Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-08-05

This was not the only feat of daring
and cool-headed courage that Harry
Kane was destined to accomplish.
Several times he had ventured to ask
one of the sailors what part of the world
the Seagull was bound for, but was told
gruftiy to mind his own business, which
principally consisted of washing up dishes
for the crew and learning how to splice
rope and furl a sail.
A few days after Harry had saved the
mainmast, if not the ship itself, he was
called aft by the mate, who had taken a
great liking to him. The mate was in no
hurry. to talk, however He slowly filed
three or four puffs from it with evident
relish, at last commenced: We're GO
ing,' said he, ''to the coast of Siberia.
We are going there to free two of the
sczar's prisoners, who are there for life,
scondemned to hard labor in the mines.
An English lord has fitted out this vessel
to rescue the count and countess if it can
be DONE"
But" said Harry, .'the mines are not
near the coast, how are we going to reach
them?"
TN sleighs, me boy, drawn by dogs.
Well get these at Point Barrow, on the
American shore. from the Esguimaux.
The village where the count and his wife
are prisoners is $50 miles from the coast,
and, barring. accidents, we can make it in
three days." 1t was long time that
night before Harry was able to go to
sleep. He lay in his bunk thinking of the
exciting adventures ahead of him.
Eight months after leaving Liverpool
the Seagull hove in sight of the Aleutian
islands and in few days more had
passed through Behring straits and was
anchored off Point Barrow. The neces-
sary number of sleighs and dogs having
been secured from the natives, as well as
a stock of fur garments, for captains,
officers and men, the ship was again put
under sail and headed due west. A large
number of icebergS was encountered, but
the voyage to the Asiatic shore was made
without mishap. Harry was surprised
when one morning, just as heavy fog
was being dispelled by a brisk breeze
from the north, the coast of Siberia was
sighted and he saw as far as his eye
could reach an interminable field of snow
where he had expected wild ranges of
mountains clothed in ice. The Seagull
was run through narrow inlet into a
snug bay, where the water was as smooth
as glass, and her two big anchors dropped
within fifty yards of the shore. The land
ing of men. arms, ammunition, dogs and
sleighs was effected in few hours by
means of the six whaleboats. Ten men
were left on board to guard the ship.
-Four of the boats were put on sleds, each
drawn by twenty dogs, and the journey
to the Siberian village where Count Spir-
zon and his wife were prisoners began.
The dogs covered eighty miles the first
day without the slightest difficulty, and
then were fed and given four hours to
rest. At the end of that tim these ami
mails were ready for another long days
journey. But just as the party was about
to start great white cloud had formed
and was nearing them with the speed of
a race horse
'sThe fog"
A hoarse cry went up from every
mouth; they all knew its terrible meaning.
1t might imprison them for weeks and
they would starve to death. In ten min
utes they were enveloped in it's cold, clam
my, impenetrable folds.
The fog lasted nine days. When it
lifted the journey was continued. But
hardly had the party got a fair start
when a black spot appeared in the dim
distance on the pure white of the snow.
It grew larger rapidly, and through his
telescope the captain made it out to be az.
band of wolves. Soon their short, sharp,
blood-curdling barks could be heard in
the dead silence. Nearer and nearer
they came, the foam flying from their
mouths and their eyes shining like balls
of fire. There were probably 100 in the
band, and they kept SO close together
that their painting sides almost touched.
One big fellow was in the lead. His
eagerness for the attack showed that he
was ravenously hungry. On they came
like fends let loose from the Internal
regions, stretching their lean, hungry
been drawn up close together and repre-
sented broadside from which thirty-two
repeating rifles stretched their shining
barrels. The wolves were permitted to
approach within a hundred yards; then
the captain gave the signal, and like one
shot thirty two balls of lead moved down
almost as many Of the wild beasts. But
the rest did not stop in their mad career.
On they came until another volley still
further reduced their ranks. Another
and still another volley was fired into
them, before a single wolf came within
ten yards of the sleighs. The few that
were left alive turned, and with bowls Of
rage that were almost human, fed
On the fourth day after the fog the
party was, according to the captains cal
culations, within thirty miles of the end
of their journey. Just as the village was
sighted another fog set in and made them
as secure as if they had been surrounded
by the walls of fortress; And now
Harry proved that he was boy of whom
any father might be proud, though he
had run away from home.
He went up to the captain and said:
Il propose to make my way to the
counts house and inform him that the
rescuing party is here
The captain gave his consent, and,
armed with revolver and dirk knife,
to be used in case Of emergency, the boy
started off on his dangerous journey.
The hours passed slowly, each seeming
an eternity to those who were left be
hind but finally Harry's voice was heard
through the fog, shouting '.'Hurrah!
Here we are, all safev' With him were
the count and countess. They resem-
bled walking skeletons. Another years
work in the mines would surely have
killed them.
The next day the fog was driven away
by. a strong northeast wind, but the res
cuing party had start of fifty miles on
their pursuers, if, indeed, they were be-
ing followed at ALL About ten months
later the Seagull entered the harbor of
Liverpool with every man on board safe
and sound. Count Spirzoff and the
countess were received with open arms
by the lord who had spent so much mon
ey on their rescue. The captain and
crew of the Seagull were splendidly re-
warded: Harry, who was the hero of