The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-09-01
CHAPTER XIV.

life without ever knowing what 1t Is TO
fight a gale of wind.
There is breath of heaven OF when
the sole message is death. 1t is wind
will, no fine-sounding name, for 1t De-
longs to the north, where men endure
things and have no thought OF naming
them. 1t blows for six months OF the
year. 1t veers from south-southwest 10
northwest by north, and 1t is born upon
the gray icefields round the pole. For
many hundred miles it raves across the
frozen ocean, gathering deathly GOODNESS
at every league. On its shoulders 1t car
ries tons of snow, and then striking land.
1t RACES and tears, howls, means and
screams across northern Europe into far
frozen Asia. In passing it clothes all
Russia in white, and still has plenty to
spare for bleak Siberia, northern China
and Japan.
A few northern races manage to live
on in such numbers as to save extermina-
ton, and that is all. More than third
OF them are partially or wholly bilnd.
Their existence is a constant and unequal
struggle against this same wind and its
pitiiess auxiiaries-snow and frost. The
earth yields no increase here. A little
sparse vegetation, sufficient only to nour-
ish miserable reindeer and few horses: :
a scattering of pine trees, and that is all.
Although no sanctifying spirit can be
said to walk upon the waters, the sea
alone sustains life, for men, dogs and
reindoor eat fish, not dried but frozen,
when they can get 1t.
It was across this country, and in face
of this wind, that a party of men and
women made their way in the late sum-
mer several years ago. BY late summer
one means the first fortnight in July in
these high ATTITUDES. These travellers
were twenty-one in number-sixteen men
and FIVE women. One woman carried A
baby-a Jail bird-born in prison-un-
baptized. 1t did not count, not even as
half a person, to any one except its
mother. Men and women were dressed
alike in good fur clothing. baggy trousers
tucked into felt boots, long blouse-like fur
coats, and caps. with earflaps tied down.
Boots, trousers, coats and even caps bore
signs of damage by water. When north
ern Siberia is not frozen up it is in a
state of flood, and travelling, except by
"dtCI, ID uluoot lmPOoSlOiS. hCSC PSo
pie had come many miles by this compar-
atively easy method at imminent risk,
for they had travelled north on the bosom
of the flood. Since then they have liter
ally burned their vessels in order to cut
off pursuit.
The men dragged light sledges. three
to a sledge, and four resting. The wom-
en- carried various more precious burdens
delicate instruments, such as COM
passes and aneroids. Beneath the fur
caps throbbed some singular brains, from
under the draggled brims looked out some
strange faces. There was a doctor among
them, two army officers, judge and 9th
ers who had not been allowed time to be-
come anything, for they were exiled while
students.
The whole party pressed forward in 81
lence with tight-locked lips and half-clos-
ed eyes. for the rushing wind carried a
fine binding snow before it, Only one
person spoke at times. 1t was the woman
who carried the baby, and she interlard-
ed her inconsequent remarks with
snatches of song and bursts of peculiar
cackling laughter. Suddenly she sat
down on a boulder.
Il will sit here" she said, "in the
warm sum-"
The whole party stopped, and one of
the women answered:
'Come, Anna" she said, I'VE cannot
wait here" Still speaking, she took her
arm and urged her to rise.
But" protested she who had been ad-
dressed as Anna, where is the picnic to
be?'
The picnic, Anna Pavloski," said a
small, squarely built man, coming for
ward and speaking in a wonderfully deep
and harmonious tone of voice, sis to be
held further on. You must come at
once"
II think" she said gently, that I will
wait here for my husband. 1 expect him
home from the office. He will bring the
newspaper"
They were all grouped round the wom-
an now except one man, and he stood
apart with his back turned toward them
He had been dragging the foremost sledge,
and the broad band of the trace was still
across his shoulders. He had been lead
ing the way, and seemed in some subtle
manner to be recognized as chief and
pioneer.
Again the woman who had first spoken
persuaded; again the broad-shouldered
man spoke in his commanding gentleness.
1t was, however, of no avail. Then after
a few moments of painful hesitation. he
left the group and went to where the
leader stood alone.
"Pavloski," he said.
"Yes, DOCTOR" He never turned his
head, but stood rigid and stern, looking
straight before him, scowling with eyes
from which the horror now would never
fade, into the gray, hopeless distance. No
marble statue could reproduce the strong.
cold despair that breathed in every limb
and feature.
Something" said the doctor, must be
done. We are behind our time already"
Il suppose it is my duty to stay with
you" said Pavloski. Il cannot leave
the party? l cannot stay behind?"
The little man made no answer. His
silence was more eloquent than any
words could have been. A dramatic
painter could scarcely have found a sad
der picture than these two friends who
dared not to meet each others eyes. And
yet, in moment, it was rendered inf
nitely sadder by the advent of a third
person.
Swathed as she was in furs, it was
difhcult to distinguish that this was