Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-27

OF their nut at Cape Baranoff, had no other
resource than to gain time. AS soon as the
days grew longer and less cold, they would
plunge into the interior of the Tchouktchi
peninsula. 1t was necessary for them to
gain the shores of the Aniouy then, by as
cending towards the sources of that river,
across mountainous district, to reach the
Anadyr and descend that stream towards
Behring's Strait.
The kamakay's tent, despite the terrible
stencil which came from the alcOve, was,
without doubt, the most comfortable habita-
ton of the region.
To take possession of it, by the power of
the occult sciences, would be masterstroke.
The Partisan, followed by the old man, who
continued his signs of the cross, went three
times around the tent, beating the magic
drum. After this, he declared to the
amazed native that whoever should try to
enter the tent without his permission would
be stricken with death at the new moon
During this singular ceremony, Nuketou
and Kokeriabin, aided by the two slaves,
gathered together what they wished to
carry away, and Nadege saw those cruel
women, who had caused her so much suffer
ing. hastily fee to escape the maleiictions
COMPUTATIONS of the chaman.
After cleaning out in which each one
took part, the fugitives established them
selves as best they could in the kamakay's
tent. They kept their loaded weapons with
them in case of an offensive return. Tekel
and Chort succeeded each other as senti-
nels, night and day. Wab also was on
guard. When Yegor and M. Lafeur ven
tured out-of-doOrS they went armed to the
teeth.
But the fugitives felt themselves serious
ly menaced by the hostile attitude of the en-
tire tribe They saw sombre and irritated
faces; the natives to whom they addressed
few words of politeness, learned from
Tekel, did not reply, silence among them
showing the height of discomfort, as Sow
of words is the effect of anger among the
French.
Soon the Partisan learned from Annawa
who was very loquaciou5-that the Ma
tives intended to reduce the intrulers by
hunger.
The pretended chaman then resolved tc
deal terrible blow. Aided by Annawa
he fomented an instruction against the
kamakay, and succeeded in ranging more
than half the warriors on the side of the
spirit of which he announced the manifesto
tons.
This bold attempt was destined to have
cruel consequences for the kamakay. The
terrible chaman ordered the sacrifice of
three white reindeer, and, as the flames de-
voured the Victims he pronounced the de-
thrOnement of the chief and condemned him
to exile.
M. Lafieur chose Annawa to succeed the
kamakay, that abductor of young girls. This
was too clever a stroke of policy not to be
crowned with complete success.
From the day following this solemn sac
rifce, Tchikine was no longer mentioned.
He had accepted his dethronement and fed
from his tribe, without even having the
power to take his wives and two slaves with
him.
1T was an act of JUSTICE" said Yermac,
''What was the fool thinking Of who knew
not even that he was subject of the Gar
and as such amenable to the laws of the en-
pire?"
The chief of police wished first to convert
to his ideas and then to his uses the new
kamalzay, Christian, and honored with an
imperial certificate, but M. Laf1eur looked
after this, and, as Tekel alone could serve as
interpreter, Yermac was deprived of the new
resource which had presented itself to his
fertile mind
The moment came at last when they could
resume their journey. 1t was with heart
felt Joy that Yegor, with Davidoff's charm
ing daughter beside him in one Of the nartas,
quilted the tent where he had come to seek
her, with death in his soul, when, rejoined
by Ladislas, the guides, and Yermac, he
had learned in what spot the innocent girl
was grooming and calling on him for help.
1t was necessary to find the course of the
Aniouy, which was not easy because Of the
small knowledge of the country possessed
by the guides
They went at first through pitiful looking
forests. New moss was commencing to
shoot up through the marshy soil. Upon the
hills flocks of marsh birds were already
showing themselves.
They reached some deserted camps of
Tchouktchi nomads. recognizable mainly by
the black traces of the dimokours formed
of grass and moss, which are set on fire in
the summer to drive away, by the SMOKE
they spread around, the myriads of mosQui-
toes which torment men and animals during
the warm season.
LII UuS 1dlCu UulChclS, UuS GIdpClGIS CuOSo
the spots where the trees were the most
scattered and, at other times took the rom
deer paths, for they were now in the region
of the reindeer Tchoul1tchis. On the bank
of a river they saw a number of traps for
zibellines and foxes, traps which seemed
to be abandoned. A little further on, they
discovered on the shore of a torrent an
enormous mammoth tusk, weighing over
one hundred pounds. 1t was so solidly en-
closed in the ice thai they could not loosen
it.
Beyond the forest stretched out vast
marshy plain, which seemed to have been
wooded.
The dogs advanced toilsomely amid new
fallen snow, still soft or half melted by the
heat of the sun, and the everlasting ice of
which the soil was formed.
In the evening the fugitives camped where
they found themselves. Nadege and Lad
islas always had their pologue erected. The
men slept in the nartas or on the snow.
In this concluding portion of their journey
were reproduced for Yegor and his compan-
ions. with less intensity, however, all the
dangers, all the suffering, and all the IA
tigues which had already marked it's course
cold, elemental war; privations and attacks
of famished beasts.
But the days had heightened. With the
spring the birds had reappeared. The rein
deer, quitting the forests, returned to the
sea coast to get rid of the mosquitoes New
! plants offered some resources: among others
the saxifrages and the gentians were already
shooting up.
The snow seemed, here and there. veined
with blood, made rusty looking by the Itch
ans On, shaded with oraen and ynllnr hu a