The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-01-01

Ile plan OF tle luSlIlVeS WIS very
simple \ current Of the Baikal skirts
the higher shore Of the lake as far as
the mouth Of the Angara. 1t is this
current which they counted upon max
ing use Of to early reach the outlet Of
Baikal. From this point to Irkutsk the
rapid waters Of the river would draw
them along at 4 speed Of ten or twelve
yersts the hour. In 4 day and half
they ought to be in sight Of the town.
Every means for embarking was
wanting at that place.
They had to supply this want. A
raft, or, rather, 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. lashed together
with willow branches, formed a plat
form Oh which 4 hundred persons
would have easily found room.
1t 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 a sound sleep.
To these who interrogared him Mi
chael Ssrogof said nothing concerning
the evAlts which had occurred ut
TomsA. He gave himself out as an in
habitant Of krasnoiarsk who had not
been able to reach Irkutsk before the
troops Of the emir had arrived on the
left bank Of the Dinka, and he added
that very likely the main body Of the
Tartars had taken up their position be-
fore the capital z Siberia. Even among
friends it was almost as important to
preserve secrecy as to his mission as if
among enemies.
One never knows what ears are lis
tening when the tongue speaks. The
friend Of today may be the foe Of to-
morrow, and even the firm friend, If
indiscreet,j is more to be dreaded than
the known enemy.
to lose. Besides, the frost became more
and more keen. The temperature dur
ing the night fell far below zero. Some
pieces Of ice had already formed on the
surface Of the Baikak If the raft could
easily make its way on the lake, it
would not be the same between the
banks of the Angara in case those
pieces Of ice should come to impede it's
course.
Therefore for all these reasons it was
necessary that the. fugitives should
start without delay.
At S o'clock at night the moorings
were unfastened, and under the action
Of the current the raft followed the
lake shore.
Long poles, handled by robust mu-
jiks, :sufhced to guide it. An old sailor
Of the Baikal had taken command Of
the raft. He was a man Of sixty, all
tanned with the breezes Of the lake. A
white and very thick beard descended
on his breast. He had on his head a
fur hat. Of q grave and austere ap-
pearance, bis wide and long riding coat,
drawn tight at the belt, hanging down
to his heels, this silent old man, Sit
ting at the stern, commanded by ges-
ture and did not speak ten words in
ten hours.
Besides, the whole management coz
sisted in keeping the raft in the cur
rent which ran along the shore, with
out allowing it to go far out into the
deep water.
Although the journey was not with
out danger, the voyagers might reason
ably hope to safely accomplish it.
At any rate they had become accus-
toned to both hardship and danger.
No fate could be worse than the one
that awaited them if they remained.
So despite the past and present they
were many hopeful, almost happy
hearts on board that rude craft that
doated along So lazily.