The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-09
XVI.

Rezanoy disembarked from the JUNO
at Okhotsk during the first days Of
October Had it not been for 3 touch
Of fever that had returned in the filth
and warm dampness Of Sitka, he would
have felt almost as buoyant In mind
and body as in those days when Cali
fornia had gone to his head. The Juno
had touched at Kadiak, Oonalaska and
others of the more important settle
ments,, and he had found hi his schools rs
Immunity from indiscriminate slaugh-
ter, new and stronger forts threaten
ing the nefarious Bostonian and Brit
on. At Okhotsk he learned that the
embassy Of Count Golofkin to China
had failed as signally as his own, and
this alone would have put him in the
best Of tempers even had he not found
his armament and caravan awaiting
him, facilitating his immediate depar-
tyre. He wrote q gay letter to Con- n
the naturalist ATTACHED to the Goiefkin
embassy, DR.. Redovsky, W. o, had re-
manned in the east animated by the
same scientific enthusiasm as that Of
his colleague, the good Langsdorf; part
ed some time since from his too exact
ing master. Rezanov had written Con-
cha many letters during bis detention
in Sitka, and left them with Baranhov
to send at the first opportunity. Tho
chief Deeply IN the
with whom he alone dared to take a
liberty, vowed to guard all that came
to his care and sooner or later to send
them to California. Rezanov had also
written comprehensively to the czar and
the directors Of the Russian-American
company, adroitly placing his marriage
in the light Of diplomatic maneuver,
and painting California in colors more
vivid and enticing for the sullen clouds
and roaring winds, the dripping forests
ner Of earth where he had been strand
ed 50 long. He had also, when Langs-
dorff announced his intention to start
upon. a difficult journey in the interest
Of science, provided him not only with
letters Of recommendation but with all
the comforts procurable in q land
where the word comfort was the stock
in trade of the local satirist. But
Langsdorf, altho punctiiously acknowl-
edging the fayors,s never quite forgave
and chamberlain, rejoicing in the dig
St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences,
to the supreme division Of natural his.
tory.
The first stage Of the journey-from
Okhotsk to Yakutsk-was about six
hundred and fifty English miles, not as
the crow flew, but over the Stanovoi
mountains in a southwesterly direction
to the Maya river, along the latter g
wavering course to the Youdoma, then
northwest to the Aldan, and south along
the Lena. The beaten track lay en-.
tirely alongside the rivers at this sea.
son, upon their surface in winter, and
besides these great streams there were
many too unimportant for the map, but
as cratic in course and as irresistible
in energy after the first rains Of au.
tumn.
Captain d'Wolf had proved himself
capable and faithful, and caravan of
forty horses had been in Okhotsk q
week; twenty for immediate use, TWEEN
ty for relief, or substitutes in almost
certain emergency. AS there were but
one or two stations Of any Importance
between Okhotsk and Yakutsk, and as
a week might pass without the shelter
of SO much as a hut, it was necessary
to take tents and bearskin beds for the
chamberlain, his Cossack guard, valet.
de-chambre, cook and other servants
one set Of fine blankets and linen, cook.
ing utensils, axes, arms, tinderboxes
provisions for the entire trip, besides
I a great quantity Of personal luggage.
s Rezanov lost no time. He hai
changed his original plan and dir