Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-01-17

Il "
gallop. The road was as smooth as a polished
floor, the cold singing; in half an hour W.
were at Tara. The peasant left me in the
street and drove off. ! approached the win
dow Of the inn, and shouted in loud voice
after the Russian fashion.
Are there horsesln
''Where to goin responded sleepy voice
from the interior
ITO the fair at Irbit."
s'There are horses.n
"a pairf'
"Yes, a pair"
'How much the verstl"
Slight kopeks."
VI Can not give so much; six kopeksp
1900 little-but-you can have them"
In few minutes the horses were ready
and harnessed to the sledge.
'Where do you come from" said the
landlord, as TOOK my place in the sledge.
From Tomsk; am the clerk of Messrs
N. My master has gone on to the fair,
and am very late; he will be angry; and ii
you will reach there in time, will give you
pourboire."
'The peasant whistlcd to his horses, and
they SET off at full speed. Suddenly the
sky clouded over, the snow began to fall
the wind rose; we were in whirlwind OF
light, fine snow. My peasant lost his way,
and then lost heart, and confessed that he
had done so. l will not attempt to describe
the terrible agony Of that night passed in a
sledge, not twelve miles from Ekaterinin-
ski-Zovod, in the midst of tempest OF
snow.
At last day began to break.
"Let us return to Tara" l said; II will
engage some one who knows the road, and
you shall be given up to the police for hav
ing made me lose so much time"
But with daylight my conductor recovered
himself and found the road. From that
moment he made every effort to make W
for the time already lost, and drove with
lightning speed. But / was not satisfied
What fugitive ever is SOL A horrible
thought haunted me. / remembered the
fate of our poor Colonel Wysocki, who, after
having been delayed for night in the fores
by his guide, was delivered in the morning
to the gendarmes. Was to be so treated
and l grasped my poniard. Vain fears
Unjust suspicious! My peasant drove me
to an inn, where 1 drank some tea ant
changed horses. In this way drove on al
through that day and far into the night
where, at my last halting place, the village
Of Sodatskaia, was, while drinking tea il
a crowded cabaret, robbed of forty rubles il
paper (about eighty francs) and of the en-
velope in which they were contained, which
alas also contained a list of the village.
through which had to pass on my journey
to Archangel, and also my passport.
One thing sustained me in the face of thi.
terrible loss, and that was the utter i'm
possibility of doing any thing but go on.
continued my journey, therefore and on thu
third day of my flight found myself at thu
gates of Irbit, and thousand kilometre,
from observation-disclosures "Halt ant
show your passportp' exclaimed the guart
at the city gate. Fortunately for me, h,
added in a whisper: Give me ten kopeks
and be off with YOU"
hastened to comply with his demand
and soon after found myself in a crowded
inn OF the poorest class and among a swarm
of peasants from all parts of Siberia. l an
nounced that had left my passport will
the authorities, and the next morning aftel
breakfast slipped out, avowedly to get i
and show it to the landlord, but really fol
the purpose of leaving Irbit, which did a
once, and unchallenged, by the northern
gate. During the night, while apparently
asleep l had reviewed my resources, an(
had come to the conclusion that ! could nj
longer proceed in sledges nor sleep in ever
the poorest inns, but must husband to thu
walked therefore ait through the day, frun
time to time munching the frozen bread ant
dried fish which l carried in my bag, anC
quenching my thirst at the holes cut by thu
peasants in the ice for the purpose of water
ing their cattle. When night began tt
draw In, / resolved TO prepare an Ostial
burrow to sleep in.
Where the snow is deep and dry it is mo-
by any means impossible to sleep warmly il
the very heart OF forest provided Away,
that one knows how to prepare an Ostial
burrow. This is done by following a sor
of horizontal cave in the snow. Into thi.
the Ostiaks creep, and after piling up tn,
snow at the entrance of the burrow, so as Il
exclude the cold air, they lie down and SLEEP
in perfect security and warmth. succeeded
perfectly in preparing my Ostiak bed, but
wasimprudent enough to cover myself with
the furred side of my peisse turned inward
and slept so warmly in consequence that tn,
snow melted at the door Of my burrow anC
let In the cold air, so that woke at day
break with my feet almost frozen, and hat
to rise and begin my journey at once. 1t wa
a terrible day. The work of toiling through
the snow was hard enough, but toward nool
rose the terrible icy wind OF Siberia, whicl
drove in my face with binding force, an,
whirled masses Of dry light snow before it
Still. toiled on. The short day was closin,
in when had to confess TO myself that
must rest or die. Fortunately was near
small solitary hut, and | knocked at tn
door. 1t was at once opened by younl
woman. who motioned me to enter ] salute,
her and her mother in the Russian fashion
and in reply to the usual inquiry where
was going, and "where the good God wa
leading me- answered that was a work
man from the government Of Tobolsk, an,
was going northward to the iron founderie,
of Bohotsk. The woman gave me hot sup
per, and had the infinite relief Of being abl
to take of and dry my clothes. l thel
stretched myself on a bench and fell asleep
with an indescribable sensation of relic
and contentment I thought that l had neg
lected no precaution, nevertheless the wo
men began to suspect me. had four shirt
too great luxury for Siberian. l wa
sinking into deep sleep when l was awak
ened BY a rude grasp on my shoulder, an,
saw myself surrounded by four peasants
who demanded nv nassport
And what right have you to demand IN.
passportr'I exclaimed in feigned anger
lis one Of you government oficerl'
~ycne Of Us. Il Is true, but we are a
homen
rs that irus," ! asked, turning to ~ oil
pssssnt woman,