382 The Hunting Grounds 



apparently more ferocious than before, for their 

 appetite was whetted with the taste of blood. They 

 now commenced discharging their fire-arms amongst 

 them, but it was of no avail, for although many fell, 

 the rest rushed on, and the course of the horde was 

 not stayed. The horses of two of their number now 

 gave up and fell with shrieks that told they knew the 

 fate that awaited them ; and, although their riders 

 were swift on foot, they could not keep up their speed 

 for any length of time in the deep snow, and soon 

 became fatigued, so bidding their comrades farewell, 

 they resigned themselves to their " kismet " (destiny), 

 drew their yatagans, and shouting their battle-cry, 

 died like men fighting to the last. The survivors 

 were now within a couple of miles from shelter, but 

 their horses were almost worn out, the leading wolves 

 hardly a pistol-shot behind, and gaining upon them 

 rapidly another moment, and they expected to feel 

 their fangs, when an old man, whose two sons were 

 also present, seeing the hopelessness of the case, bade 

 his comrades farewell, and shouting out the "imaun" 

 (Mahomedan creed) as a death-song, felled his horse 

 to the ground with the heavy butt of his pistol, as he 

 could not rein up the scared animal, and offered him- 

 self a willing sacrifice to save the rest. On tore the 

 survivors, now reduced to eight in number, and on 

 followed their relentless pursuers, now again only half- 

 a dozen horses' length behind. In spite of all their 



