Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-08
WOLVES IN RUSSIA.

Crkovsky, in Russia-thirty miles apart
there was in 1868, only one house
That was half way hotel The rest of the
road was given up TO plain and forest, and
for five years previous to 1868 this had
been one Of the most dangerous places in
ell Russia Travellers waited at either
village until band Of from ten to twenty
had collected, and in midwinter soldiers
had to accompany all travellers. A mem
Der Of the French legation told me that,
in making this journey once, the sledges
were followed and surrounded by drove
of wolves, estimated TO number 1000
No attack was made, there being a large
escort of soldiers.
The first time passed over the road
was in summer, and not wolf appeared
In sight. At one point. where the road
traversed a plain for eight miles, saw,
without leaving the beaten track, the
bones or at least fifty horses and of
seventy five persons. While / was living
ct Urkovsky that summer the Russian
government offered bounty of fourteen
cents for the scalp of every wolf killed in
that district. There was another Ameri-
can and an Englishman in the village, and
when the proclamation came out we de-
termined On wolf hunt. We called in a
on runners. 1t was as large as one of the
photograph cars drawn from town to
town in the United States, and provided
with three hunks, a stove and other con-
veniences. There were portfolios in the
sides and floor, besides three or four slid
ing doors, and when the house was done
we found plenty Of room for three men
and coal and provisions for a fortnight.
There was great curiosity in the town as
TO what sort OF move we had in view,
and the house had been scarcely finished
when a government official made US a call
and demanded the fullest information
When we told him that we proposed to
draw the car out upon the plain and use
Ii as cover and protection while we shot
wolves his gravity increased, and he Of
fcially notified Us not to move it foot IN
I'll he had communicated with his supe-
rlors. The government had offered a
bounty for the destruction of wolves, but
we must get permission TO destroy themi
However, we had lots of time ahead.
and while waiting the appearance of the
official the car was finished and stocked
1t was as roomy as the ordinary freight
car, and we put in plenty of fuel, pro-
visions and ammunition. We took only
shotguns and revolverS with US. 1t was
about Dec ! when the official made US
second call. He was still very dignifed
and very grave. He had correspondent
with the police inspector of the district,
and that official had correspondent with
greater man, and perhaps the case went
10 ST. Petersburg. 1t had, however, been
decided that we could move our car, pro-
yiding we held ourselves responsible for
all damages to the cars subjects. We
+ta 10,
January. It was very severe winter,
with wolves more numerous than for
years past, and we had trouble to get
teams to draw our house to the plains.
All through December the road filled uE
as often as opened, but early in January
we got away, having four horses TO draw
the house. We were to be left on the
center Of the plain for a week, when the
horses were TO come back for new move.
As we got out of town early in the
morning we reached the spot selected long
before noon. The car was hauled off to
the side OF the road at a favorable place,
and the men with the horses waited no
longer than to unhitch them before start
Ing On the return journey. While we had
not seen wolf on the trip out, several
sledges had been pursued the week before
In broad daylight, and the two men and
four hcrses were certainly a temptation
Tor the bruteS TO gather. IN making
ready we had had the advice of two or
three old wolf hunters, ahd had adopted
some Of their suggestions. We had
brought along some raw meat for bait, as
also gallon of beefs blood AS soon as
we settled down we thawed this blood,
and then went out in three different direc-
lions and sprinkled it on the hard, white
crust. On our way back to the car we
left trail and flung out pi7ce Of meat
at intervals. We had not yet reached the
ear when we heard the howl of wolf,
and five minutes later we could see
dozen of them scampering about. It was
an hour, however, before one came within
reach of our guns. Then the sun, which
had been brightly shining all the forenoon,
was hidden by clouds, and snow squall
came up to still further darken the
heavens.
The bowling Of wolves could now be
heard in every direction, snd pretty soon
they followed the trails OF blood In until |
we all got shot, and each tumbled a |
wolf over. From the instant they fell TO |
The time their bones were clean picked by |
their companions was not over forty sec
onds. 1t was something marvellous TO l
apiece whetted their appetites and stimu- |
lated their ferocity, and the whole pack |
made rush at the car. The beasts no /
doubt took il for a travellers sledge, and |
the attack was surprising in its ierceness. |
The number of wolves was not less than |
BOO, and for the first five minutes we |
were seriously alarmed. They were over.
under, and around Us, bowling, barking. /
snarliHs, growing, and fighting in way
TO give Us chills, and, had our car not
been securely fastened TO the broad. heavy
runners. they would have upset il il 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.
Such q fierce and unexpected attack
ratified Us for few minutes, but after a
bit we began firing buckshot into the pack
as fast SIS we could load and pull trigger.
Then il was pandemonium let loose. The
bowls, yells, ye!ps, growls and cries re
doubled, because every victim o, our guns
was being devoured by his companions
We fired thirty-four charges OF buckshot
Into the mass, killing at least double that
number of wolves, and then the pack
began 10 scatter, and ten minutes later
not living wolf was in sight. II was a
horrible looking sight around US. Every
wolf but one had been devoured. Tufts
OF fur and bloody bones were scattered
ever The snow for 100 feet IN ever oiEec-