Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-28

friends. chief among whom was his faithful
Jon, and the prohibition Hof the doctor, he
began the second stage of his journey.
The road from Yakutsk to Irkutsk, some
two thousand six hundred versts, or fifteen
hundred and fifty English miles, lay for
the most part alternately on and along
the river Lena in a southeasterly direction;
there being no attempt to cross Siberia
at any point In a straight line. BY this
time the river was frozen, and the only
concession Rezanov would make to his
enfeebled frame was an arrangement to
cover the entire Journey by private sledge
instead of employing the swifter course of
post sledge on the long stretches and
horseback on the shorter cuts.
The weather was now intensely cold. the
river winding. the delays many, but there
were adequate stations for the benefit and
accommodation of travellers every hundred
versts or less. Rezanov felt so invigorated
by the long hours in the open after the
barbarous closeness OF his sick room that
at the end Of fortnight he was again pos
sessed with all his old ardor of desire to
reach the end of his journey. He vowed
he was we'll again. abandoned his COM
Portable sledge and pushed on in the com
mon manner. In the wretched post sledges
he was often exposed TO the tuli violence
of a Siberian winter and although the
horseback exercise stirred his biooo ana
refreshed him for the moment. he sunerea
In reaction and was several times forced TO
remain two nights instead OF one at sta
ton But he was muffied in sables to his
very eyes, and the road was divertlng, often
beautiful. with its Gothic mountains us
white plains set With villages ana FARMS
high thin crosses above. the open or swell
ing domes of the little churches. Some
timAs the Lena narrowed until It's irozeI
surface looked like mass or ice that nay
ground its way between perpendicular "ans
or overhanging masses of rock that awaited
the next CONFUSION of nature to close the
pass altogether Then the dogs trotted past
caves and grottos, left the abrupt ano
craggy banks, crossed lever plains ouSe
more: where herds OF cattle grazed In the
summer time now a vast unchekered e&-
panse of white. The government ana com
pany agents fawned upon him. the pest Oh
horses and beds, food and WINE We're eager -
Nv placed at the disposal of the faVorltey OF
the car Rezanov's spirit. always OF the
finest temper suffered no eclipse Tor many
DAVIS He reveled in the bellef tnat ms
sorely tried body was regeneratihs us oiu
vigors. A.. ,o,,r-
From Wsrcholensk to Katschuk the Jour
new was SO winding by river that II con,
sumed more than twice the time or the iaro
route. which, although only thir.y Her - 81
extent, was one of the most dlfncuIt IN 81
IBERIA Rezanov chose the latter Wlthou'
hesitation and would listen to 90 oissua
sion from the commissary OF the niue lo"h
or from his distracted Jon, 'ne 'ou ,a ,al :
from Yakutsk had now lasted nve weeks
and the servants watchful eye noted signs
OF exhaustion. ..,,
The hills were very high and very steep,
he
the snow been soft and thin the horses
could not have made the ascent at an anu
az 1t was, the riders were forced W w'tn
the greater part of the way ana dras .heil
unwilling steeds behind the'',. ~, ya~sts
twelve hours covering the thlf'y Nei s w.
and at Katschuk Rezanov succumpeu iol
two days, while Jon secured the couh.is "a =,
search of a telega; as sometimes IlappetnS
there was a long stretch of country VIII.
ont snow. and sledges, by far the nos'
comfortable method of travel In siberia
could not be used. The rest OF Tue iou
nov hut 1876 versts, must be mace py lailu.
Rezanov admitted that ne was g., '' he most
to ride and refused to travel IN me pos.
"a rriaee On the third day the serNah'
managed to hire a telega from superb .o
farmer and they started lmmediateiS' .he
heavy luggage having been cohslsheo W "
merchant vessel at 9akutSk.
Rezanov stood the telega exactly nan d
day. Little larger than an Armenian an, a,a1
far lighter 1t was drawn by horses '.t
galloped up and down hlll anu i az Of Gait
Intervening valleys with no change Oh sat.'
and over road so rough that the ht'te
vehicle seemed to be propelled oy SUI
cession of earthquakes. RezahoNs III d
fever which he attributed to rage US
missed the telega at village ana 49, Wiz
the coming of Jon, who followed on nurse
back with the personal luggass. bui,t
II was a village of wooden houses ou ~
In the Russian fashion, and lnhapiieu pH
a dignified tribe wearing long Whlte ga iio
r,ents bordered with fur. lhey spun
Russian a language little heaIu ~ IN ,
north and east in Siberia and Wheh f|e ID
nov declined their hospltal'y 'l.eS %,
PATCHED a courier at once to the soNtli i ~
General of Irkutsk acquantlnS MN VIZ
fhe condition of the chamberlain ana Vi
his imminent arrival In conse4USlloe,
when Rezanov drew rem tM . u uS Ir,,,,tst
and looked down upon the city OF lrhutnA
with It's pleasant squares ana great S'oiie
h,I.dings beside the shining river, t.e
pnded domes and crosses OF It's Iu'tts
churches and converts glIteIiias ~ ~ ne
SIM. the whole picture beckonlng To lle
deIirious brain of the traveller ike Soiile
mirage of the desert, his appearance W. We
the signal for salute from the loIl' hn1
the governor genesal, prlvy couisei 10, s the
civil Governor the commandment ana me
archbishop. and with military escoi l.
sailed forth and led the guest, win ; nc
formality of officials and the colllp ;sai
ate tenderness of men, into the capital
For three weeks longer ReZanoN lay III
the palace of the governor. Between zee
and lassitude his iron Will seemed ah e.
natelv to melt in the hery furnace VI M =
hodv then. a cooling but still viscous anu
formiess mass, sink to the Utmost aep', rs
of his being. But here he had the pest OF
,,rsing and attendance, rallied nnahy ana
insisted upon continuing his journey me
doctor made the less demur as the tray
a,ing was far smoother now. In the cary
DAYS of March, than 1t would pe liol.t II !!
hence when the snow was tiiliiiSt n
the sledges were no longer poss.o tt ~ a.
tbeless he announced his intention TO ac-
nnnanv him as far as krasnoiarsk, Where
the chamberlain could lodge In the mouse
of the principal magistrate OF 'iie PC .,'
Counselor Keller. and be able et,s to e 0G
mand fair nursing and medical atlenualcS'
ine 5 .h;s Rezanoy indifferently assented.
The Of continuing hi, nai5ed rss
shirts of the invalid and gave MN nc
titious energy. He had fought dspre 9
.n+s never admitted that the devasta-
ton in his body was mortal nnerb w' stre Ga5
ann emacfated beyond recognition, he at
BANQUET on the the f nEnS prefea orn
i ,,s stood M in his sledge and acknowl-
edged the Godspeed of the poprla'bo sfope
tba naIace of the governor. All his NE
he had excited interest wherever ne Went hn,
hit never to such degree as on that
Let tourney when he made his desperate
fiebt for life and happiness
XVII.
snniarsk