AVOLF-HUNTING. 23 



citing form of wolf hunt, peculiar, I believe, 

 to the country ; in wliicli, having found and 

 roused their wolf on the bare, treeless steppe, 

 the hunters, being well mounted, attempt to 

 ride him down. 



As there are no coverts or other places of 

 refuge open to the quarry, and the steppe is 

 all good going for the horses, it is not long- 

 before the leading horsemen draw up to the 

 wolf. But the game is far from over yet. 

 Though the hunters might easily spear or 

 shoot the wolf, no one atteuipts to do either; 

 but as soon as he beoins to show sio-ns of 

 distress they slacken their pace, and content 

 themselves with keeping just near enough to 

 him to oblige him to do his best. At last 

 even under these circumstances the brute's 

 heart and wind fail him, and he lies down. 

 Then one of his pursuers, ridmg up, whips the 

 beaten beast mto motion again, and so the 

 chase goes on until, utterly exhausted, no 



