The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-21
BY SLEDGE.
A Very Exciting Drive in
Siberia.

I have often witnessed the brave en-
durance of the Siberian boy, but never to
such an extent as while on a sledge jour
iney from Krasnoyarsk to Minusinsk, The
1 road between these two points during the
winter is nothing more than the frozen
surface of the Yenisei river; for the ice
/ is over yard in thickness, and although
! the swift current of the river crowds 1t
up into small hummocks during the early
winter, yet, with the packing of snow
and the constant wear of the sledge car
avans it affords comparatively smooth
and solid roadbed. The ice is considered
so safe that it is even used as bridge
for the trains of the trans-Siberian Rail-
way. The ties are laid directly upon the
ice, and the locomotive, with loaded
train, steams across. Fancy thousand
tons weight crossing one of the largest
and deepest rivers in Siberia merely on
frozen water.
The incident I am going TO tell occurred
on one of the coolest nights / have ever
experienced for the thermometer stood
at 25 degrees below zero. In order to pre-
psre for the long ride TO the next station
| HAD swallowed three or four glasses OF
hot tea at the yemskie quarter, or sta
ton, and strapped on a heavy reindeer
pelt over my huge Russian oVercoat On
reaching the sledge or tarantass. which
was waiting. | saw on the drivers box
what appeared to be a solid ball of FUR;
but on closer inspection | found that the
bundle contained boy, not more than u
years of age. His extreme youthfulness
surprised me, and / Immediately returned
to the keeper of the quarter to remon-
strate with him against detailing mere
boy for such an arduous duty on such
cold night. He assured me that the boy
referred to had made the same journey
many times before. and was, indeed,
full-fedged yemstchick, or taranatass
driver Although inwardly protesting, !
could do nothing but accept the situation.
I gave the word TO start. Crack went
the little fellows whip, and away dashed
the troika (team of three horses. Our
horses We're already impatient with the
cold. The night was black and threaten
ing, and the roadway among the hum
mocks of ice on the river was almost in
diStinguishable AS the darkness in
creased We frequently missed it alto
gether and the ponderous sledge went
humping and topping over the icy hum
mocks, while our poorly fed peasant
horses strained every nerve to keep 1t
in motion. Two hours passed by, when
suddenly the sledge stopped half-tited on
a huge hummock of ice THE horse is
down. BARN (master) shouted the little
yemstchick. ] leaped out at once and ran
to the horses head to assist him to rise,
but he did not move, There was not even
sound of breathing. / placed my hand
over his heart. There was not beat
The horse was dead. The poorly nour-
ished animal had succumbed to the eXces
sive cold and strain. We took off the
harness, backed the sledge out of the
way, and then started off again with the
two horses remaining. The little fellow
on the box. l could see, was shvering
with the cold, as | myself was by this
time, for the exposure neceSSitated by the
accident had chilled me through. 7 of
fered to take, and even insisted upon TAX
ing his place for a time, so that he might
, warm up, but he resented this intrusion
as almost an indignity to his calling. Not
a murmur of discomfort passed his lips.
On we rode through the darkness; but
how long / know not. for. exhausted by
: twenty-four hours constant travelling. |
- fell into doZe. From this ! was finally
! reused by sudden shock. We seemed to
: have collided with something. I looked
. out, and saw that we had reached the
/ next village, and that our steaming, frost
covered horses, eager to get into shelter,
: had run the shafts of our vehicle head
: long into the gate.
!. What's the matter?'' called out to the
: Please, BARN. ! couldn't hold EN-, -
came the reply, in a chattering voice
+ That admission was sufficient; l knew
. that the little fellows hands must be
e either numbed or frozen. and for that
f reason he could not pull on the reins.
a jumped out. opened the gate and led the
: horses in: but he did not move from his
box; his legs were too stiff with the cold
h I picked him up and carried him bodily
n into the house. basin of snow was i'm.
g mediately brought to thaw out his frozer
O fingers while I removed his clothing t.
: rub circulation back into his stiffened
e limbs With this and a glass or two Of
8 hot tea we finally restored him to ANNA
ton. Even then he never uttered one
{ word of complaint, and when / slipped
e ruble into his glowing fingers he looked
: as cheerful as though nothing unpleasant
if had happened.
: rian soldiery are made of, then Russi;
( need never fear a rival to her title o
n ''ruler of the east!'