The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-12-05
WOLVES IN RUSSIA.

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
all 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 l 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, l saw,
without leaving the beaten track, the
bones or at least fifty horses and of
seventy five persons. While l was living
at Urkovsky that summer the Russian
government offered a 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 a wolf hunt We called in a
carpenter and gave him plans of house
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, 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 a 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
it as a cover and protection while we shot
wolves his gravity increased, and he of
ticially notified us not TO move it a foot un-
til he had communicated with his supe-
riors. The government had offered a
bounty for the destruction of wolves, but
we must get permission to destroy theml
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. 1 when the official made us
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
greater man, and perhaps the case went
to st. Petersburg. 1t had, however, been
decided that we could move our car, pro-
viding we held ourselves responsible for
all damages to the cars subjects. We
did not move until the first week in
January. IL 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 up
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 week, when the
horses were 10 come back for a new move.
As we got out of town early i'm the
morning we reached the spot selected long
before noon. The car was hauled off to
the side of the road at 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 a wolf OH the trip out. several
sledges had been pursued the week before
in broad daylight, and the two men and
four horses We're certainly temptation
for the brutes To gather. In making
Eehtlg We idl Niiu lne duNlcb Oh 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-
tions and sprinkled il on the hard, white
crust. On our way back to the car we
left trail and flung out piece of meat
at intervals We had not vet reached the
car when we heard the howl of a wolf,
and five minutes later we could see a
dozen of them scamperug about. II 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 n snow squall
came up 10 Still further darken the
heavens.
The bowling of wolves could now be
heard in every direction. and 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
watch the proceeding. The mOuthful
| apiece whetted their appetites and stimu-
lated their ferocity, and the whole pack
made rush at the car. The beasts nc
doubt took il for a travellers sledge, and
the attack was surprising in its fierceness.
! The number Of wolves was not less than
! 500, and for the first five minutes we
were seriously alarmed. They were over,
under and around US. bowling. BARKING