Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-13
CHAPTER XNNL-THE PT-RSIIT

CHAPTER XXXI.-THE PURSUIT.
After a night passed without sleep-the
three men had remained seated about the
lire II s;lG2'C-EegOr and NJ. Lafleur ran tq
the tracks of the narta-they were still per-
fectly visible. Yegor's dog bariIed IL the
direction taken by the sledge and then began
to run that they might follow it; the animal
returned and again went through the same
manGuvre.
Thanks to Wab," said M. Laf1eur, ''we
will find them!"
Il hope So" cried Yegor; ''but shall we
abandon the hut, go forward, taking Yer
mae with us, and pursue our journey to-
wards the Gulf of Anadyr when we have
recovered Nadege and Ladislas?"
''And what of the expected nartas in that
case?" said M. Lafeur. what would be-
come of our guides? Besides, can we I'M
dertake such a journey on foot? No; be-
lieve me. Let US leave the hut in charge
of the chief of police ard set out with as
little baggage as possible. We will return
here"
They returned to the hut and hastily made
their preparations, deciding to take but a
small quantity Of food with them. But
they did not forget their weapons-Yegor
: his gun and pistols and the Partisan the
hatcheG found on board the whaler, which he
took to replace his gun broken over the skull
of the white bear.
AT the moment of departure, Yegor told
Yermac that he could dispose of the food
contained in the hut
''You insist uselessly, Monsieur .,2~0e-
noff," said the chief of police. II '~CUid
rather die of hunger than to to-. = it.
But will you not satisfy my curiosity by
telling me where you procured those pro
| visions?"
Il will tell you" said Yegor, land the
| information will, perhaps, remove your re-
pugnance."
He then told him of the discovery Of the
whaling vessel.
But, said the chief of police, ''the con-
tents of the ship must be saved. What is
its name?"
II do not know"
''That is, however, what must be known
first of all. l will discover it. I will make
a note of the place from whence the ship
sailed; the owners shall be informed of
what has happened and shall, in a certain
measure, be Unidentified by our government,
provided the supplies, appendages, utensils.
arms, hull and mastS can be sold at Mini
Kolimsk or the fair of Ostrovoye-but that
is impossible; we can only make use Of the
abandoned food, and that in a very small
quantity according to our needs"
You consent then to utilize the resources
furnished us by the whaler?"
Certainly. This time it is for the ac-
! count of the government of the Car, which
will pay for what is used"
Arrange that to suit yourself, Monsieur
Yermac," said Yegor; 1.-The most important
point is that you may not suffer and waste
away, and that can leave you here a few
days feeling certain that on my return shall
find you alive"
4ermac might have shown himself sensi-
BILE of the interest YegOr took in him, had he
been man to indulge in amiable words
As it was, he was for moment e1nbaTass-
ed and, to relieve himself turned his back
to Yegor.
Satisfied in regard to the chief of police,
Yegor started on his journey, accompanied
by NJ. Lafieur. Wab ran on before without
Straying too far from the coast.
Soon they perceived to the east, and at a
distance of more than sixty miles. Mounts
Vayvanine Geyla and Raoutane, as well as
the pointed rocks of Cape Chelagsk The
dog led them towards the southwest,
across abrupt earthly hillocks and frozen
lakes. At night, they halted for a few
hours on the snow, having nothing with
them that could soften the rigors of such q
sojourn.
The next day, they passed through dis
tr1ct cut up by great numbers of deep lakes
OF different sizes, separated from each other
by kind Of natural dykes, not more than an
| inch thick and formed, as well as the soil, of
| never melting ice covered with a little
earth. After tolsome walk. they finally
reac he'd the western shore of the Bay of
Tchaounsk
Still guided by Wab and themselves con.
| unulng to follow the tracks of the sledge on
the snow, they went along the sides of the
hills parallel to the coast, over narrow
strip of sand on which they noticed remains
! of sea-kale with large leaves and of some
other marine plants.
An east wind was blowing impetuouslv,
The sky was clear. At noon. celestial
phenomenon of extraordinary beauty at
tracted their attention and stopped them,
for an instant, in the midst of their breath
less and toilsome career. Around the sun
appeared four other suns connected with
each other by brilliant rainbows of the most
vivid colors; the whole formed a circle the
diameter of which eQualled forty degrees;
besides, horizontal rainbow, about eighty
degrees long, passed across the real sun
and the apparent suns which surrounded it;
at its extremities arose perpendicularly two
little ralnbows, the very pale hues of which
ccntrasted with those of the main one. This
phenomenon lasted two hours. The wind
abated little by little and then snow fell,
being converted into snow hurricane Of
medium intensity.
Yegor and NJ Laf1eur sheltered them
selves as best they could, but were filled