Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-01-01
THE COURIER OF THE GAR.
az JULES VERNE.


sage Of it would become altogether i'm
practicable.
The Tartars would not be able to
manage either rafts or boats. AS. for
attempting to cross the river over the
Iblocks of ice when the cold should nave
Ijoined them, that was not possible. The
field, newly cemented, would not have
been strong enough for the passage
over it Of an attacking column.
But Ivan Ogareff did not regret that
circumstance, although 1t appeared fa-
vorable to the defenders Of Irkutsk, for
the traitor knew we'll that the Tartars
were not seeking to cross the Angara
and that at least on that side the at
tempt would only be feint. Never
theless toward 10 o'clock at night the
state of the river visibly changed. to
the extreme surprise of the besieged
and now to their disadvantage. The
passage, up to that time impracticable,
suddenly became possible. The bed OF
the Angara soon became free. The
floating ice. which for some days had
come down the river In great quanti-
ties, disappeared. and very little could
be seen between the two banks.
The Russian officers. who had no.
ticed this change In the state of the
river, made 1t known to the grand
duke Besides, 1t was explained In this
way that at some narrow portion Of the
Angara the floating ice had Sccumu-
lated and found barrier. We know
that such was the case. The passage
Of the Angara was therefore open to
the besiegers; hence the necessity for
the Russians to watch with greater at
tention than ever.
In the camp Of the Angara there was
plenty of agitation. as was proved by
the lights constantly fitting about. At
yerst up above. as also down below
the point where the fortification slopes
down to the river, there was q dull
murmur, which proved that the Tar
! tars were on foot. waiting for some
signal. Again an hour passed by.
Nothing new.
Two o'clock in the morning was about
to strike from the clock tower OF the
cathedral of Irkutsk and no movement
had taken place to disclose the hostile
intentions of the besiegers. The grand
duke and his officers began to ask
themselves II they had not been led
into error, II It had really entered into
the plan Of the Tartars to attempt to
surprise the town.
The preceding nights had not by any
means been so calm. Firing had been
kept up from the advanced posts. and
shells had hisSed through the air. and
this time there was nothing Of the kind.
The grand duke. General Voranzoff.
their aids-de-camp. waited therefore,
ready to give their orders according to
the circumstances.
1t has been stated that Ivan Ogaref
occupied q room in the palace. 1t was
pretty large room. situated on the
ground floor. and Its windows opened
out upon a side terrace. One need only
step q few PAGES on this terrace TO
overlook the course Of the Angara. A
profound darkness reigned In that
room. Ivan Ogareff. standing near
window. was waiting for the hour OF
action to arrive. Evidently the signal
could only come from him. Once this
signal was given, when most Of the de-
tenders Of Irkutsk should have been
called to the points openly attacked.
his plan was to leave the palace and
to 60 and accomplish his work. He
waited then IN the dark. like n tiger
ready to spring upon it's prey.
Meanwhile. some minutes before :
o'clock, the grand duke asked that MI
chael Strogoff-it was the only name
he could give to Ivan Ogareff-shouid
be brought to him. An aId-de-camp
came to his room. the door OF which
was closed. He called hlm. Ivan Oga
ref, motionless near the window and
| invisible in the darkness. took good
care not to answer The grand duke
was then informed that the courier OF
| the car was not at that moment in the
palace.
Two o'clock struck. 1t was the mo-
ment that action had been agreed on
with the TartarS. who were ready for
the assault. Ivan Ogareff opened the
window Of his room and placed himself
at the north angle Of the side terrace.
Below him in the shade flowed the wa
ters of the Angara, which roared as
| they broke against the piles Of the but
| treSSeS.
Ivan Ogareff drew a aint from his
pocket and lit with 1t piece of cotton
wool impregnatpd with priming pow
der, which he threw into the river. 1t
was by the order Of Ivan Ogareff that
torrents Of mineral oil had been cast
on the surface Of. the Angara. Springs
Of naphtha had been discovered above
Irkutsk on the right bank. between the
village Of Poshkavsk and the town.
Ivan Ogaref had resolved to employ
this terrible means for setting fire TO
Irkutsk. He therefore made use of the
immense reservoir which contained the
combustible liquid. He had only to
make O few canals to draw In streams
into the river These he had made that
very night, some hours before. The
cotton wool had been cast on the wa
tiers Of the Angara. In an instant, as II
the current had been made Of alcohol
all the river became mass OF hames
up and down the stream, with the ra'
pidity Of electricity. Volumes of blue
flames covered the whole surface Of the
river and shot far up into the Sky.
| Tho fn,,, llnnl.r OF i'm TINT On mo f10a L