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an attempt, to secure a few of the long-coveted skins. In a few moments more I pushed my way through a thicket of bushes, and stood in a wide clearing, in full view of the wolves, which to my great surprise were no less than fifty in number, some of them being of unusual size, and evidently rendered fierce and desperate by the pangs of hunger.

I perceived, at once, that any attempt to combat such a number of these ferocious and hungry creatures, would be foolhardy in the extreme; but it was now too late to retreat with safety, and I resolved to stand my ground and face them with a bold front, until I could find a favorable opportunity to give them the slip and make my escape; for I had been told that the Siberian wolf seldom ventures to attack a man unless he can take him at a disadvantage.

This plan was instantly conceived, and as instantly put into execution. The wolves no sooner caught sight of me than they set up a shout, as it seemed to me, of exultation at the prospect of prey, and began to advance towards me; but, when instead of turning to flee, 1 brought my gun to my shoulder and took deliberate aim at the leader, they paused, and stood for a few moments, as if irresolute.

Meanwhile, they continued to howl without cessation, and, to my dismay, I heard answering howls in every direction, which plainly indicated that I was completely surrounded by the wolves. In a very few minutes the original troop had been greatly augmented by the arrival of others of the species, equally fierce and hungry, from every point of the compass.

And now, as if emboldened by their increase in numbers, the foremost of the troop began to press forward again. It was evident that a show of courage and resolution would avail nothing in this case, and, as a last resort, I discharged my gun at an immense wolf which seemed to act as leader of the troop.

The ball crashed through his skull, and he instantly rolled upon the snow in the agonies of death. The other wolves set up a terrible howl, and rushed pell-mell upon the carcass of their leader, and tearing it to shreds, devoured it! This act of cannibalism occupied but a few seconds; but, finding that my chance of escape was growing smaller and "smaller and beautifully less" every moment, I had improved this brief space of time to lessen the distance between myself and a large fir tree which stood at the edge of the clearing, and which seemed to offer a "forlorn hope" of safety.

I had not quite reached the foot of this tree, when the wolves, having swallowed the last morsel of their defunct companion, again sprang forward en masse; the taste of blood having made them ten fold more ferocious than before.

My case was desperate, for less than half a dozen leaps would put them in possession of their prey, unless I should meanwhile have reached the friendly protection of the fir tree; but desperation only lent new vigor to my sinews, and, gaining the foot of the tree with a single jump, I grasped my gun firmly by the barrel with my left hand, and bounded into the air, in the hope of scizing the lower branch of the tree with my other hand.

As kind fortune would have it, the effort was successful. I clutched the elastic bough with a vice like grasp, and with an agility of which I should have been incapable under ordinary circumstances, swung myself into the body of the trec, just as the wolves surrounded it, howling and yelling like so many devils, at finding their victim beyond their reach.

Notwithstanding my narrow escape from a horrible death, I could not refrain from laughing heartily at their expression of baffled rage and disappointment; but I soon discovered

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I had not quite reached the foot of this tree, when the wolves, having swallowed the last morsel of their defunct companion, again sprang forward en masse; the taste of blood having made them ten fold more ferocious than before.

My case was desperate, for less than half a dozen leaps would put them in possession of their prey, unless I should meanwhile have reached the friendly protection of the fir tree; but desperation only lent new vigor to my sinews, and, gaining the foot of the tree with a single jump, I grasped my gun firmly by the barrel with my left hand, and bounded into the air, in the hope of seizing the lower branch of the tree with my other hand.

As kind fortune would have it, the effort was successful. I clutched the elastic bough with a vice like grasp, and with an agility of which I should have been incapable under ordinary circumstances, swung myself into the body of the trec, just as the wolves surrounded it, howling and yelling like so many devils, at finding their victim beyond their reach.

Notwithstanding my narrow escape from a horrible death, I could not refrain from laughing heartily at their expression of baffled rage and disappointment; but I soon discovered

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