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An old Baikal boatman took command of the raft。
He was a man of sixty…five； browned by the sun； and lake breezes。
A thick white beard flowed over his chest； a fur cap covered
his head； his aspect was grave and austere。 His large
great…coat； fastened in at the waist； reached down to his heels。
This taciturn old fellow was seated in the stern； and issued
his commands by gestures。 Besides； the chief work consisted
in keeping the raft in the current； which ran along the shore；
without drifting out into the open。
It has been already said that Russians of all conditions had found
a place on the raft。 Indeed； to the poor moujiks； the women；
old men； and children； were joined two or three pilgrims；
surprised on their journey by the invasion； a few monks； and a priest。
The pilgrims carried a staff； a gourd hung at the belt； and they
chanted psalms in a plaintive voice： one came from the Ukraine；
another from the Yellow sea； and a third from the Finland provinces。
This last； who was an aged man； carried at his waist a little
padlocked collecting…box； as if it had been hung at a church door。
Of all that he collected during his long and fatiguing pilgrimage；
nothing was for himself； he did not even possess the key of the box；
which would only be opened on his return。
The monks came from the North of the Empire。 Three months before
they had left the town of Archangel。 They had visited the sacred
islands near the coast of Carelia； the convent of Solovetsk；
the convent of Troitsa； those of Saint Antony and Saint Theodosia；
at Kiev； that of Kazan； as well as the church of the Old Believers；
and they were now on their way to Irkutsk； wearing the robe；
the cowl； and the clothes of serge。
As to the papa； or priest； he was a plain village pastor； one of the six
hundred thousand popular pastors which the Russian Empire contains。
He was clothed as miserably as the moujiks； not being above
them in social position； in fact； laboring like a peasant
on his plot of ground； baptis…ing； marrying； burying。 He had
been able to protect his wife and children from the brutality
of the Tartars by sending them away into the Northern provinces。
He himself had stayed in his parish up to the last moment；
then he was obliged to fly； and； the Irkutsk road being stopped；
had come to Lake Baikal。
These priests； grouped in the forward part of the raft；
prayed at regular intervals； raising their voices in the
silent night； and at the end of each sentence of their prayer；
the 〃Slava Bogu；〃 Glory to God！ issued from their lips。
No incident took place during the night。 Nadia remained in a sort
of stupor； and Michael watched beside her； sleep only overtook
him at long intervals； and even then his brain did not rest。
At break of day； the raft； delayed by a strong breeze；
which counteracted the course of the current； was still forty versts
from the mouth of the Angara。 It seemed probable that the fugitives
could not reach it before three or four o'clock in the evening。
This did not trouble them； on the contrary； for they would then
descend the river during the night； and the darkness would
also favor their entrance into Irkutsk。
The only anxiety exhibited at times by the old boatman was
concerning the formation of ice on the surface of the water。
The night had been excessively cold； pieces of ice could be seen
drifting towards the West。 Nothing was to be dreaded from these；
since they could not drift into the Angara； having already
passed the mouth； but pieces from the Eastern end of the lake
might be drawn by the current between the banks of the river；
this would cause difficulty； possibly delay； and perhaps even
an insurmountable obstacle which would stop the raft。
Michael therefore took immense interest in ascertaining what was the state
of the lake； and whether any large number of ice blocks appeared。
Nadia being now awake； he questioned her often； and she gave him
an account of all that was going on。
Whilst the blocks were thus drifting； curious phenomena were
taking place on the surface of the Baikal。 Magnificent jets；
from springs of boiling water； shot up from some of those artesian
wells which Nature has bored in the very bed of the lake。
These jets rose to a great height and spread out in vapor；
which was illuminated by the solar rays； and almost immediately
condensed by the cold。 This curious sight would have assuredly
amazed a tourist traveling in peaceful times on this Siberian sea。
At four in the evening； the mouth of the Angara was signaled
by the old boatman； between the high granite rocks of the shore。
On the right bank could be seen the little port of Livenitchnaia；
its church； and its few houses built on the bank。 But the serious
thing was that the ice blocks from the East were already drifting
between the banks of the Angara； and consequently were descending
towards Irkutsk。 However； their number was not yet great enough
to obstruct the course of the raft； nor the cold great enough
to increase their number。
The raft arrived at the little port and there stopped。 The old boatman
wished to put into harbor for an hour； in order to make some repairs。
The trunks threatened to separate； and it was important to fasten them
more securely together to resist the rapid current of the Angara。
The old boatman did not expect to receive any fresh fugitives
at Livenitchnaia； and yet； the moment the raft touched；
two passengers； issuing from a deserted house； ran as fast
as they could towards the beach。
Nadia seated on the raft； was abstractedly gazing at the shore。
A cry was about to escape her。 She seized Michael's hand；
who at that moment raised his head。
〃What is the matter； Nadia？〃 he asked。
〃Our two traveling companions； Michael。〃
〃The Frenchman and the Englishman whom we met in the defiles
of the Ural？〃
〃Yes。〃
Michael started； for the strict incognito which he wished
to keep ran a risk of being betrayed。 Indeed； it was no longer
as Nicholas Korpanoff that Jolivet and Blount would now see him；
but as the true Michael Strogoff； Courier of the Czar。 The two
correspondents had already met him twice since their separation
at the Ichim post…housethe first time at the Zabediero camp；
when he laid open Ivan Ogareff's face with the knout； the second
time at Tomsk； when he was condemned by the Emir。 They therefore
knew who he was and what depended on him。
Michael Strogoff rapidly made up his mind。 〃Nadia；〃 said he；
〃when they step on board； ask them to come to me！〃
It was； in fact； Blount and Jolivet； whom the course of events
had brought to the port of Livenitchnaia； as it had brought
Michael Strogoff。 As we know； after having been present
at the entry of the Tartars into Tomsk； they had departed
before the savage execution which terminated the fete。
They had therefore never suspected that their former traveling
companion had not been put to death； but blinded by order
of the Emir。
Having procured horses they had left Tomsk the same evening；
with the fixed determination of henceforward dating their letters
from the Russian camp of Eastern Siberia。 They proceeded
by forced marches towards Irkutsk。 They hoped to distance
Feofar…Khan； and would certainly have done so； had it not been
for the unexpected apparition of the third column； come from
the South； up the valley of the Yenisei。 They had been cut off；
as had been Michael； before being able even to reach the Dinka；
and had been obliged to go back to Lake Baikal。
They had been in the place for three days in much perplexity；
when the raft arrived。 The fugitives' plan was explained to them。
There was certainly a chance that they might be able to pass under
cover of the night； and penetrate into Irkutsk。 They resolved
to make the attempt。
Alcide directly communicated with the old boatman； and asked a passage
for himself and his companion； offering to pay anything he demanded；
whatever it might be。
〃No one pays here；〃 replied the old man gravely； 〃every one risks
his life； that is all！〃
The two correspondents came on board； and Nadia saw them take
their places in the forepart of the raft。 Harry Blount was still
the reserved Engli