The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-09

ncaru III every o1recuCn, ana pretty soon
they followed the trails Of blood in until
we all got shot, and each tumblcd a
wolf over. From the instant they fell 10
the time their bones were clean picked by
their companions was not over forty sec
onds II was something marvellous to
watch the proceeding The mouthiul
apiece whetted their appetites ana stlmu-
lated their ferOcity, and the whole pack
made a rush at the ear. The beasts no
doubt took il for Il travellers sledge, and
the attacl, was surprising in It's ierceness.
The number OF wolves was not less than
500. and for the first five minutes we
were seriously alarmed. They were over,
under. ana around us, bowling, barking,
snarling. growing, and fighting III way
TO give Us chills, and, had our car not
been securely fastened 10 the broad, heavy
runners. they would have upset it in their
rushes. The exterior had been sheathed
with sheet iron. We had objected
TO this expense, but had finally accepted
the advice Of one Of the wolf hunters.
We now realized the wisdom Of this pre-
caution. But for the sheathing the
wolves would have eaten their way into
the car in dozen places.
%Qcu Il llelCt Nll uutAPSNNtN NN~HSh
ratified Us for few minutes, but after O
bit we began firing buckshot into the pack
rs fast as we could load and pull trigger.
Then it was paudem0nium let loose lie
bowls, yclls yeps, erowls and cries re-
uoubled. because every victim Of our guns
was being devoured by his companions.
We fired thirty-four charges Of buck-hOt
into the mass, killing at least double that
number Of wolves, and then the pack
began 10 scatter, and ten minutes latef
not living wolf was in sight 1t was q
horrible looking sight around US. Every
wolf but one had been devOured. TUFTS
oi fur and bloody bones were scattered
Gver The snow for 100 feet IN every direc-
ton, and there was not foot OF snow
without its blood stain There was
wounded wolf who had escaped the fangs
Of the pack, probably because their appe-
tites were satisfied for the time being.
He had been shot through the hips and
could no longer use his hind legs lie
was very large fellow, and we soon had
reason to believe that he was still danger
Gus. The beast was about fifty steps
away when we descended from the car,
and the minute he caught sight Of us
fur along his spine stood up, his eyes
blazed like fire, and he uttered such fierce
growls that the three OF us raised our
guns The brute coula drag himself over
the snow crust with his fore legs, and as
we stood looking at him be began hitch
inc himself forward 10 attack us. We let
him come within five or six feet OF Us be
fore knocking him over From his actions
there WAS no doubt he would have boldly
/ attacked the three Of US had he been less
| desperately wounded His scalp was the
/ only one we saved ont Of the sixty or
| seventy shot
/ Not another wolf was seen until night
| came down Then they gathered around
us seemingly by the thousands. Looking
out from one Of the small sliding doors
/ one was reminded Of a great drove Of
/ sheep cantering over rough ground Not
one Of them was still for minute, ana a
/ free fight was always in order Our house
stood SIX or seven feet high, but they
/ leaped over il back and forth as easily ~
/ they could have cleared a log. At one
| time several OF them engaged in fight
/ over our heads, and we had serious fears
| of the roof breaking under their weight.
When we finally opened lire ! honestly be-
lieve there were > 600 wolves within pistol
shot. Our house was the center Of ciI-
Gle of lcaping. bowling, fighting, growing
| velping beasts. each one of which seemed
bent on getting nearer. IL was bright
moonlight night and we did not waste u
shot One could have shut his eyes and
been sure Of killing or wounding at every
discharge We limited our shots 10 twenty
five each, and fired slowly, 50 as not 10
heat our guns | believe we killed 100
wolves with the seventy shots II
one was wounded enough 10 cause flow
OF blood he was Il goner The unwounded
would tear him TO pieces with even more
ferocity than they displayed toward the
dead Soon after we had ceased firing
the great bulk of the wolves retired, to be
seen or heard no more during the night
a few who had probably failed 10 secure a
share of the horrible feast remained In the
vicinity 10 growl over the bloody bones
and utter an occasional howl, and after
! midnight we slept sOundly. We were
afterward told by peasants living eight or
ten miles away that packs OF wolves
passed their farms at dusk on the way TO
the general rendezvous. Some OF those
| surrounding our house probably came
twelve or fifteen miles. The keeper of the
hotel saw fifty or more pass his place, and
they were in such a hurry and SO occupied
with the project on foot that they passed
within twenty feet OF stray colt without
halting to attack IT,
On the second day OF our stay we were
witnesses of "A dreadful tragedy Ii was
a cloudy day, with occasional snow
squalls, but no wolves came near us. At
about . o'clock, while my companions
were lying down, | opened a slide to take
n look over the highway toward Toblosky.
For four miles the highway was over a
plain, and one could see every moving OBJ
feet. Then the road was lost in a pine
forest, which stretched along for couple
of miles. had scarcely pulled back the
slide when an object came in view in the
road at the edge Of the forest, and in half
a minute | had made out horses. A
sl~ige was coming our way, the first
which had passed since we took up our
station. We had pair of field glasses in
] a 90 Is<aA no ID, 81 -.