272 FORESTRY IN LITHUANIA. 



fidelity with their lives. If a couple of wolves prowl 

 round a house, or fold, at night, a dozen dogs, with every 

 variety of tone, from the sharp yap of the shepherd's 

 terrier to the hoarse bay of the cattle-hound, will plunge 

 after them, and put them to flight. But if one, more 

 zealous, venture beyond his companions, the cunning 

 brutes face about, seize him, and before three minutes are 

 over there is nothing left of poor Carrier Pois, or sheep- 

 boy, a common name for these great mastiffs, but a few 

 tufts of bloody hair. The cattle defend themselves 

 valiantly, and the horses, and the mares especially who 

 have a foal at their side, put themselves in an attitude of 

 defence, and parry off the enemy with their fore-feet their 

 iron hoofs often taking great effect. But woe be to them 

 if the wolf, breaking through the shower of blows, spring 

 at the throat, or, stealing behind his prey, fasten on the 

 flank ! once down all is over, though there be but one 

 wolf. Sometimes, in a sudden wheel round, the wolf will 

 seize upon a cow's tail, on which he hangs with his jaws 

 of ten-horse power, while the poor animal drags him 

 round and round the field, and finally leaves the 

 unfortunate member in his grasp, too happy to escape 

 with a stump. At one time these animals increased so 

 frightfully in number that the Hit terse haft, or assembly 

 of knights, by which name the internal senate of this 

 province is designated, appointed a reward of five roubles 

 for every pair of ears brought to the magistrate of the 

 district. This worked some change, and, in proportion as 

 the wolves have fallen off, the Ritterschaft has dropped its 

 price, though an opposite policy would perhaps have been 

 more politic, and now a pair of ears, generally secured 

 from the destruction of a nest of young ones, does not 

 fetch more than a silver rouble, or three roubles and a 

 half.* An old plan to attract them was to tie a pig in a 

 sack, squeaking of course, upon a cart, and drive him 

 rapidly through a wood or morass. Any cry of an animal 



* Paper. Nevertheless a thousand wolves upon the average are killed in a year. 



