The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-06-19
WOLVES IN RUSSIA
Daring Brutes That Attack Trav-
eIers on the Steppes.
EXCITING BATTLE AT NIGHT.

ExCI ING BAL LIE Al NI0ni.
PeriIous Plight Of Sleigh Party That
Was Surrounded and Set Upon by
Pack Of the Ferocious and Famished
Animais-A Timely Rescue.
There are still wolves on the steppes
Of Russia and pretty ferocious ones at
that, as appears from this story sent
to Swedish paper by one Of Its CORE
spondents, who was travelling win
ter or two ago through the wastes OF
what was formerly known as Lithn-
ania.
| 1t was a bright, frosty winter day.
The snow was excellent, and the mail
sleigh glided forward at great speed
| A troika with three Poles in it follow
ed behind. Toward sunset we emerg
ed from the dark pine woods upon the
steppe, which stretched away In front
of us as far as the eye could reach.
Soon the stars made their appear
ance. and the moon rose. 1t was bit
terly cold and the snow cracked be-
meath the runners. The horses breath
rose in the air like thick smoke. The
songs and shouts of the Poles died
away, and profound silence reigned.
Suddenly one of the horses whinnied.
then another. and third SHE'D VIC
lently, uttering that terrible cry OF
which the horse is capable only when
in extreme fear. | could see by the
light of the moon the shadow Of an
animal about the size OF dog fitting
over the frozen surface of marsh
pool which lay some twenty PAGES
from IFS on one side of the road.
No animal can travel more silently
than a wolf when in search Of prey,
and none can attack so suddenly ana
unexpectedly. l was slowly raising
my gun when second wolf rose I'm,
mediately in front of the horses with
crest erect and green. phosphorescent
eyes At the same time points OF
light appeared all over the mere. and
the bowling Of the beasts rang out.
\ shot was fired. Revolver in hand.
Lescek. one of the Poles, stood on the
driving seat of the troika Then from
the mail sleigh ] discharged both
barrels Of my gun. and savage howl
announced that they had taken effect
Two Of the most daring of our assail
ants lay rolling in the snow.
The three Poles kept firing furiously.
although the attack of the wolves was
directed more against our sleigh. prob
ol,1 6ys.,yy Inv
the number of horses. Our driver had
no other weapon than his loaded whip.
but with 1t he dealt tremendous blows
The horses struggled mady and tried
. with all their strength to break the
harness. At each shot from my gun
the wolves scattered, only to collect
again Immediately and renew their at
tack on the horses. Suddenly there
arose wild yell behind us,
, The three Poles We're rolling In the
snow by the side Of their overturned
sleigh Lescek's badly driven horses
had torn themselves loose from the
, troika in their terror. and were career
ing wildly over the snow covered
!: stcppe. pursued by some of the wolves
They were soon pulled down. and in
, the Stiffness of the night their death
screams were terrible The Poles wal
lowed about in the snow shoutin.
! weeping and lalnenting by turns
r Their situation was. indeed. sutfi
GENTLY serious. for only LeScek had
had enough presence of mind to hide
himself beneath the sleigh. and the
, mail driver and l. surrounded b.
wolves. could give them no help.
looked upon them as doomed and fell
sure that we should quickly share theil
= fate
: Suddenly our pursuers disappeared
! and although bleeding badly. thu
u horses became calmer The gleamin:
eyes of the wolves were seen only hert
y and there out on the steppe. 4 sho
/ rang out. then a vol!ey. succeeded b,
= yells of pain A dozen dead wolve:
l lay on the ground, and two huge beast:
actually expired beneath the hoofs o.
the horses as our rescuers came up IL
!, their tinkling sleighs.
: 1t was landed proprietor with hi
servants whose solitary farm lay onl!
), couple of versts away. None o
e us was dangerously wounded. TIT
e wolves had treated the Poles worst
for their clothes were nearly torn from
\ their bodies, They were bitten. too
but not seriously.
The following morning our host. Her
;, StanSki. came across the skeletons o
d the three troika horses scarcely hal
q a verst from the scene of our strug
gle. The poor creatures were still
. bound together with the harness Wha
our own fate would have been were
not for our timely rescue. is not har,
= to imagine. The thought of 1t make
! me shudder to this day.
Followed Mammals Advice.