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

Between the villages Of TObosky and
Urkovsl;y, in Rus,ia-thirty miles apart
There was, in 1865, only one house
That was a half way hotel The rest Of the
road was given mp oplain and forest, and
for five years previous TO 1865 this had
been one OF the most dangerous places In
all Russia. Travellers waited at either
village until band Of from ten 10 twenty
had collected, and in midwinter soldiers
had 10 accompany ell travellers y mem
uer of the French legation told Inc that,
in makiI>. this journey once, the sledges
were followed and surrounded 10y drove
Of wolves, estimated TO number 1000
No attack was made, there being q large
escort of soldiers.
The first time |. passed over the road
was in summer, and not a wolf appeared
in sight. AT one point, where the road
traversed plain for eight miles, l saw,
without leaving the beaten track, the
bones or at least fifty horses and OF
seventy-nve persons While ] was living
at Urkovsky that summer the Russian
government offered bounty Of fourteen
cents for the scalp of every wolf killed in
that district. There was another Amcri-
can and an EnglishInan in the village, and
when the proclamation came out we de-
ternined on wolf hunt. We called in q
carpenter and gave him plans of "a house
on runners. Ii 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 ia 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 i'm view,
and the house had been scarcely finished
when a government official made us call
and demanded the fullest information
When We told him that we proposed n
draw the car out upon the plain and use
it as cover and protection while we Shot
wolves his gravity increased, and he OF
fciaiiv notified us not TO move 10 q foot IN
Ill he had communicated with his supe-
riors. The government had offered a
bounty for the destruction of wolves, but
we must get permission 10 destroy them
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 revoyers with US. 1t was
about Dec / when the official made Us a
second call He was still very dignified
and very grave He had corresponded
with the police inspector of the district,
and that official had corresponded with a
greater man, and perhaps the case went
TO St. Petersburg It had, however, been
decided that we could move our car pro-
viding we held ourselves respons bic fOI
all damages to the cars subjects. We
did not move until the first week in
January 1t was very severe winter,
with wolves more numerous than fOl
years past, and we had trouble 10 get
teams 10 draw our house 10 the plains
All through December the road filled up
as often as opened, but early in January
we got away, having four horses 10 draw
the house We were to be left on the
center of the plain for n week, when the
horses were 10 come back for new move
As we got ont OF town early IN the
morning we reached the spot selected long
before noon The car was hauled OF 10
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 OH the trip out, several
sledles had been pursued the week before
Ia broad daylight, ard the two men and
four horses were certainly temptation
for the brutes TO gather In making
ready we had had the advice of two OF
three old wolf hunters, and had adopted
some OF their suggestions We had
brought along some raw meat for bait, as
also gallon Of beef's blood. As soon as
we settled down we thawed this blood,
and then went out in three different direc
tons and sprinkled IL on the hard, white
crust. On our way back 10 the car we
LETT trail and flung out piece OF meat
at intervals. We had not yet reached the
car when we heard the howl Of wolf,
and five minutes later we could see a
dozen of them scampering about IL 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 q snow squall
came up TO still further darken the
heavens.
M 4