Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-03-15

anu perhaps 10 Ue LUEu IuCO plectS3 ny
the fangs of wolves or the beaks Of birds
Of prey. A most horrible punishment
for the victim thus imprisoned in the
earth, who presses the earth without
being able to cast it of, having his
arms tied and fastened to his body like
those of corpse in a coffin! The vic
tim, living in this clay mold, which he
is unable to break, can do nothing but
implore death, which is too slow in
coming!
It was there the Tartars had Inferred
their prisoner for three days. For
three days Nicholas had been waiting
for succor, which had come at last too
late.
The vultures had perceived that head
exposed to the suns rays, and for some
hours the dog defended his master
against these ferocious birds. 49,
Michael Strogoff dug the earth with
his claspknife to release it FROM that
imprisoned body. -.
The eyes Of Nicholas, closed until
then, once more opened themselves.
He recognized Michael and Nadia.
Then he murmured:
"Adieu, friends. II am happy to have
seen you once more. Pray for me-"
And these words were the last.
Michael Strogoff continued to dig the
soil, which, being strongly trodden
down, had the hardness of rock, and
at length lie succeeded IN drawing from
it the body of the unfortunate man.
He listened If his heart still beat 1t
beat no more! t>.t.. 49,.
He wished then to bury it, that it
might not remain exposed on the
steppe, and that hole in which Nicho-
las had been buried alive he enlarged
and deepened in such a manner as to
be able to lay him there when dead.
The faithful Serko was placed near his
master.
At that moment a great noise was
heard on the road about half Nerst
away.
Michael Strogof listened.
By the noise he knew at once That a
detachment of cavalry was advancing
toward the Dfnka.
''Nadia, Nadiav' said he in dow
voice.
At his voice Nadia, who had remained
in prayer, rose up. ~
"You see them! You see thern!'' he
said to her.
''The Tartars!" she murmured.
It was indeed the advance guard of
the emir which was defi1ing quickly on
the road to IrEutSk ,'.".
"They shall not prevent me from in
terring him." said Michael StrogdH.
And he continued his work.
Soon Nicholas body, with his hands
Joined on his breast, was laid in the
tomb. Michael Strogof and Nadia,
kneeling down, prayed the last time for
that poor being, good and inoffeqsiVe,
who through odevotedness to them had
lost his life.
"And now" said Michael, throwing !
back the earth, 'the wolves OF the
steppe shall not devour him.
Then his hand stretched in menace |
toward the troop of horsemen which |
was passing.
"On our journey, Nadiav' said he.
Michael Strogoff could no longer fol
low the highroad, now occupied. by the
Tartars. He must throw himself across
the steppe and turn Irkutsk. In doing
this they would have to cross the Din
ka and thus would be relieved from cone
great anxiety. "
Nadia could mo longer drag herself
along, but she could see for him. He
took her in his arms and struck into
the southwest of the province.
There remained for them to travel
more than 200 wersts. How could it
be done? How could food be found ON
the journey? E.s -a@
By what superhuman energy wSIlld
hey succeed in passing the first slopes
If the Sayensk mountains? Neither
Nadia nor he could tell.
And yet twelve days after, at O'CLOCK
II the evening, an immense sheet OF
water rolled at the feet of Michael Str0-
,off.
1t was Lake Baikal. f.
Lake Baikai is situated at height
# 1, TOO feet above the level of the sea.
is length it about 900 versts, its
,readth about d hundred. Its depth is
Unknown. Nine. de Bourboulon tellsi
IS that the sailors say that it wishes to
re called MRS. Sea-" IF one calls it
Mr.. Lake." it at once is in a rage.
anyhow, according to Russian legend,
Russian is never drowned there.
This immense basin Of fresh water,
ed by more than 800 rivers, is embos-
med in a magnificent circle Of vol
anic mountains. It has no other out
It but the Angara, which, after hav- .
lg passed Irkutsk, throws itself into
ne Yenisei little above the town of
eniseisk. s
The first days of October had come.
he sun now sank below the horizon al
o'clock, and the long nights allowed
le temperature to fall to zero in the
The first snow, which
as to remain until summer, already
hitened the neighboring heights. Dur
lg the Siberian winter this interior :
"a, with it's ice several feet thick, il
otted with trains of couriers and cara