San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-24


that, my dear Yegor. Pardon my little dis.
play Of impatience-for one does not see his
noze frozen without some very natural emo
ton"
NIGHT.
When Yermac had eaten enough of his
deer-he had offered some of the choicest
pieces to Yegor and his companions, but
had received a refusal similar to that he had
made them-he utilized the remainder for
his traps. Thanks to this bait of alluring
odor, he succeeded in capturing three fine
gluttons, the flesh of which he carried away
The precious fur of these animals was
carefully put aside. Yermac, with his pro-
iect Of flight, wished to create for himself
resources for his journey; besides, the fur
Of the glutton commands very high price
| among the natives Of the north of Siberia.
The Yakoutes did not return quickly with
their nartas loaded with food, and the fugi-
| tives began to lack provisions. In their
turn, they felt the rough attacks Of hunger
Then, touching cOmbats Of generosity arose
among them. M. Lafleur pretended that
the cold produced in him an effect contrary
to that which it usually produces and ap-
peased his hunger. He insisted that Mad
ege and Yegor should take the largest
| shares. Ladislas devised means to make
his adopted sister believe he had eaten too
much and, with genuine self-denial, obliged
her to eat the food of which he deprived
himself
Yermac much surprised to see the fugi-
tives so soon reduced to the extremities
from which he had just been relieved, stud
led with curiosity the suffering expression
of their countenances. The more they weak
| ened-while he was regaining strength and
courage-the more things became equal be-
tween him and them. His satisfaction would
have been perfect, If he had not shared the
| fears of his companions in regard to the two
| guides.
The fugitives sought to explain the delay
Of the Yakoutes, and economical their food
Yermac was disturbed by the prolonged alb
sence of Chort. He regretted having said
| too much to Tekels comrade concerning the
people he served.
Perhaps, afraid of compromising them
selves, the guides would not return. In that
case, Yermac regarded his fight as impos-
sible But would not the continuation OF
the fugitives' journey also be rendered i'm
possible! What could they do without theiI
sledges without their dogs, and without
provisions upon the deserted shores of the
Arctic Oceanl They would be forced te
avow themselves vanQuished incapable OF
pushing their attempt to the end, and would
be but too happy to be able to return to Yak.
outsk under the protection of the chief OF
police.
The fugitives We're soon reduced TO dis.
putting their rations with Wab and the two
Siberian dogs which Yegor had kept. These
animals, deprived of nourishment, uttered
lugubrious complaints. The Siberian dogs
are accustomed to howl four times a day,
but Segors dogs now howled all day and
all night.
The situation of the exiles grew painful
In the extreme; and,' added to this, the
biting cold occasioned them all sorts of suf.
fering
One morning little Ladislas complained
that his feet were excessively cold. M
Laf1eur took Off his shoes and uttered cry
on seeing that the child's stockings, frozen
to his feet, adhered to them. 1t was neces
sary to use caution in disembarrassing him
of the icy coverings. Happily, the feet,
although stiff, were yet unframed. M
Lafieur re-established the circulation OF
the blood by rubbing them vigorously With
brandy.
The difficulties Of life were also augment
ed by reason of the cold. They were forced
to cut the meat with hatchets. II they
touched an iron utensl, without taking the
precaution to cover the hand, the contact OF
the iron with the skin produced the effect OF
a burn. If Yegor, on consulting his little
compass, neglected to hold his breath, the
glass Immediately vanished beneath coat.
ing of ice. Out-of-doors, their eyelids were
covered with an icy crust Yegor's watch
would no longer go, although he took great
care to carry 1t always upon him and to put
it at night under his coverings.
Although the fugitives were clad in fan.
mel undershirts, drawers and stockings OF
wool, flannel shirts, knit jackets, coats OF
heavy felt-cloth, and seal-skin pantaloons-
indispensable objects that Yegor had had |
the foresight to purchase at the bazar Of
Yakoutsk-and although they slept with |
their clothes on and covered with furs, fire. |
quently the cold, hungers auxiliary, pre- |
vented them from sleeping.
When NJ. Lafleur exposed himself to the /
air, he put on cloth coat, with veil at
tached and covered his head with a wool
len cloth resembling huge dishevelled
wig But his laughable attire had not the
power to bring even a smile to the faces OF
his friends.
The unfortunates We're overcome with |
sorrow. They had escaped from the cap
tivity of men only to fall into that Of the
elements.