Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-27
THE EXILES.
A RUSSIAN STORY.

the world away off towards the west a
great -Yal1outsk-where a very
powerful chief resided. His political know
ledge was limited to that vague notion. He
knew further that beyond the sea, to the
east, whisky merchants, trappers and whale
fishermen-the Americans-possesse rich
settlements. AS to laws, he only knew Of
those which had emanated from himself
and his ancestors, and were made for the
benefit Of the tribe over which he ruled
despotically,
After his first attempt, Yermac compre-
hended that he could obtain no assistance
from the kamal1ay. However, as it was i'm
portant to him, as the future might offer
him some more favorable chance, that
Nadege should not remain in the hands Of
this petty savage king, he loudly demand.
cd that she should be restored to her be
trothed.
This demand was made in vain. Then the
chief of police undertook-still with the aic
OF the interpreter-to obtain the young girl
In exchange for certain objects capable OF
tempting the curiosity, vanity or cupidity o.
the native chief
Yegor had Immediately approved of this
plan, and gun two pistols with their mu.
nitions, rouble notes to very large amount
and the charms of Yegor's watch-chain were
successfully offered and refused. The kan.
akay Tchikine obstinately persisted in hi,
design to keep the young white girl, whom
he wished to make the most beautiful orna
ment of his throne.
The situation grew embarrassing. Mad
eye was now shedding tears which were nc
longer tears of Joy. Soon she began to utter
heart-rending cries, and it was a most af
fecting spectacle to see the despair of the
beautiful young girl, threatened with re
naming in the power of the frightful kama
kay, with fiat nose, tawny skin, and greasy
with seal oil.
Take me away!" cried she to Yegor and
M. Laf1eur-''or kill me rather than aban
don mel"
Yegor was thinking of resort to extreme
measures. 1t could be seen from his wild
and menacing eyes that he was ready to dc
anything, rather than leave his betrothed ir
the hands of this savage
Suddenly, M. Lafieur, who feared some
bloody scene, had an inspiration. He TOOK
down the drum of the sorcerers and assum
ing the inspired air of a chaman, began to
beat upon it with all his might.
IA CLAIMANT" said the two wives of the
kamakay, Nuketou and Kokeriabin.
"a CLAIMANT" exclaimed the three warriors
Of the tribe, silent until then.
ga chaman !" shouted the Yakoute, imme
diately comprehending the intention of the
dancing master.
The kamakay, tawny as he was, had grown
pale at the first sounds of the drum of the
sorcerers, beaten by the stranger with UNI
ncnn1 6axta,,itu This dive ,,r;+l &c Of
fairs by being gifted with supernatural
powers troubled him.
When he had made tremendous noise on
the reindeer skin of the drum of the cha
mans, which he used like tambourine.
beating it with his fist, his elbows, his knees
and his forehead to the great establishment
of the natives, M. Lafeur drew from be
meath his fur garments his beloved pocket
violin, which he had never abandoned
even when reduced to the most cruel ex
tremities.
Taking advantage of the establishment OF
the TchOulltchis at the sight of this instru.
ment which seemed to have emerged from
his breast as from violin box, he executed
tremolos of his own composition, rapid, fan
tastic and irresistible
The slut began to howl, and soon its young
OuoS JOlDeu III WIFI tIelI DdrhlnB. Nuh6UOu
sat down on the ground, hiding her infant
and seeming to implore pardon for it and
herself The other wife of the kamakay
initiated her supplicating gestures. These
two Wretched ere lures saw already the on.
ger Of some great spirit-Tornasul or some
other superior being-punishing them on ac-
count of the stranger whom their husband
had wished to give them for companion
and a rival.
''What do they wantl" asked the Partisan
of Tekel, without ceasing to play.
They are asking for mercy" answered
the guide.
Let them address themselves to the kan.
akay."
Tel1el translated these words by an ex-
pressive sign. Then, the women chung tc
Tchil1ine, fully resolved, it seemed, not to
release him until they had obtained his con-
sent to what the white men demanded of
him-the restitution of the girl with faxen
hair.
But the l1amakay was firm. Fearing that
he might weaken, he left the tent taking
with him the three warriors and uttering
menacing words.
CHAPTER XXXIv.-sAFE AT LAST.
This was a commencement of success for
M. Latieur.
He took breath.
Then the fugitives looked around them,
examining with curiosity this horrible place,
repulSive in its filth, where Nadege had
lived for several weeks. Of its ordinary
inhlbitantS there now remained only the
two wives Of the native chief and the two
female slaves, all of whom Were completely
subiugated by the power of the foreign
chaman, who was superior to every other
chaman.
These chamans or sorcerers feared and
respected by the Tchouktchis, are ordinarily
recruited from among feeble-minded young
people, to whom the aged have related SO
many of those mysterious and terrible
things, which form the foundation of popu-
lar belief, that one day their reason entirely
forsakes them. The long hours of solitude,
the excessive cold and the frequent hunger
have also, it is believed, real influence
over certain nervous organizations, which
they derange, and it is in perfect good faith
and without the least idea of trickery that
the new chamans, without other consecra-
ton than their declared lunacy, take pos
session of spiritual, almost sacerdotal, role,
in a country given to idolatry, though traces
of Christianity are encountered there. These
traces are even numerous, but altogether on
the surface.
Of the aforementioned fact the fugitives
promptly had proof The kamakay had
scarcely gone when native entered the tent,
drawn thither by the announcement of the
presence of chaman.
He was an aged man, who was distin-
gulShed from the other natives by sort of
elegance in his attire. He wore SUSPENDED