The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-02-08
A WOLF STORY.
a Portion Of Il Party OF soldiers SACRIFICED
TO save the Rcst---I,ife In Russia.

10 S;tNe inc ikcst---ILEt
A striking wolf story is told in vol |
ume entitled "The Hunting Grounds of
the Old World" IT was related to the
author by an Abassian chief, and is an
account of the loss of five of his tribe and
some prisoners during a campaign against
Russia. The Abassian party, to which
the chief belonged, consisted of eleven
men fairly mounted, and armed with
matchlocks, pistols and swords, with five
prisoners-four Russian soldiers and q
woman. As they were traversing vast
steppe or plain, they perceived pack OF
seven wolves slowly following them, of
which number they killed two or three
with their matchlocks for the sake OF
their fur, and dispensing the rest, con-
tinued their journey. Shortly afterward
strange bowling noise was heard in the
rear, which at first sounded like the
roaring of the wind, but afterward in
creased to such pitch that they thought
Jehannum (the internal regions) was
turned loose, and that the cry they had
heard was the exulting laugh of "gins
and "afrits," whom they believe to in
habit the eternal SHOWS of Mount Ell
bruz. At length their attention was
called to a dark mass of black objects
spreading over the snow like cloud over
the horizon, and the full extent OF their
danger broke upon them. for they knew
they were pursued by pack of wolves.
Their horses were already fatigued by
long days journey; but terror seemed to
give them wings, for they tore along as
if they knew their peril, and for while
seemed to hold their own. The nearest
"kouat " or hamlet was two "saat " or
seven miles distant; and the ground was
in many places so deep with drifting
snow that their horses could hardly get
I along. The crisis was now evidently ap-
/ preaching, for the advanced troop We're
about within g1,nshot, hOwlmg and yell
! ing as only wolves can.
/ A brief consultation was held, and it
was determined to sacrifice the prisoners
one by one, SO rs to gain time for the
rest to escape. The woman met her fate
| first One of them dropping behind
drew his saber across the hooks OF her
horse, hamstringing it, and causing both
fall heavily to the ground. Her
shrieks, as well rs the cry of the horse,
rung through their ears for a moment;
then all was still. They anxiously look
] cd hack snd fonnd that their desperate
expedient had enabled them to gain II
considerable distance on their plrsuers.
But it was not for long; they were soon
again on their heels, when q Russian
soldier was sacrificed by shooting his
horse. A second. a third and a fourth
soon followed, and much time was gain
ed and considerable distance covered.
Still the Unsuitable foes pressed on, appa-
rently more ferOcious than before, for
their appetite was whetted by the taste
for blood. They now commenced dis
charging their firearms among them
but it was of 10 avail, for though many
fell, the rest rushed on, and the course
of the horde was not stayed. The horses
of two of their number now gave up and
fell, with shrieks that told they knew
the fate that awaited them, and although
their riders were swift of foot they could
not keep up their speed for any length
of time in the deep snow. So bidding
their comrades farewell, they resigned
themselves to their "kismet." or des.
tiny, drew their yataghans. and shouting
their battle cry, died like men, fighting
TO the last. The survivors We're now
within couple of miles of shelter; but
their horses were almost worn ont, the
leading wolves hardly pistol shot be-
hind, and gaining upon them rapidly.
Another moment and they expected tC
feel their fangs, when an old man, whose
two sons were also of the party, seeing
the hopelessness of the case, bade hi
comrades farewell, and shouting out the
" omaun (Mohammedan creed) as {
death song, felled his horse to the grount
with the heavy butt of his pistol, as h'
could not reign up the frightened animal
and offered himself a willing sacrifice t,
save the rest. On tore the survivors
now reduced to eight in number, and ol
followed their relentless pursuers, nov
again only half dozen lengths behind
: In spite of all their efforts their doom
appeared to be sealed, when their chief
giving an expressive look to the narrator
drew his pistol aud shot the man neares
| him through the head. He threw up hi
/: arms and dropped the reins, but although
J stone dead, sat firm in the saddle, tn
affrighted animal carrying the corps
until q second discharge brought both t,
: the ground. Again the pursuit wa
, checked for time, and the kouat ap
open, for it was deserted. Men an,
: horses rushed in, the door was closed
and ponderous bar drawn across inside
| Wlltn
/ shrek was heard from without above tn
howling of the wolves, and they say
through the chinks between the logs on
7 of their comrades, whose horse ha
r broken down and Jagged behind unpei
l ceived by the rest, surrounded by tn
! horde and fighting desperately,
| A moment more and he was pulle
from the saddle, and man and horse dc
4 voured before their eyes. Then tn
e wolves surrounded the hut, and findin
themselves baked of their prey, bega
t to fight among themselves, at times Ell
e deavoring to scratch away the earth unde
S the logs or force their way through th
crevices. But the hut, being substantial
e constructed, resisted all their efforts, an
s a deadly discharge of firearms was kel
4 up from the interior, which thinned I'll
5 wolfish number, and partially avenge
y the victims of the chase. The dea
n wolves We're speedily devoured by ii
j survivors, who remained bowling an
}. shrieking round the hut until the nigl
i of the second day, when violent stor
g arose, and they took themselves off
the dark, much to the relief of the S
y survivors, who, seeing the coast clea
made the best of their way home.