Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-02-15
A RUSSIAN WOLF HUNT.

are the favorlte pleasures or th'
Russians. Wolves are hunted in
this way in the winter, when tn,
wolves being hungry, are ferocious
Three or four huntsmen, each armed
with double-barrelled gun, get in
to troika, which is any sort of t
carriage, drawn by three horses
its name being derived from it,
team, and not from its form. The
middle horse trots always; the left
hand and right hand horses must
always gallop. The middle horse
trots with his head hanging down
and he is called the Snow Eater
The two others have only one rein
and they are fastened to the poles
by the middle of the body, and gal.
lop with their heads free-they are
called the Furious. The troika is
driven by sure coachman, if there
is such a thing in the world as a
sure coachman. A pig is tied to
the rear of the vehicle by a rope, OF
a chain, (for greater security some
twelve yards long. The pig iskept
in the vehicle until the huntsmen
reach the forest where the hunt is
to take place, when he is taken out
and the horses started. The pig,
not being accustomed to this gait,
squeals, and his squeals soon degen-
crate into lamentations. His cries
bring out one wolf, who gives the
pig chase; then two wolves, then
three, then ten, then fifty wolves -
all posting as hard as they can after
the poor pig, fighting among them
selves for the best places, swapping
and striking at the pig at every op-
portunity, who squeals with despair
These squeals arouse all the wolves
III the forest within a circuit OF
three miles, and the troika is follow
ed by an immense flock. 1t is now
that good drives is indispensable.
The horses have an instructive hor-
ror of wolves, and go almost crazy;
they run as fast as they can.
The huntsmen fire as fast as they
can load-there is no necessity to
take any aim. The pig squeals--
the horses neigh-the wolves howl
the guns rattle; it is q concert to
make Mephistopheles jealous. As
long as the driver commands the
horses, fast as they may be running
away, there is no danger. But if
he ceases to be master of them; il
they balk, if the troika is upset
there is no hope. The next day, OF
the day after, or a week afterwards,
nothing will remain Of the party
but the wreck of the troika, the
barrels of the guns, and the
larger bones Of the horses, hunts
men and driver. Prince Re.
prime once went on one of these
hunts, and it came very near being
his last. He was on a visit with
two Of his friends to one of his es-
tates near the steppe, and they de.
termlned to 60 on wolf hunt.
They prepared large sleigh in
which three persons could move at
ease, three vigorous horses were
put into it, and they selected for
driver a man born in the country
and thoroughly experienced in the
sport. Every huntsman had {
pair of double-barrelled guns and {
hundred and fifty ball cartridges
1t was night when they reached thu
steppe-that is, an immense prairie
covered with snow. The moon wa:
full and shone brilliantly; its beam
refracted by the snow gave a light
scarcely inferior to daylight.
The pig was put out of the sleigh
and the horses Wiped up. Al
soon as the pig felt that he was
dragged he began to squeal. A
wolf or two appeared, but they were
timid, and kept long way off
Their numbers gradually increased
and as the flock augmented, they
became bolder. There were about
twenty wolves when they came with
in gun range of the troika. One o.
the party Gred--a wolf fell. The
flock became alarmed and half flee
away. Seven or eight hungry
wolves remained behind to devoul
their dead companion. The gaps
were soon filled. On every sid'
howl answered howl, OH every sid,
sharp noses and brilliant eyes wer'
seen peering. The guns ratified
volley after volley, but the flock O.
wolves increased instead of diminish
ing, and soon it was not flock, bu
a vast herd Of wolves in thick serriet
columns, which gave chase to th'
sleigh.
The wolves bounded forward 5,
rapidly they seemed to fly over tn