Page:Tales of a Voyager to the Arctic Ocean, vol. 3 (1826).djvu/328

 “The boarwolf, however, as if conscious that its existence was to terminate that day, seemed resolved to exercise the strength and perseverance of its pursuer. It took wider and more intricate circuits than it had ever done before, it turned more frequently to bay, and almost appeared to enjoy the eager onsets which the huntsman made to overcome it; but the horse of Wolfgang could only be brought to ride at it by the most strenuous endeavours of its master, exhibiting such evident marks of dismay at its glaring eye-balls, and erected bristles, that he could scarcely keep its head towards it; and when he offered to dismount, for the purpose of attacking it with his sword, the monster took the opportunity of making off at full speed.

“In this manner the chase continued till long past noon, by which time Wolfgang had become so faint, with hunger and exhaustion, that he could scarcely keep his seat; for he had been extremely fatigued the day before, and had not closed his eyes during the night, having been too much engaged with his mistress to think of sleep. Besides, he had scarcely tasted food since the morning of the day before, for he took nothing but wine at the hermitage, and this day he would not stop one moment to assuage his