San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-23

mately, the evening meal with the very linn
tied means as to provisions and utensils at
their disposal, Yermac always did by him
self what he called his cooking.
The cold grew bitter, and the hut was far
from being comfortable when the north
west wind, blowing with violence, drove
back the smoke into the interior.
The Yakoutes' pipes had frozen. Iron
burned on touching it when one forgot to
envelop his hand in glove or piece Of skin.
The excessive cold, which at first acted as
stimulant to the will, speedily produced de-
bility. NJ. Laheur was the initial sufferer.
A sort of intoxication took possession OF
him, his jaws trembled and his movements
became uncertain. Sometimes, in the night
he felt the cold so much that, despite his pc,
lisse and the fire burning in the centre of the
hut he arose repeatedly, went out-of-doors,
and ran around the cabin to give some phi
ancy to his benumbed limbs.
The night of thirty-six days had com.
menced on the 22nd of November. Yermac
thought seriously Of taking advantage Of the
darkness to escape; but he could only at
tempt to gain Mini Kolimsk with the aid OF
one Of the guides.
Tekel seemed to him to be too thoroughly
devoted to his masters to be influenced, but
Chort offered more encouragement. The
chief Of police frightened him by telling him
what kind of people he was serving and tc
what he was exposing himself, should they
be arrested in their attempt to escape. Fin
| ally, he proposed that he should flee with
him in the marta, the dogs Of which were &C.
customed to obey him, promising him hand
| he aS fhpV reached
the settlements Of the Kolima.
The Yakoute asked time for reflection
| He was, doubtless, on the point Of yielding
to the pressing applications of the chief Of
police, when Yegor, without suspecting
Yermac's plans, totally overthrow him,
| Yegor had quickly comprehended that
| they could not feed thirty-four dogs until
the close of the winter. Many things, also,
| We're wanted to assure the success of his
bold project. He decided, in accord with M.
Lafleur, to send the two Yakoutes in their
nartas to Elope-Balo or some Of the villages
on the banks of the Omolon-Niini-Kolim
would be too dangerous-there to purchase
reindeer skins in sufficient quantity to make
an ourouse, or travelling tent, to be used on
the resumption of the journey, pieces OF
birch wood and skins for the construction OF
baydare, a very light, fiat boat made OF
wood and leather, for crossing streams, and
| whale ribs TO strengthen the runners of the
sledges when the ice was rough and also in
those places where the snow was impreg
mated with salt. Finally, the guides were
to collect considerable supply of frozer
reindeer ribs and dried fish for the dogs
Yegor gave Tekel some gold pieces and rou
l wit
the natives, although their money, for the
most part, is either tobacco or brandy.
The two Yakoutes were to depart in forty
eight hours, and Yermac had but very fain
hope of deciding Chort to disappear before
the moment when he was to follow his com
rade TekeL
CHAPTER xxIv.-LADIsLAs' RETURN AND DI
MITRI's DEATH.
The next night the dogs barked so loudl,
the Yakoutes persuaded the fugitives tina
Tchouktchis must be in the vicinity. Yego
and M. Laf1eur watched with loaded weap
ons within reach. At last, Yegor grew i'm
patient and went into the open air.
Affair off he heard strange noise. What
could this noise mean2
the sky, like milky way which had over
flowed its limits. Surrounding objects tool
shape and became visible, as if in splendid
moonlight. The ice-felds sparkled in the
distance like fused silver.
Soon, however, blaze of fire broke forth
at the horizon, constantly increasing anG
shooting out sheaves of flame, fuses and
long fiery swords which seemed to pierce
the sky and make it run with blood. Drops
of red light fell like drops of gore; and as
nothing is more shifting, more changeable
than the phenomenon of the aurora borealis
green tints speedily succeeded the red hues
| One might have thought that an immense
Bengal light was Illuminating the horizon.
Then it was like rainbow which had form
ed itself in the middle of the night, a rain
bow resembling marvellous mosaic of Jew
els, diamonds, rubies, amethysts. sapphireS,
and topaz stones.
BY the brightness of these shifting and
capricious displays of light which filed the
| sky Yegor perceived a sledge drawn by
several pairs of reindeer which was making
its way over the sea, quite level at that
| point, in the direction of the hut keeping at
| distance of about hundred yards from
| the coast. He Immediately thought that
they were pursued, and called the Partisan
to impart to him his fears. The latter, after
having put on his forehead, nose and ears
| all the pieces of fur he could gather, finally
| quilted the hut.
He thought on seeing the flaming sky,
that his friend had summoned him without
to enjoy this spectacle yet new to both OF
them, and uttered an exclamation.
"Hushl" said Yegor. land glance at those
/ naonle yvho ara advancing towards us in a