CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1903-03-26
The Courier Of
7 h e c z a r

ing use OF TO carly r,acl the ou.icI .f
Balknl From this po mt To lrknsk rl.r
rapid waters of the river would draw
them along ut n speed Of ten or twelve
versts the hour. In Il 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 ,
raft, or. rather. n Hoat OF wood. like
those which generally float on the 81
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 on which hundred persons
would have easily found room.
II was on this raft that Michael Stro
Rof and Nadia were carried. The
young girl was once more herself. They
gave TO her some nourishmeni. as also
to her companion. Then. lying down
on bed OF leaves she Immediately fell
into a sound sleep.
To these who interrognted him Ml
chasl surogon said nothing concerning
the ->Its which had occurred ut
Toms>. He gave himself out as an in
hnbltant OF krasnolarsk who had not
been able 10 reach irkutsk before the
troops Of the emIr had arrived on the
left bank OF the Dinkn. and he added
that very likely the main body OF the
Tariars had taken up their position be-
fore the capital of Siberia Even among
friends II was almost As important; to
preserve secrecy as to his mission as II
among enemies
One never knows what ears are iis-
teni3g when the tongue speaks. The
friend OF today may be the foe Of to-
morrow. and even the nrm friend. IL
indiscrect. Ii more to be dreaded than
the knowa enemy.
There was not. therefore. an instant
to lose Besides. the frost became more
and more keen. The temperature dur
ing the night fell far below zero. SOM
piece- Of ice had already formed on the
surfac- Of th. BalLnl if the raft cou d
easily mike its say on the lake. il
would not bc the SAINT brtweeu thu
banks Of the AnGnra In case tiIn'
piecrs Of h~ should come to im;--i. l.
course
Therefore Tor all tbrs" rraSons II Wa
nec-ssary that the fugi;.v-r >hon.'
star witbou, delay.
Al \ o'clock at nigh, the moorinG>
were unfa-trned- and under tie action
Of the current the raft followed the
lake sborr.
Long poles. handled by robust mu.
jiks. sufbecd to guide IT, An old sailor
Of the Baikal had taken command OF
the raft. He was q man Of sixty. all
tanned with the breczes OF the lake. A
white and very thick beard descended
on his breast He bad on Ills head a
fur hat or n grave and nusiere mp
pesrancc. his wide and long riding coat.
drn wn tight at the belt. hanging down
70 his heels. this silent old man. sit
ting At the Stern. commanded by g.
ture aud did not speak ten words IA
ten bours-
Besides. the whole management con
sisted In keeping the rnft In the cur
reEt which ran along the shore. with
out aiiowin. II TO go far out into tb"
deep water.
Although the journey was not with
out danger. the yoyagers might reason
ably hope to safely accomplish IL
Al any rate they had become accus-
toned to both hardship and danger
No fate could be- worse than the one
that awaited them n they remained.
So despite the past and present they
were many hopeful. almost happy
henrts on board that rude craft that
noated along 80 Iazily.