton to tumble up and look sharp about
it, for there's no time to lose" You make
a hasty toilet and, sallying forth, see in
front of your hut, in the dim light of the
coming dawn, huge, dark, shapeless
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 washing
tub, around which fit three or four spec
trail figures with lanterns-the fitful glare
making their grim bearded faces look
grimmer and less human than ever. Guns,
ammunition, haversacks, etc, are slowed
away in the bottom of the conveyance :;
and last but not least, a young pig, pro-
testing against his abduction with a loud
ness and f1uency that would do honor to Il
Hyde Park meeting. All being now
ready, the hunters squeeze themselves
into their places, the driver shakes his
reins with IA wild whoop, and away we go
into the darkness. Mile after mile of the
frozen waste goes by like dream, till at
length the spectral shadows of the forest
begin to gather round us, and the squeals
of our unlucky pig (whose ears one OF our
party is now pinching vigorously begin
to be answered by another sound, which
no one who has once heard it will easily
fOrget-not the long melancholy howl
wherewith supperless wolf may be heard
bemoaning himself on the outskirts of our
the quick, snarling cry of one who
sees his food coming and wishes
to hasten to it. And there they come at
last, the gaunt, wiry, slouching fellows,
with their bushy tails and flat, narrow
heads, and yellow, thievish, murderous
eyes. Crack! the foremost of the pack
rolls over on his side, kicking convulsive-
"; but the rest .gallop on unheeding.
Crack! crack. and two more fall dead,
blotting the snow with smear of dull
crimson. Some of the boldest pursuers
swarm up to the sledge, and attempt to
leap over its projecting sides, while we
pound their heads with the butt ends of
our pieces, and chop their paws with
hatchets, and slash them across the eyes
| with hunting knives, the two hindmost of
our party meanwhile blazing away over
our shoulders rs fast as they can load.
And so, for time, the running fight goes
fercely on, making altogether a very
striking tableau. But 1.-THE pace is too
stiff to last as our leader remarks with
knowing grin. A run at full speed
through deep snow tries even a grown
wolf too severely to be continued beyond
| a certain time; and in face of stout re-
sistance the beasts inherent 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 back as
if doubling the wisdom of risking their
lives for lyDOthetical breakfast The
speed of the rest slackens by degrees
and at length the whole pack drop off as
| if by tacit agreement leaving us to pur-
sue our way unmolested. AS we emerge
again upon the open plain, across which
| the first beams of the rising sun are just
| beginning to fall, we see the last of our
grim followers Sinking like a belated
spectre into the gloomy shadows of the
forest which we have quilted.