Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-06
THE EXILES.
A RUSSIAN STORY.

spaces threw with unheard-of force enor-
nous blocks upon the plains Of ice which
they broke into fragments. Plates of ice
rose to the SUBMITS of the waves dashed
against each other with crash and disap-
peared covered with foam. The waves
rushed upon the blocks and buried them;
but, the next instant the same blocks, ris-
ing again to the surface, scattered the
water around them, and, hurting them
selves upon the nearest masses struggled
until they got them under A resonant and
continual cracking Of the breaking ice min
gled with the noise of the waves uplifted by
the wind.
The explorers of the polar seas affirm that
no word can describe the nature of this
noise. 1t is at first under the convulsed
and trembling ice, like the Kissing of a thou
sand arrows an Internal din in which the
sharpest voices yelp mingled with the deep
est, and the roaring becomes more and more
savage. The ice breaks in concentric
cracks; its broken fragments roll one upon
another Then begins a ferocious, titanic
strife, headlong combat which recalls the
battle of the elements in the first ages Of the
world These masses march, meet, strike
each other and dash against each other,
changed by a hidden power and seeming to
obey passions.
Above these convulsive scenes, the re-
election of the ice gives the sky strange
aspect and Eliminates it with supernatu-
raj light.
Wab, still with Nadege, began to howl
without respite.
Ladislas strove to calm his sisters fears.
He told her-which was true-that YegCt
and NJ, Lafieur were hunting among the
chains of icebergs situated in the west, and
that the free waters could not reach there to
execute their sudden ravages.
But the terrified Nadege advanced cour-
ageously over the sea, in the direction in
which she 10 rht hope to meet Yegor, whom
she regrott aving allowed to venture so
far The young girl thought that in the
dim light the hunters would guide them
selves by the barking of Wab; she counted
upon the intelligence Of Yegor's dogs, and
followed the faithful animal which, in all
probability, would go in the direction where
the hunters were.
Suddenly, it seemed to her-and to Lad
8slas also-that the solid plain over which
they were advancing was in motion beneath
their feet. They were not deceived. Soon
she oscillations were more marked. Be-
meath their stops, the ice cracked and split
Several black clefts furrowei the snow at
random-they were crevices in process of
formation.
Nadege wished to go back but behind
them now canal had opened, encountered
with moving ice. At this sight, the young
girl began to utter despairing cries. The
lad tried in vain to quiet her. Wab barked
louder than ever. The vast cake of ice upon
which they were, foated. Suddenly. a
wave lifted it, dragged it away, and precip-
itated it with irresistible force upon the
frozen surface
The shock was terribei A prolonged
cracking resounded beneath their feet, and
they felt that the wave, in withdrawing, had
borne away enormous fragments of the
broken block.
Nevertheless, they arose unhurt. Guided
by the instinct of Wab, they began to run
in the direction opposite to the tempest,
over field of ice several feet thick which
seemed likely to remain mOtionless and re-
sist all the efforts made by the waves to
separate it; but there, the ice blocks,
strongly pressed one against another and
bristling with jagged points, opposed thou
sand obstacles to the retreat of the two poor
creatures.
Soon Ladislas, utterly exhausted, was in
capable of advancing further. Nadege took
him in her arms, lifted him up, and, though
an instant before almost ready to swoon,
found sufficient strength to bear the child
far from the perilous spot
Looking about for help Nadege perceived
Yermac, who had been drawn from the hut
by the din of the tempest and the barking
of Wab
The chief of police came towards them.
He was speedily stopped by a crevice which
had Ot lint tho brink
of which she soon arrived. The young girl
gave vent to a heart-rending cry on seeing
She insurmountable gap which had opened
before them. It was a deep and very long
iissuro, full of water ana bounded on the
right by a perpendicular iceberg. 1t APP
Deared to be seven or eight feet wide.
Nadege and Ladislas seemed to have no
other resource than to wait upon the spot
until the wind should cease and new ice
form and become strong enough to bear
them, which would take place in a few
hours But the garments of both, wet
with suit water, had frozen upon them.
Immobility and waiting, therefore, meant
death!
Yermac had found a more prompt means
of aiding them. Pieces of ice of different
sizes lay upon the edge of the crevice; he
thought he could make bridge of them,
ana Immediately fell to work. At the
first block he removed, Nadege comprehend
ed his generous intention and felt all he1
hope revive.
Some pieces of ice scattered about in the
crevicc following the motion of the water,
others fastened themselves to the opposite
side of the creyice, and soon the bridge was
firm enough for Ladislas first and then
Nadege to cross it. The child had no sooner
let go his sisters hand than Yermac seized
him and drew him over. After this trial,
Nadoge trayersed the bridge of ice without
assistance AS to Wab the animal had fol-
lowed Eadislas and then returned to Nadege
as if to invite her to fear nothing.
Ladislus embraced the chief of police.
Nadega knew not how to express her deer
gratitude to him for his intervention in the
amidst Of their great danger.
At this moment, Yegor and M. Laleur
preceded by the two dogs, made their ap
pearance, arriving, not without some trou
BILE from the west.
They also had suffered, the wind render
ing their progress very t0ilSome by iftins
the snow and hurting it in their eyes. Thi.
snow thus agitated disarranged their route
by forming, as do the shifting sands, ra-
vines, little valleys, and hillocls which they
were forced to so around, sinking the knees
In fine dust.
The surprise Of the hunters was extreme
on seeing Nadege and Ladislas upon theice,
their garments covered with an lev coat and