The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1913-11-21
WOLVES IN RUSSIA
Daring Bratas That Attack TTav-
eiefs on The Steppes.
EXCITING BATTLE AT NIGHT.

PeriIous Plight of Sleigh Party That
Vas Surrounded and Set Upon by
rack Of the Ferocious and Famished
Animals "A. Timely Rescue.
There are still wolves on the steppes
Of Russia and pretty ferocious ones at
tht. as appears from this story sent
10 IL Swedish paper by one of its CORE
snondents. who WAS travelling a wan
ter or two ago through the wastes OF
what was formerly known as Litbu-
ana.
II was bright. frosty winter day.
Tie snow was excellent. and the mail
sleigh glided forward ut great speed.
A troi,za with three Poles In it. follow
ed behind Toward sunset we elnerg-
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
terIy 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 a third SHE'D vlo-
lently, uttering that terrible cry OF
which the horse is capable only when
in extreme fear could see by tile
light of the moon the shadow of an
animal about the size of a dog fitting
over the frozen surface of a marsh
pool which lay some twenty PAGES
from US on one side of the road.
No animal can travel more silently
than wolf when in search of prey,
and none can attack so suddenly and
UNEXPECTEDLY. was slowly raising
my gun when a second wolf rose I'M
mediatcly in front of the horses with
crest erect and green. phosphorescent
ewes. At the same time points OF
light appeared all over the mere, and
the bowling of the beasts rang out
A shot was fired. Revolver in hand.
Lescek. one of the Poles. stood on the
driving seat of the troika Then from
the mail sleigh J discharged both
barrels Of my gun. and savage howi
announced that they had taken effect.
1'wo of the most daring of our assaii-
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
ably because It was drawn by double
the number of horses Our driver had
no other weapon than his loaded whip,
but with IT. he dealt tremendous blows.
The horses struggled madly aud tried
with all their strength to break the
harness AZ each shot from my gun
the wolves scattered. only to collect
again Immediately and renew their at
tick ~ the horses Suddenly there
arosr wild yell behind us.
The tl.lee Poles were rolling in the
snow hy .hp side of their overturned
sleigh i.scekS badly driven horses
hld tarn themselves loose from the
traka Ia III ir terror. aud were career
IN. wildll over the snow covered
siriln. pursued by some of the wolves.
They were soon pulled down, and IN
the stiffness of the night their death
srr.qnIS were terrible The Poles wal
lawp., about in the snow shouting.
weeping ana aileniing by turns.
THrir >itnaiiWi WIS. indeed. sufii-
cien;ly serious. Tor only Lescek had
had rin5i.li presence uf mind to hide
hiiii.eii beneath the sleigh. aud the
nail driver and 1. surrounded by
wait,.~. ,und give them no help.
iarl.d n,i,H them ~ doomed and felt
sl.r,. that So should quickly share their
fate
suddenly our purSurrs disappeared.
aud a'thunsh bleeding badly. the
horse, becanle calint.r The cleaning
eyes of the wolves were seen only here
and there cut on the steppe shot
rang out. then n voiley. succeeded by
yells Of rain A dozen dead wolves
iay an the ground. aud two huge beasts
artumly expired beneath the hoofs OF
the horses TX our reScuers came up In
their rinkiing sleishs
IL WIS d sanded proprietor with his
SERVANTS uh.s~e solitary farm lay only
q couple of versts away None OF
us was dangerously wounded The
wolves bad treated the Poles worst
for their clothes were nearly torn from
their bodies They were bitten. too.
hnt not seriously
The following morning our host. Herr
Stauski. came across the skeletons Of
the three troika horses scarcely half
. verst frem the scene Of our strug-
Gle The poor creatures were stil!
i,ound together with the harness. Whai
ar owu fate would have been we're u
ryt for our timely rescue, lie not hari
10 imagine. The thought OF u makes
me shuddsr to this day.