Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-03-22
NO.. 70.
Gales ana Sketehes.
THE Snow FLOOD.

spilled all along the Chinese frontier, from
Kari Sou to Dostvernik. We are safe
enough, of course, here in Kiacha, behind
our strong stockades and brass cannon.
But there is scarcely post TO the east
ward that can be called secure, now the
Mongols are over the border"
"Surely, however," said /, looking ND
from the desk and the invoice in which /
was duly recording packages OF brick tea
coarse silk, the white sonorous brass pc
culiar to China, and other imports from
the Flowery Land, 1.-THE Mongols will con-
tent themselves with sweeping off some
ilocks and herds, and not venture on at
tackng the settlements. The Russian
military power"
'lt's far cry, as they say in my coun-
try, to st. Petersburg, or even to the Vol
ga" grimly rejoined the first speaker,
whose name was Gillillan "These Tar
tar thieves know well enough that, short
of lrkutsk, there are but some weak de-
tachments to bar their way. Even the
sotnia of Cossacks has been Withdrawn,
and, for the moment, the whole of East
ern Siberia lies at the mercy of the Mon
gols.'
This was serious news to me, for, al
though my colleague from the Land of
Cakes was quite correct In his assertion
that we were safe at Kiachta, fortified
position too strong to be attempted by the
barbarian foe, there was one whose life |
held dearer than my own, and who,
should the tidings of Mongol inroad be
confirmed, might be exposed to some
peril.
/, Frank Richards, had been, during
two out of the three years which had
passed in this out-of-the-way corner of the
Russian dominions, clerk in the firm Of
Merton & Paulovitch, the managing part
ner of which resided at Irkutsk, and was,
as his name implies, like myself, an Eng
lishman. Mr.. Merton, however, was one
OF those Anglo Russians of whom many
are to be found in the higher mercantile
society of st. Petersburg, and who have
taken root as it were. In the country in
which tho greater part of their lives had
been spent. lie was man of consider
able property. and as a member of the
Fur Trading Guild was possessed of GER
tain valued privileges which almost
amounted to monopoly.
1t was with anger and annoyance that
the rich merchant learned that his clerk
was in love with his only daughter, Ellen,
and that the sentiment was reciprocal.
Mr.. Merton, as was very natural, had 9TH
er views for his daughters establishment
in life. He was always looking forward
to the day when, leaving the active con-
duct OF the business in younger hands, he
would withdraw to the capital, where Miss
Merton, as a well-dowered heiress, might
very probably marry Count or possibly
| Prince. 1t was pitifui antithesis to such
exalted visions that she should bestow her
| hand on mere subordinate in the house
of Merton d Paulovitch.
A"I like you Richards" the merchant
had said to me not unkindly land if you
and Ellen, too, will but be reasonable and
promise to forget this tolly--- All well,
then, there is no help for it, see."
And thereupon we parted. ! was q
good linguist, and well trained to the rou-
tine of business in that remote region, 40
that it was easy enough for me to obtain
employment in a merchantive house in
kiachta, at a higher rate of salary than
that which had hitherto drawn. doubt
| however. if | should have cared to con-
tinue any longer in my self-imposed exile
from the civilization of Europe had it not
| been that | could not muster the resou-
| tion to tear myself away from the country
of which Ellen Merton was still an inhab-
| liant. Even this poor consolation was,
| it seemed, soon to be taken from me, for
| the gossips of the colony were unanimous
| that the ensuing winter was the last that
would see the Mertons resident in Siberia
| And then preceded by certain threat
ening rumors, to which scanty credence
had been attached, there had occurred the
Mongol incursion, prompted, as there was
reason to suspect, by the Chinese author.
| tiles, of whose sentiments toward the ri
val empire, pressing yearly closer to their
extensive frontier. few doubts could be
entertained by even the most optimisti-
cally disposed of the motley European
community-Russian, German, Polish and
British-whose task it was to develop the
great natural resources of this long neg
lected corner of the earth. We were
well aware that in reply to the diplomat
ic remonstrances, the Mandarins at the
helm of the State would disclaim all re-
sponsibility for the acts of tribe of tur-
bulent marauders, while at the same time
they would chuckle slyly at the injuries
thus vicariously inflicted on the detested
Fan Qu.
On the fourth day after the outbreak of
hostilities, there arrived in kiachta a
group of Englishmen, engineers and Cor
nish miners, from valuable mine on the
further bank of the Amour. the whole
plant OF which had been wantonly des-
troyed by the Mongol raiders. They re-
ported the station OF Cherinsk, with all its
factories and dwellings, to be in flames,
while the European residents, with such of
their property as they could contrive to
save, were slowly retreating, under the
protection Of military escort. toward Ir-
kutsk.
Toward lrkutsk p exclaimed, incred.
ulously; ''you mean, surely, tow ard Kia-
chta. II wonld be running into the lions 5
mouth to attempt the long march over
the open plains that lie between the north
ern end of Lake Bakal and the mountains
at the head waters of the Amour. No one
in his senses would give snch an adyan-
tage to the heet-footed enemy"
But my informant was positive as To
the route which the caravan of refugees
from Cherinsk had adopted. A Cornish
miner, dispatched thither to purchase pow
eer for blasting purposes, Immediately be-
fore the inroad, had rejoined his comrades
with the news. 1t appeared that the de-