The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-01-18
And yet twelve days after, at Q O'Clock

1t was Lake Baikal.
Lake Baikal Is situated at height
OF LOO feet above the level OF the sea.
breadth about hundred. It's depth Is
unknown. Nine de Bourboulon tells
us that the sailors say that IL wishes TO
be called "Nrs. Sea-" II one calls Il
"Mr Lake." II at once Is In a rage.
Anyhow. according toa Russian legend.
Russian is never drowned there.
This immense basin OF fresh water.
fed by more than 800 rivers, Is embos-
omed in magnificent circle OF vol
canic mountains. Ii has no other out
let but the Angara. which. after hav-
ing passed Irkutsk. throws itself into
the Yenlsei little above the town Of
4 Yenlseisk.
The FIRST days OF October had come.
The sun now sank below the horizon at
o'clock, and the long nights allowed
the temperature TO fall 20 zero IN the
thermometers. The first snow, which
was TO remain until summer already
whtened the neghborlng heights. Dur
ing the Siberian winter this interior
sea, with its ice several feet thick. is !
dotted with trains OF courlers and cara
vans.
1t was at the southwest point of the
lake that Michael Strogoff had just ar
rived, carrying Nadia. whose whole
life, so to speak, was concentrated In
her eyes. What could they both expect
In this wild part Of the province but
to die there of want and restitution?
And yet how many still remained TO be
made Of those 5000 versts that the
courier of the car should attain his
end? Only sixty versts along the shore
Of the lake as far as the mouth of the
river Angara. and eighty versts from
the mouth of the Angara TO Irkutsk-
in all a hundred and forty versts, say
three days journey for a strong and
vigorous man even on foot.
Some fifty people found themselves
assembled at the corner which forms
the southwest point of the lake.
Nadia first perceived this group when
Michael Strogoff, carrying her in his
arms. came out from the defile of the
mountains.
Stop she cried. "'rhc Tartars The
Tartarsv'
The young girl feared for an instant
that It was nothing else than de-
tachment Of Tartars sent TO scour the
shores Of Lake Balkal, In which case
flight would be cut of for both
Eut nadia YVES econ measured on
this head
"Yhey are Russansr She cried
And after this last effort her cyclida /
closed, and her head fell down on tue
breast OF Michael stregoff
But they had been perceived. and
some Of those Russians. running mp TO (
them, led the blind man and the young
girl TO the border OF little beach TO
which was moored raft
The raft was ubou, 20 depart.
These Russians were fugitives Of va
rious conditions whom common in
terest had gathered together on this
point of the Baikal
Driven back by the Tartar scouts. !
they sought 20 take refuge in Irkutsk, !
and, not being able to reach that place /
by land, since the invaders had taken [
up position on both bGnl-s OF the Anga- |
ra, they hoped to gain IT by descending |
the river which runs through tile town I
The fugit.yes had their raft fully pre-
pared for the voyage. and had Michael
StrogoG tcen even Few hours later
he would have found tie place desert !
ed.
Now, no was welcomed and hidden I
TO go upon the raft at once, as its slow
motion rendered it advisable TO lose no
time IN setting ont.
Their protect made the heart OF Mi |
chael StrogoI leap for Joy. lie could
now play his last chance. But he had |
the strength 10 disscmble. wishing 90 /
preserve msre strictly than ever his
incognta.
The plan Of the fugitves was very
simple. a current OF the BailSal skirts
the higher shore of tho lake as far as
the mouth OF the Angara 1t is this
current which they counted upon max I
ing use OF 10 early reach the outlet Of 4
Baikal. From this point 10 lrkutsk the /
rapid waters 81 the river would draw I
them along ut n speed OF ten or twelve I
versts the hour, In a day and "A half 1
they ought to be In sight of the town.
AAN%A2 iAtAh0 AiA was
wanting ut that place.
They had TO supply this want. A
raft, or, rather, a float Of wood, like
those which generally float on the ST.
berian rivers had been constructed.
A forest OF pine. which lowered along
the shore, had furnished the floating
material. The trunks. dashed together
with willow branches, formed a plat
form on which n hundred persons
would have easily found room
II was on this raft that Michael Stro-
goff and Nadia were carried. The
young girl was once more herself. They
gave to her some nourIshment as also
TO her companion. Then. lying down
on bed OF leaves, she Immediately fell
into sound sleep.
To those who Intercepted him MI
chael Strogof said nothing concerning
the events which had occurred AT