I had a bulldog, and his name was Bulka. He was perfectly black, except for the paws of his fore legs, which were white. All bulldogs have the lower jaw longer than the upper, and the upper teeth set into the lower ; but in the case of Bulka the lower jaw was
pushed so far forward that the finger could be inserted
between the upper and lower teeth.
Bulka had a broad face and big, black, brilliant eyes.
And his teeth and white tusks were always uncovered.
He was like a negro.
Bulka had a gentle disposition and he would not bite ;
but he was very powerful and tenacious. Whenever he
took hold of anything, he set his teeth together and hung
on like a rag, and it was impossible to make him let go ;
he was like a pair of pince... (From: Wikisource.org.)
One time in the Caucasus we went boar hunting, and
Bulka ran to go with me. As soon as the boar-hounds
got to work, Bulka dashed off in the direction of their
music and disappeared in the woods.
This was in the month of November ; at that time the
wild boars and pigs are usually very fat. In the forests
of the Caucasus, frequented by wild boars, grow all man-
ner of fruits, wild grapes, cones, apples, pears, black-
berries, acorns, and rose-apples. And when all these
fruits get ripe, and the frost loosens them, the wild
swine feed on them and fatten.
At this time of the year the wild boar becomes so fat
that he cannot run far when pursued by the dogs. When
they have chased him for two hours, he strikes into a
thi... (From: Wikisource.org.)
In the Caucasus woodcock are called fazamii, or
pheasants. They are so abundant that they are cheaper
than domestic fowl. Pheasants are hunted with the
kobuilka} with the podsada, or by means of the dog.
This is the method of hunting with the kobuilka[1] You
take canvas and stretch it over a frame ; in the middle
of the frame you put a joist, and make a hole in the
canvas. This canvas-covered frame is called a kobuilka.
With this kobuilka and a gun you go out into the forest
just after sunrise. You carry the kobuilka in front of
you, and through the hole you keep a lookout for pheasants. The pheasants in the early morning go out in
search of food. Sometimes you come across a whole
family ; sometimes the hen with the ... (From: Wikisource.org.)
I got a setter for pheasants. This dog's name was
Milton. He was tall, thin, gray, with spots, and with
long lips and ears, and very strong and intelligent.
He and Bulka never quarreled. Never did dog dare
to pick a quarrel with Bulka. All he had to do was
once to show his teeth, and other dogs would put their
tails between their legs and flee.
One time I was going with Milton out after pheasants.
Suddenly Bulka came bounding along to overtake me,
after I had reached the woods. I tried to drive him
back, but in vain. And it was a long way to go home
for the sake of getting rid of him.
I came to the conclusion that he would not interfere,
and went on my way ; but as soon as Milton scented a
pheasant in the gra... (From: Wikisource.org.)
One time I went out hunting with Milton. Just as we
reached the forest he began to get a scent. He stretched
out his tail, pricked up his ears, and began to sniff.
I got my musket ready and started after him. I sup-
posed that he was on the track of a partridge, or a pheas-
ant, or a hare. But Milton did not turn off into the woods,
but into a field. I followed him and looked ahead.
Suddenly I caught sight of what he was after. In
front of him a little turtle was making its way it was
of the size of a hat. Its bald, dark gray head and long
neck were thrust out like a pistil. The turtle was mov-
ing along by the aid of its bare feet, and its back was
wholly covered by its shell.
As soon as it saw the dog, it drew in... (From: Wikisource.org.)
At the time when I was about to leave the Caucasus,
war was still in progress, and it was hazardous traveling
by night without an escort.
I was anxious to start as early as possible in the
morning, and therefore I did not go to bed at all.
A friend of mine came to keep me company, and we
spent the whole evening and night sitting in front of
my khata, or hut, on the street of the stanitsa, or Cossack
outpost.
It was a misty, moonlight night, and so light that one
could see to read, though the moon itself was invisible.
At midnight we suddenly heard a little pig squealing
in a yard on the other side of the street. One of us
cried :
"There 's a wolf throttling a young pig."
I ran into my khata, seized my loaded mu... (From: Wikisource.org.)
From the stanitsa, I did not return directly to Russia,
but stopped at Pyetigorsk, and there I spent two months.
I gave Milton to the old Cossack hunter, but Bulka I
took with me to Pyetigorsk.
Pyetigorsk, or Five Mountain, is so called because it is
built on Mount Besh-Tau. Besh in the Tartar language
means five ; and Tau, mountain.
From this mountain flows a sulfur hot spring. The
water boils like a kettle, and over the spot where the
waters spring from the mountain steam always rises, just
as it does from a samovar.
The whole region where the city is built is very charm-
ing. The hot springs flow down from the mountains ;
at their feet flows the little river Podkumok. The hill-
sides are clothed with forests ;... (From: Wikisource.org.)
Bulka and Milton met their death about the same
time. The old Cossack did not understand how to treat
Milton. Instead of taking him with him only when he
went after birds, he tried to make a boar-hunter of
him.
That same autumn a sekatch l boar gored him. No
one knew how to sew up the wound, and Milton died.
Bulka also did not live long after his rescue from the
convicts. Soon after his rescue from the convicts, he
began to mope and to lick everything that came in his
way. He would lick my hand, but not as in former
days when he meant to caress me. He licked long, and
energetically thrust out his tongue, and then he began
to seize things with his teeth.
Evidently he felt the impulse to bite the hand, but
tried ... (From: Wikisource.org.)
