San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-05-04
A WOLF HUNT.

Last year / made acquaintance wit!
this sport, thanks TO one Of my friends
a powerful Russian lord, Count Kos
tieiekine, who had betakon himself Il
Paris with view of scattering goodlN
sum in roubles, content 10 receive IL
exchange the discomfort arising from
sick headaches, lumbago, and last, but
not least, rheumatism.
The curious aspect Of our boulevards
pleased him exceedingly. The varying
appearance of Partisan crowd, bright
and dark by turns, the
oddities OF that busy, noisy multitude
warmed his very soul, frozen, SO to
speak, by the bitter cold and cherries
skies of holy Russia. ,..
Nevertheless, he was on the point of
returning to his estates. L asked the
reason for so sudden decision.
"You must know, my friend, said he,
"the great scourge that infests our pos
sessions is not, as you seem to suppose,
the severe cold that brings us ice and
snow. The most formidable enemy we
have to fight is the wolf, which ranges
not only over the northern plains of
Russia, but prowls over the immense
extent of country forming the eastern
part of the empire. The animal is
usually of extraordinary size, strength
and ferocity. Your little French
wolves are mere spaniels compared to
our Russian customers. One of my
neighbors has written to apprise me
that packs of these beasts have been
seen III our vicinity. A grand hunt is
in process OF organization aud | must
be there. Fine sport is SO rare in our
steppes that 1 cannot think Of missing
this promising OCCASION"
u understand all about your wolf
hunts" said l. "You go four in
sleigh, with q sheep tied behind, which
bleats piteously. Suddenly wolves
start up on all sides, AS soon Us they
are within range you fire and hurry of
at the utmost speed of your horses.
Sometimes the wolves, quicker than the
horses, surround and head the sleigh.
Then ali is over with sheep, horses,
sleigh and sometimes the hunters also.
And all this merely to kill two dozen
wolves!"
Count Kostieletkino let fall an ex-
clamation of amused surprise. "You
Parisans are all the same, and"-here
the Count bowed-"considering you
are the most Intelligent men on cal III
your credulity is extreme. A journalist
or novelist, anxious to throw local color
upon his subject, need but dash off any
thought that comes into his mind, and
you all devour his lucubrations as so
much history. Our wolf hunt is stamp
ed with originality; true, it offers no
concomitant danger; but, on the other
hand, it is unique "a spectacle once
seen never to be forgotten. This hunt
seldom occurs oftener than four or five
years." ...-
Give me a description of it ALP"
"Oh, that is not possible; besides
you would not believe single word OF
my description; but as l leave on
Thursday, come with me-"
I laughed.
Laugh as much as you please, but,
seriously, come with me; you can be
back here again in two months"
l understood all this as a joke-not |
SO Kositeletkine, who used every means
to have me accept his invitation by
giving numerous accounts of hunts in
which he had taken part, until there
suddenly woke within me the dormant
srdor OF an old hunter, aud 1 accepted
my friends invitation.
Thursday following we boarded
train along with cartridges and carbipes
enough TO make Nimrod himself grow
pale with "a ye. The estates of Kostiel-
etkine lay upon the Siberian frontier,
in the COVER ment of Simbirsk, not far
from StavoLol. Our reception was
warm, Notwithstanding the intense cold.
We were III season, the neighboring
having assembled the pre-
ceding evening, to while away time
champagne until our arrival.
We visited the hunting grounds, vast
frozen plain, with its southern limit
lost in fog. Toward the north stretch
ed forest of fir trees, the trunks and /
lower branches, uncovered by snow,
standing out black upon the snowy
carpet. In the centre Of the plain APP /
peared a strange structure, a kind o.
block house or round tower made of
snow. This rather low tower had {
plank roof to turn the rain, but the s
roof did not rest directly on the snow !
wall, but was Supported by thick '
Dlsnks, leaving ali around an interstice {
81 about three feet in height. II
We entered the block-house by {
means Of a ladder. The blOck-house
tself had a wooden floor covered with
Iheepskins. A dozen seats and a large '
.1,rs ,,,-,,1o..1 sss f-,r,,ssur. T,stir
nth Its muzzle turned toward one Of '
be openings Of the blOck-hOuse stood q
nall copper cannon mounted on q ms