The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-12-11

quarters this companion, suddenly grown
so sociable.
Finally, M. Lafeur. thinking that he had
drawn the animal far enough away to have
removed all danger, quickly wheeled about,
scraping forcibly upon the treble string.
The bear, evidently annoyed by the alto
gether unexpected lack of harmony, de-
parted with the heavy step of a mystifed
beast.
Some hours later, clouds of crows settled
upon the bleeding bodies Of the wolves,
and the travellers thought it advisable to
move their camp, advancing in the direc-
ton in which Tekel was to come with the
nartas.
The Yakoute woman did not follow them,
but resumed her road bearing with her the
three blue foxes.
Two days afterwards, as night was coming
onto speak the truth, it had been night all
day-a sharp noise and pattering sound on
the hard snow announced from distance
the arrival of Tekel and the sledges, so i'm
patiently awaited.
Soon the two nartas were in sight. The
reindeer were running rapidly.
Yegor's Joy was overwhelming Nadege's
eyes were filed with tears of emotion, and
Ladislas clapped his hands.
''What fine teams!n cried NJ. Laf1eur
But Yermac's forehead suddenly clouded.
The chief of police turned away to hide his
annoyance.
The situation of this Muscovite function
airy was passably strange The former
Judge, incapable of relying upon his own
Judgment, regulated himself only by strict
Justice and the written law, without admit
ting any examination, Interpretation or
modification. Distrustful of mis- rights and
his authority, he remained deaf to that in
terror voice which tells every man what is
Iust or unjust, and limited his intellectual
activity to the strict application OF the law.
In his eyes, men were made to obey the
laws and the laws were not written in the
interest of humanity. Further, he was al
ways ready to sacrifice himself to his duty,
as he had clearly shown.
And yet he was almost forced to lend as
sistance to people who had forfeited their
privileges, who were Drawing the law and
personally defying it. Now, he was about
to be compelled to follow him. How far
and during what time they alone could tell.
Yermac felt himself unable to resist this
humiliation. Better had it been for him,
he thought to have succumbed beneath
their repeated attacks than to become in
their hands an object of pity and derision
But what would he do if patrol of Cos
sacks suddenly appeared? Would he de-
nounce, as his duty strictly ordered him to
do, Yegor and Nadege as escaping convicts
and M. Lafeur as an accomplish in an at
tempted crime? But he owed his life to
these unfortunates What a cruel perpiex-
ity! "A dolorous struggle took place in the
cOnacianoa Of the chief IF n0Iip0
Tekel, as he advanced, hesitated for
moment. He did not recognize the locality.
The forest RACED by the canfagration gave
the face of the country new aspect. The
Yakoute was greatly surprised, on approach
ing the encampment, to find that it had been
established by Yegor and his party, the peo-
pie in whose service he was.
He leaped lightly from the marta he was
driving and displayed his teams for the gen.
eral admiration. His Yakoute comrade was
presented after the reindeer. He was quite
q young man of very pronounced Tartar
type, and answered to the somewhat harsh
name of Chort
The costumes of the two Yakoutes pre-
scented a mixture of the garments of the
Russian peasants and those of the natives
Of the fur countries. They were long Pc
ion, brooches of well-tanned reindeer skin
and torbassas or boots Of thick reindeer
hide These boots are so made that the
foot can enjoy perfect ease in them, the tip
Of the sole is turned up like the runner of
skate. They reach to the knee and are
bordered by wide band of black cloth.
All the seams in the garments of Tekel
and Chort were covered with bands of this
1O%I 3r Ia 1o Iol %1,o& 1DSx N%c,
were fastened about the ankle by strips of
leather
Let us pass to the sledges
Nartas are Siberian sledges. They are
narrow, long, and very light, with accom-
modations for two persons besides the
driver. The latter is but lily seated. He
places himself on one side and is always
ready to leap to the ground at the slightest
accident In the box OF each marta is a re-
ceptacle for food to be used while traversing
uninhabited sections, and also for certain in
dispensable utensils.
Tekel had had the foresight to fill the
boxes of his two nartas with -four, barley,
dried and smoked fish, etc, while an abun.
dant supply of lichens showed that he had
not forgotten the reindeer He had furnish
ed himself with hatchets, numerous knives
duQ d1u ILIp1GLAClIUS Il CAs
cloth covered each of the vehicles and could
at need be used in the erection Of tents.
Each marta was drawn, after the manner
of the natives, by three stout reindeer.
Generally, the Russians prefer to harness
to these vehicles large number of dogs.
They find it easier to feed them with the
flesh Of animals killed on the road and at
need, with fish, than to renew, without go
ing out of their way the MOSES on which
the reindeer live.
AS to the animals, they left much to be
desired. Three out of the six were white.
Two had magnificent horns measuring from
four to five feet The others lacked either
the right horn or the left, except one-it
had been used to ride upon-which had its
horns sawed off near the skull Besides, it
was the season in which the reindeer shed
the hairy skin with which their horns are
provided, and long, bloody strips hung from
the antlers. It will be remembered that
RENDERS head greatly resembles that OF
b1l+ fbn IodVy &c clo and the