Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-13
ayes; they are from this village -


the melancholy certainty of passing m
nights in future in the heart of the forest
The demand for passport had shown m
how dangerous it was for me to frequen
the haunts of men. For many night after
ward, therefore, the Ostiak burrow was m.
sole refuge, and became so accustomed T.
it that at close of day entered the forest a
| If it were well known hostlery.
From the 18th or 10Th of February to tn
first week in April iourneyed northward
only thrice venturing to seek shelter in
| house. l suffered much. The absence o
all civilized comforts, and especially of no
food, a privation more difficult to bear thai
any other on such long cold journey
almost brought me TO the grave. Then, too
l had constantly to struggle against that dis
position to sleep which is death in such
case as mine.
1t was at Paouda, high up in the Oura
Mountains, that slept in house for th'
second time after leaving Irbit. was pass
| ing late at night through a village, when {
voice from one of the izbas (huts) called out
| "Who goes there?"
ga traveller"
"Are you going farl"
| 80, very far''
"Well, if you choose, come in and sleep il
our house."
MAY the God reward you." 1 exclaimed
as 1 entered the door. "But shall 1 not be q
| trouble to you!"
"How should you trouble US! We are not
yet in bed. Come in"
Ny two good kind hosts-an old peasant
| and his wife-gave me meager supper,
| which was to me feast. In the morning
breakfasted with them, and for my food and
bed they refused any recompense. As
prepared to leave them, the old man said
ga little beyond Paouda you will find a
corps de garde, who will look at your papers
and give you all the information about your
Journey"
l was, of course, very careful to avoid the
corps de garde, and journeyed on as before
buying my provisions at the izbas during
the day, but sleeping in the forest at night.
1 reached the summit of the Oural Noun
tains on clear, calm night in March. The
moon was at the full, and lit up landscape
at once magnificent and strange, where
gigantic rocks and trees cast their shadows
on a vast expanse of snow. A, silence pro-
found and solemn reigned over all. Every
now and then a hard metallic ring was
audible. 1t was the swapping Of the stones
caused by the intense cold. A few days
afterward passed through Solikamsk, and
went on over the steppe of Petchara toward
Veliki- Oustioug. The journey was always
the same-the same vast snowcovered
plains, the same deep forests, the same icy
winds, and for me always my tollsome
march, my Ostiak burrow, and now and
then less meager repast in an lzbouchka
"a sort of peasant inn).
These izbouchkas were my greatest
temptation. l dared not think Of sleeping in
them But little hot soup! How ardently
longed to stop and buy some, and eat it in
a warm roomi l could not venture to do
this often, and one night when, after losing
my way in whirlwind Of snow, / found my
self without bread, and racked by acute
pain as well as hunger, 1 writhed in my
burrow and prayed for death. When morning
broke found l could not walk. After sew
eral attempts l sank unconscious on the
snow. How long lay there do not know.
I was aroused by a loud voice. A stranger
stood beside me, who inquired what was
doing in the forest.
I answered that had lost my way; that
1 was from Tchordine, and was making a
pilgrimage to the monastery at Solovetsk,
but that was dying of hunger.
SIT is not surprising that you should have
lost your way in such storm" answered
the man. 81 do so often, though 1 am from
this district, and know the forest well. Now
taste that"
So sayin he held bottle to my mouth,
and l drank. 1t contained some excellent
brandy, which revived me at once, but at the
same time burned so terribly that fell on
the snow in convulsions. My good friend
soothed me, and gave me some bread and
dried fish, which devoured eargerly- We
then sat at the foot of tree, and my com
panion explained that he was a trapper, and
was now on his way home with the game
which he had caught. He added that he
would remain with me until / felt calmer
and stronger, and would then conduct me to
the nearest izbouchka.
Il thank you with all my heart. May the
good God reward youp'
"EhI for what thenp' he answered,
kindly "We are Christians"
He afterward supported me to the door of
the izbouchka, where he bade me farewell,
me to God.
An immense relief was mine as crossed
the Threshold of the iZbouchka, but had
scarcely done so when l fell senseless to
the floor. recovered in half an hour and
asked for some warm soup, but l could not
swallow it. fell asleep on a bench at mid
day, and never stirred for twenty-four
hours. when was awakened by my host,
who was anxious. He was an honest man,
and his kindness and sympathy redoubled
when he learned that l was making pious
to the monastery of Solovetsk.
He begged me to stay several days, but
| dared not do so, and on the following
resumed my journey. l reached
the gates of Veliki-Oustioug on the 18th of
April, and there in my role of pilgrim lodged
in humble inn with many others, all bound
for the monastery of Solovetsk.
At Veliki- Oustioug we were all obliged to
remain for a month, in order to await the
Of the Dvina. The month over.
agreed, as did many other pilgrims, to row
in boat going to ArchangeL Each of US
received fifteen rubles. We reached Arch
angel in a fortnight, and most of my COM
panions pressed on to the monastery. l
pretended fatigue, and for several days, l
huanted the quays in the hope of discovering
a French vessel. Alas not one was in port,
and on the deck of every vessel, Russian
and foreign. paced Russian soldier, armed
to the teeth. This precaution is taken in
order to prevent the escape of exiles by way
of Archangel. After week passed In this
manner became aware that was watched,
and decided most reluctantly to abandon
the hope which had hitherto sustained me,
that of escaping from the port OF ArchangeA
l therefore, in order to disarm suspicion,
took the road to Solovetsk. l had not then
decided what to do, but as 1 journeyed on 1
came to the conclusion that the safest plan
would be for me to make the pilgrim jour
ney, as it is called; that is, to go from
Solovetsk to Omega, and thence to the