The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-10-18


underbrush rustled and suddenly gigantic
wolf emerged from the cover and sprang
upon tho moonlit way. My heart palpitated
feverish]y. No one made any movement,
and noisLlessly our sled went on. With his
| nose on the snow the rascal followed us. I
can not imagine what restrained me, but in
| stead Of firing ut our pursuing foe, stared
! at him as if spellbound, without even think
ing of my gun. But not so Friend Alexan-
der p With cold blood, steeled by numer-
Gus similar ventures, he was aiming at the
game. Suddenly the report of his gun
startled the echoes of the forest and imme-
diately we saw the wolf turn around and
leave a black spot on the white surface
Only after the shot did hear the rustic of
fugitive animals on both sides, o sign that
many Invisible foes were following u.s. After
| some time had elapsed we halted in the mid
| die of clearing. The pig squealed pitifully,
| and somehow felt the presence of wolves
| without seeing them. Suddenly I saw q
! dark body emerge from the thcket, another
followed, and, quick as lightning, two pow
erful wolves darted into the white space. I
| aimed at the one on the left, Friend P. at
the other. Both shots rang out simultane.
o,lsly, and two objects rolled over on the
snow to cease moving after few minutes.
Then Ivan whipped up the admirably trained
horses, and drove back the same way we
had come. Hardly had we gone back hun
dred PAGES, when P.'s gun cracked again, q
third wolf paying for his bloodthirstiness
with his life. The next moment I became
aware Of pair Of red glazing eyes in 4 fir
thicket. fired, but must have missed, for
q rustic announced the fight of the game.
Now, in gradually shortening intervals,
we see the dark bodies of our foes fly over
the high road, but unfortunately out Of
range. Suddenly the horses prick up their
ears and even the stoically calm Ivan utters
an exclamation between an oath and be-
wilderment-a powerful wolf had crossed
the road close in front of the horses: l was
on the point Of turning round when I per-
ceived lauk and hungry-looking beast
emerge from the ditch, and with terrific
bound precipitate himself on the bait at
the end of the rope. My gun cracked
simultaneously with that of p, and the
mighty fellow rolled in his blood Which of
US had killed him know not, but my
amiable friend gave the credit CT the shot
to me. We drove back to our booty and
loaded it on our sled (the only instance in
which we did SOY, as had expressed wish
found him an especially handsome speci-
men. On our way back we killed four moro
wolves, SO that we felt amply satisfied with
our nights work when we reached home at
about three o'clock in the morning.
In some regions where wolves are more
| numerous and make their appearance in
packs, scythes are fastened to the sled to
protect it against the wolves should they
attack it in large numbers. In such locali-
| ties, too, hunting party is always composed
of from six to ten shooters in one large sled
| or two smaller ones. Notwithstanding the
precautions it sometimes happens that the
horses steaming with sweat rush into the
courtyard with the wreck Of the sled, on
| which only few blood-soaked rags give
| sad evidence Of the fate of the merry hunt
ing party that started out so gayly a few
hours before. In such q case the wolves,
strong in numbers, frantic with hunger, re-
| CARELESS of the danger, attack the sled and
| devour the hunters. Although had many
| opportunities to Join these large parties al
ways refrained, as man at your back with
gun and in a high state of excitement is
| even more dangerous than half dozen
frantic wolves. had one experience of this
kind in which fellow hunter fred 50 close
| to my head that I consider it favor of
Providence that I am able to write these
| lines. Ever since have gone hunting only
| with men whom know to be deliberate
marksmen, preferring only one companion
| to greater number.
1t is quaint and surprising fact that in
Russia the hunter must buy his bear before
| he can kill him. had expressed desire to
| 60 bear hunting and one night, after attend
| ing a fashionable performance at the Moscow
Theater, was at the "Eremitage,' restau-
rant, think without an equal in the world,
awaiting the return Of my friend p, who
! had driven lady to her home. was chat
| ting with some acquaintances when p. en-
tered and asked me with a smile: "Apro-
pos, what will we pay for the bear:" I re-
sponded that did not waat to buy, but
wanted to shoot bear. After many funny
remarks learned that we would have to
buy the bear before we could hunt him.
The peasants make it their business to dis
cover the lair of the bear, and as soon as
they find one send word to their landlords
or to a well-known hunter asking what
price he will pay per pud. The pud is thirty
six English pounds and the peasants gener-
ally ask from ten to twelve rubles per pud.
! They usually get eight rubles (about four
dollars) per pud. After the bargain is COM
pleted the day for the hunt is fixed- and, the
hunters having been posted, the peasants
enter tho woods and drive the bear out to
! them. After the animal is killed he is
! weighed and the price agreed on is paid.
The Monday following the meeting at the
Eremitago our party, six in number, boarded
| the st. Petersburg express, leaving Moscow
at nine o'clock p. m. At4 80 in the morning
! the conductor awakened us, and at five we
! a)ighted. Friend Prs country seat is only
about two versts distant from the depot, and
soon two sleds conveyed us to that hospita-
BILE root. Comfortably heated rooms re-
ceivcd us, and after having taken a cup OF
hot tea wo all went to bed again to enjoy
| some more rest, as we did not intend to
start on the hunt before ten O'Clock. At
nine o'clock we were called to sumptuous
breakfast. The faithful Ivan gave me re-
port of the locality, where ard how the
peasants had discovered the bear, what
preparations had been made and how the
bear should be driven within the shooting
circle. We then started. Our equipment
consisted Of thick but not burdensome furs,
high, impermeable boots, heavy short double.
barreled guns, revolvers and long hunting
knives. In two sleds we rapidly proceeded
on our way to the wooded hills of the Waldai
Mountains. After drive of about one hour
we alighted, and, led by Ivan, climbed and
gl1ded down q deep ravine, not an easy Job,
considering our outfit. Then we marched
Tor about fifteen minutes along the bottom
Of the ravine until we came on the right to
second broad deale. This was to be the
theater Of our present expedition, Tor in
some Of the recesses of this gorge the lair
Of q bear had been found. Then the chain
Of hunting was formed, the respective po-
sitions being determined by lots. Fate as
signed me the extreme left wing where !
stood some distance up the mountain side.
About 100 PAGES on tho right stood my next
neighbor. When had settled myself In the
snow, which was not very deep, waited
for events. had not much confidence in
the advantage of my position for thought
1t certain that the bear would make it, e..
cape along the valley and not up the slopes.
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