San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-29

waters r1Valled the blue OF the SKY ana the
waves rolled their great arches from the
Asiatic to the American shore-Behring's |
Strait was open.
In proportion as the sky and he sea
lighted up, Yermac became more gloomy. |
He felt that the decisive hour when he
would lose his prey was approaching, for
there were moments when he imagined that
he was following the fugitives; he compre-
hended that, pitiless as he wished to be, he
would have to display audscity and energy,
and he was panied, in spite of all, for, amid
sufferings borne in common, he had at last
become attached to these u~nfortunates,
who, strong in their innocence, were seek
ing to escape from degradation and infamy.
The fugitives were awaiting a liberating
ship; Yermac was also awaiting this ship,
but with the design of arrcstiug them in
their fight. Inexorable justice, which he
personifed so completely, ordained it and
he would not shrink from the task imposed
upon him, no matter how cruel it might be.
The fugitives had established themselves
at the extremity of a ravine, where, against
a rock of red granite several hundred feet in
height, they had hastily erected a hut in
which to hide rather than live. Every mo-
ment not devoted to hunting in the sur
rounding larch forests, or to fishing on the
banks of a brook which ran along the hollow
Of the ~ravine, they passed upon the promon-
tories, occupied in watching the sea. Yer
mac did not fix his eyes on the agitated sur
faces Of the waves with less avidity than
his companions.
But June approached and no whalers!
June passed! July came, and still no whal-
ers!
Yegor, in despair, began to form projects
more impracticable one than another-to
ascend the Anadyr, cross the mountains
which occupy the region and descend to-
| wards the Sea of Okhotsk at the Gulf Of
| Penjinsk; to go to the Aleutian Islands, or,
better, to Kamtchatka, and from there. fol-
lowing the example of the exile Beniowsk,
sail for Canton to go in a boat-the skin
baydare-to the Spice Islands to pass from
there to Russian America, as the Tchoukt-
| CHS intrepidly do; or, again, to wait for the
| return of the cold and cross in a sledge, still
following the example of the Tchouktchis
who trade in furs, the fifty-four miles which
separate Asia from America, East Cape from
Prince of Wales.
Nadege and Ladislas thought all these
means of safety, brought forth by a troubled
mind, of but slight value. They would
change the difficulties, that was all.
Then commenced long and painful hours
of discouraging waiting.
Although the clear mornings were cold on
the borders of the sea, Yegor quilted the
camp before day to take a position upon a
lofty rock. The sun had not yet risen, but
the single white star of the east sparkled
with less and less brilliancy in the orange
yellow of the dawn, and the snowy noun
tains of the coast gradually assumed firmer
outlines.
When the sun displayed, between the dis
tant peaks, a little segment Of its golden
disk, it caused to sparkle with a thousand
lustres the frost crystals suspended from
the birches of the coast and the dwarf trees
If the shore by the mists of the night. But
TO these beauties Of nature Yegor had be-
come insenSible,
One morning, he had taken his betrothed
with him. They were seated side by side,
filled with sad thoughts. Suddenly, raising
Ter head and looking in the direction where
The steppe stretched towards the south,
bounded only by mountains with dim out
ines, Nadege cried;
The mirage!h
Yeg0r, gazing in the same direction, saw
&c full realization Of the opium smokers
fantastic dreams. The old chaman of the
pole had touched the distant mountains
with his wand, and from a blue lake lost in
the distance had arisen the walls and domes
Of a marvellous city, an immense town OF the
lands of the sun. On the borders of the
lake, masses Of dark green foliage, bathed
by the water, were reflected upon its mirror
like surface, while a little further to the
rear the white cupolas were encircled with
gold by the first rays of the rising sun.
Never was the illusion of summer amid
the SHOWS of winter, of life in death, more
complete.
Instinctively, Yegor turned and looked
around him to assure himself that he was
not dreaming. The establishment Of Nadege
and himself was extreme.
But when they again looked towards the
south, the splendid blue lake and the i'm
posing ines of the mirage COMPOUNDED their
reason anew by their supernatural beauty,
and the tall minarets of the mosques, the
lofty overs of the palaces, seemed, by com
ing out in holder relief, to protest against
the supposition Of a dream.
Nevertheless, little by little, the magic
apparition faded, then shone forth anew
and, finally, vanished in a confused mass
from its ruins emerged two immense col
ums Of pink marble, which gradually united
their curiously sculptured capitals, thus
forming a gigantic portico-a vast gate OF
heaven, from which one might almost ex-
pect to see defle the brilliant cortege Of the
radiant inhabitants of a marvellous world.
i This norticn in itS turn sinking nnnn il