248 EXTRACTS FROM 
During the whole of this wild and somewhat irregular 
hunt I had not got a single shot; and it was not until half 
an hour had gone by, and most of the guns had left their 
posts and were trying to get up to the dogs which were now 
running a wolf, that I discovered across road which led right 
through the field. Along this I hastened, until I got toa 
place where an irrigation-ditch ran into the interior of the 
plantation, and made a narrow lane only a yard wide, down 
which I could shoot. There I stationed myself, and waited 
for the dogs to bring up the wolf; but this they did slowly, 
for it was badly wounded, and often stood at bay, and when 
it at last crossed my line I could not fire, on account of 
their surrounding it. On the other side of the ditch the 
fight now began again, and I heard the snarls of the wolf 
mingled with the sharp barks of the dachshunds, but in a few 
minutes they ceased their pursuit and all was quiet. Dachs- 
hunds hunt wolves unwillingly, and one can neither count 
upon their following up a wounded one long, nor on their 
giving tongue at all at a dead one ; so that the wolf which is 
not killed outright is generally lost. 
A few minutes later the barking of other dogs from the 
opposite corner of the field announced the commencement of 
a fresh hunt, and again the chase came straight towards me 
through the canes ; but, as before, it advanced very slowly, 
and it was evident that the dogs were busy with another 
wounded wolf. They were baying furiously not more than a 
hundred yards off, and I was attentively listening to the fight, 
when [| heard a slight rustling close beside me, and imme- 
diately caught sight of an unwounded wolf stealing across 
the narrow path. I instantly fired, and hearing the glad 
sound of its fall I hurried up to the spot, and found it snarling 
and dragging itself away, half lying, half sitting, for its back 
was broken, Attracted by the shot, some of the dogs now 
came up, and a savage battle began, which I put an end to by 
