rezanov-第35部分

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；　cook　and　other　servants；　one　set　of　fine　blankets　and　linen；　cooking　utensils；　axes；　arms；　tinder…boxes；　provisions　for　the　entire　trip；　besides　a　great　quantity　of　personal　luggage。

Rezanov　lost　no　time。　　He　had　changed　his　origi…　nal　plan　and　dispatched　Davidov　on　the　Avos　from　Oonalaska。　　Guns　and　provisions　awaited　the　Juno　at　Okhotsk；　and　in　less　than　a　week　after　his　ar…　rival　Rezanov　was　able　to　start　on　his　long　journey　with　a　mind　at　rest。　　Although　the　almost　extrava…　gant　delight　that　his　body　had　taken　in　the　com…　forts　of　his　manager's　home；　after　ten　weeks　on　the　Juno；　warned　him　that　he　might　be　in　a　better　con…　dition　to　begin　a　journey　of　ten　thousand　versts；　he　hearkened　neither　to　the　hint　nor　to　the　insistence　of　his　host。　　His　impatient　energy　and　stern　will；　combined　with　the　passionate　wish　to　accomplish　the　double　object　of　his　journey；　returning　in　the　least　possible　time　to　California　with　his　treaty　and　the　consent　of　the　Pope　and　King　to　his　marriage；　would　have　carried　him　out　of　Okhotsk　in　forty…　eight　hours　had　disease　declared　itself。　　Nor　were　there　any　inducements　aside　from　a　comfortable　bed　and　refined　fare；　in　the　flat；　unhealthy　town　with　its　everlasting　rattle　of　chains；　and　the　hideous　physiognomies　of　criminals　always　at　work　to　the　rumbling　accompaniment　of　Cossack　oaths。

For　the　first　week　the　exercise　he　loved　best　and　the　long　days　in　the　crisp　open　air　renewed　his　vigor；　and　he　even　looked　forward　to　the　four　months　of　what　was　then　the　severest　traveling　in　the　world；　in　a　boyish　spirit　of　adventure。　　He　re…　flected　that　he　might　as　well　give　his　brain　a　relief　from　the　constant　revolving　of　schemes　and　plans　for　the　advancement　of　his　country；　his　company；　and　himself；　and　let　his　thoughts　have　their　car…　nival　of　anticipation　with　the　unparalleled　happiness　and　success　that　awaited　him　in　the　future。　　There　was　no　possible　doubt　of　the　acquiescence　and　assist…　ance　of　the　Tsar；　and　no　man　ever　looked　down　a　fairer　perspective　than　he；　as　he　galloped　over　the　ugly　country；　often　far　ahead　of　his　caravan；　splash…　ing　through　bogs　and　streams；　fording　rivers　with…　out　ferries；　camping　at　night　in　forests　so　dense　the　cold　never　escaped　their　embrace；　muffled　to　the　eyes　in　furs　as　he　made　his　way　past　valleys　whose　eter…　nal　ice　fields　chilled　the　country　for　miles　about；　sometimes　able　to　procure　a　little　fresh　milk　and　butter；　oftener　not；　occasionally　passing　a　caravan　returning　for　furs；　generally　seeing　nothing　but　a　stray　reindeer　for　hours　together；　once　meeting　the　post　and　finding　much　for　himself　that　in　nowise　dampened　his　spirit。

