The central record., 1914-02-05
The Lighthouse OF
the North
An Audacious Hazard of Nkolai Independent Agent
Related by His Lieutenant Summers
BY H. M. EGBERT
(copyrieht, 1918, by W. G. Chapman)


of Norway. 1t was the end of Septem-
Der; the nights and days were equal,
but a blue line on the horizon beto-
kened the approach Of the Arctic ice
pack that would soon descend to seal
that silent coast until the following
spring. Nothing could exceed the lone
illness and desolation of the sea-scape;
not a sail or line Of smoke was visi-
BILE. Far on our starboard lay the
Norwegian coast.
There were six of us aboard with
Nikolai We were all consumed to
know the reason for our presence
in those cold waters, far from civiliz-
alton. This was the day On which
we we're to be told. Nikolai assembled
us on deck-we were all members of
the international league-and broke
the seal of a document.
Then he read out the orders.
"Satcha Alexandrovitch, with five
other revolutionary patriots, is on his
way to Archangel aboard the Potem-
kim" he told us.
Our mission was to rescue them.
For these men had been the hope of
Russia and of freedom through many
stormy months; at last, treacherously
BETRAYED to the minions of the tsar,
they had been sentenced, after mock
trial. TO perpetual banishment in the
frozen wastes of northern Russia,
where no man ever lived long enough
TO communicate with his friends
again. 1t was a sentence of death in
the penal settlement there.
And or the following day the cruis-
er Potemkin would round the great
cape on her journey into the White
sea, the last before the closing in OF
the ice, bearing her victims.
Afterward, Nikolai communicated
to me his plans, as We sat side by
side within the cabin, studying the
charts.
Here we shall intercept her." he
said. pointing to a dot off the coast
And all her guns and compile
ment of soldiers and sailors will never
save her"
He unfolded his scheme. Here is
the lighthouse" he said. Its light,
burning steadily, alone makes possi-
BILE a voyage between those rocks and
shoals. We shall destroy the light;
the ship, misled, will be buffeted to
pieces upon the rocks. The prisoners
have been warned. They will es-
cape in the confusion. Perhaps they
will perish; but the chance is better
than the certain death which awaits
them"
1t was a desperate undertaking, the
little yacht against the armored bat
tleship, but none of us thought OF
that Our hearts were elated with the
magnitude of our task. That night,
running in close along the rocky shore,
we sighted the lighthouse.
1t was of the old-fashioned type.
The lenses did not revolve, but a
STEADY stream Of light issued through
them on three sides, shooting out like
/. warning finger far into the dark
ness.
said to Nikolai. "Perchance, If we
shoot out the central lense, no light
visible from a distance will issue
The Potemkin will sail to her de
istruction"
Nikolai smiled rather sadly.
I'VE cannot approach that coast
within two thousand yards" he an
swered. And, at that distance, ne
rifle bullet would penetrate those thicl
lenses. Moreover, at such a distance
who could hit a beam of light by nigh
or even the lighthouse, by day
clothed, as it always is, with perpetual
sea-fogs?"
What them" ! asked.
I'VE must take it by storm" he an
swered. 1T is guarded by three sol
diers-vetersns of the Imperial Guard
Russia leaves little to chance. 1t mus
be captured"
That night the lighthouse was tt
be rushed. There was no other way
At dark we took our way in towart
lead; we anchored at a distance Of {
mile and a little more, and leaving
two men aboard, the five of US re
manning rowed cautiously through thu
rocks.
More than once our little boat upset
leaving US clinging to the sharp
needle-pointed crags. But each tim'
we recovered ourselves, by some for
tuitous miracle. At length, dripping
frozen and utterly exhausted, W,
reached the rocks on which the grea
lighthouse stood. 1t lowered abov'
us, a veritable colossus of masonry
and from its summit the steady beam
of light poured forth on three side
through the fogs. And now / per
ceived why my suggestion could no
have been carried out The lenses wer
set back into the masonry, so that n,
rife bullet could have been aimed a
them from the base Of the cliffs. Onl,
far out at sea would they become ae
cessible, and there, as Nikolai ha'
said. they could not have beel
pierced.
We had brought cutlasses and re
volvers. At q word from Nikolai W
crept cautiously across our slipper
foothold until We reached the iror
bound door at the base Of the towe
Family within We heard two watct
men singing a peasant song.
Now, men," said Nfkolai, 1T wi
be useless to knock. Nobody will ope