But　on　the　eighth　day　the　rains　began：　a　fine　steady　mist；　then　in　torrents　as　endless。　　Wrapped　in　bearskins　at　night　within　the　shelter　of　a　tent　or　of　some　wayside　hut；　and　closely　covered　by　day；　Rezanov　at　first　merely　cursed　the　inconvenience　of　the　rain；　but　while　crossing　the　river　Allach　Juni；　his　guides　without　consulting　him　having　taken　him　miles　out　of　his　way　in　order　to　avoid　the　hamlet　of　the　same　name　where　the　small…pox　was　raging；　but　where　there　was　a　government　ferry；　his　horse　lost　his　footing　in　the　rapid；　swollen　current　and　fell。　Rezanov　managed　to　retain　his　seat；　and　pulled　the　frightened；　plunging　beast　to　its　feet　while　his　Cos…　sacks　were　still　shouting　their　consternation。　　But　he　was　soaked　to　the　skin；　his　personal　luggage　was　in　the　same　condition；　and　they　did　not　reach　a　hut　where　a　fire　could　be　made　until　nine　hours　later。　It　was　then　that　the　seeds　of　malaria；　accumulated　during　the　last　three　years　in　unsanitary　ports　and　sown　deep　by　exceptional　hardships；　but　which　he　believed　had　taken　themselves　off　during　his　six　weeks　in　California；　stirred　more　vigorously　than　in　Sitka　or　Okhotsk。　　He　rode　on　the　next　day　in　a　burning　fever。　　Jon；　minding　Langsdorff's　instruc…　tions；　doctored　himnot　without　difficultyfrom　the　medicine　chest；　and　for　a　day　or　two　the　fever　seemed　broken。　　But　Jon；　sick　with　apprehension；　implored　him　to　turn　back。　　He　might　as　well　have　implored　the　sky　to　turn　blue。

〃How　do　you　think　men　accomplish　things　in　this　world？〃　asked　Rezanov　angrily。　　〃By　turning　back　and　going　to　bed　every　time　they　have　a　mi…　graine？〃

〃No；　Excellency；〃　said　the　man　humbly。　　〃But　health　is　necessary　to　the　accomplishment　of　every…　thing；　and　if　the　body　is　eaten　up　with　fever〃

〃What　are　drugs　for？　　Give　me　the　whole　damned　pharmacopeia　if　you　choose；　but　don't　talk　to　me　about　turning　back。〃

〃Very　well；　Excellency；〃　said　Jon；　with　a　sigh。

The　next　day　he　and　one　of　the　Cossack　guard　caught　him　as　he　fell　from　his　horse　unconscious。　A　Yakhut　hut；　miserable　as　it　was；　offered　in　the　persistent　downpour　a　better　shelter　than　the　tent。　They　carried　him　into　it；　and　his　bedding　at　least　was　almost　as　luxurious　as　had　he　been　in　St。　Petersburg。　　Jon；　at　his　wits'　end；　remembered　the'　practice　of　Langsdorff　in　similar　cases；　and　used　the　lancet；　a　heroic　treatment　he　would　never　have　accomplished　had　his　master　been　conscious。　　The　fever　ebbed；　and　in　a　few　days　Rezanov　was　able　to　continue　the　journey　by　shorter　stages；　although　heavy　with　an　intolerable　lassitude。　　But　his　will　sustained　him　until　he　reached　Yakutsk；　not　at　the　end　of　twenty…two　days；　but　of　thirty…three。　　Here　he　succumbed　immediately；　and　although　his　sick…　bed　was　in　the　comfortable　home　of　the　agent　of　the　Company；　and　he　had　medical　attendance　of　a　sort；　his　fever　and　convalescence　lasted　for　eight　weeks。　　Then；　in　spite　of　the　supplications　of　his　friends；　chief　among　whom　was　his　faithful　Jon；　and　the　prohibition　of　the　doctor；　he　began　the　sec…　ond　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　di…　rection；　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　trav…　elers　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　a　fortnight　he　was　again　possessed　with　all　his　old　ardor　of　desire　to　reach　the　end　of　his　jour…　ney。　　He　vowed　he　was　well　again；　abandoned　his　comfortable　sledge；　and　pushed　on　in　the　common　manner。　　In　the　wretched　post　sledges　he　was　often　exposed　to　the　full　violence　of　a　Siberian　winter；　and　although　the　horseback　exercise　stirred　his　blood　and　refreshed　him　for　the　moment；　he　suffered　in　reaction　and　was　several　times　forced　to　remain　two　nights　instead　of　one　at　a　station。　　But　he　was　muf…　fled　in　sables　to　his　very　eyes；　and　the　road　was　diverting；　often　beautiful；　with　its　Gothic　moun…　tains；　its　white　plains　set　with　villages　and　farms；　the　high　thin　crosses　above　the　open　or　swelling　domes　of　the　little　churches。　　Sometimes　the　Lena　narrowed　until　its　frozen　surface　looked　like　a　mass　of　ice　that　had　ground　its　way　between　perpendicu…　lar　walls　or　overhanging　masses　of　rock　that　awaited　the　next　convulsion　of　nature　to　close　the　pass　alto…　gether。　　Then　the　dogs　trotted　past　caves　and　grot…　tos；　left　the　abrupt　and　craggy　banks；　crossed　level　plains　once　more；　where　herds　of　cattle　grazed　in　the　summertime；　now　a　vast　uncheckered　expanse　of　white。　　The　Government　and　Company　agents　fawned　upon　him；　the　best　of　horses　and　beds；　food　and　wine；　were　eagerly　placed　at　the　disposal　of　the　favorite　of　the　Tsar。　　Rezanov's　spirit；　always　of　the　finest　temper；　suffered　no　eclipse　for　many　days。　He　reveled　in　the　belief　that　his　sorely　tried　body　was　regenerating　its　old　vigors。

From　Wercholensk　to　Katschuk　the　journey　was　so　winding　by　river　that　it　consumed　more　than　twice　the　time　of　the　land　route；　which　although　only　thirty　versts　in　extent　was　one　of　the　most　difficult　in　Siberia。　　Rezanov　chose　the　latter　with…　out　hesitation；　and　would　listen　to　no　discussion　from　the　Commissary　of　the　little　town　or　from　his　distracted　Jon：　the　journey　from　Yakutsk　had　now　lasted　five　weeks　and　the　servant's　watchful　eye　noted　signs　of　exhaustion。

The　hills　were　very　high　and　very　steep；　the　roads　but　a　name　in　summer。　　Had　not　the　snow　been　soft　and　thin；　the　horses　could　not　have　made　the　ascent　at　all；　and；　as　it　was；　the　riders　were　forced　to　walk　the　greater　part　of　the　way　and　drag　their　unwilling　steeds　behind　them。　　They　were　twelve　hours　covering　the　thirty　versts；　and　at　Katschuk　Rezanov　succumbed　for　two　days；　while　Jon　scoured　the　country　in　search　of　a　telega；　as　sometimes　hap…　pened　there　was　a　long　stretch　of　country　without　snow；　and　sledges；　by　far　the　most　comfortable　method　of　travel　in　Siberia；　could　not　be　used。　　The　rest　of　the　journey；　but　one　hundred　and　ninety…　six　versts；　must　be　made　by　land。　　Rezanov　admit…　ted　that　he　was　too　weary　to　ride；　and　refused　to　travel　in　the　post　carriage。　　On　the　third　day　the　servant　managed　to　hire　a　telega　from　a　superior　farmer　and　they　started　immediately；　the　heavy　lug…　gage　having　been　consigned　to　a　merchant　vessel　at　Yakutsk。

Rezanov　stood　the　telega　exactly　half　a　day。　Little　larger　than　an　armchair　and　far　lighter；　it　was　drawn　by　horses　that　galloped　up　and　down　hill　and　across　the　intervening　valleys　with　no　change　of　gait；　and　over　a　road　so　rough　that　the　little　vehicle　seemed　to　be　propelled　by　a　succession　of　earthquakes。　　Rezanov；　in　a　fever　which　he　at…　tributed　to　rage；　dismissed　the　telega　at　a　village　and　awaited　the　coming　of　Jon；　who　followed　on　horseback　with　the　personal　luggage。


It　was　a　village　of　wooden　houses　built　in　the　Russian　fashion；　and　inhabited　by　a　dignified　tribe　wearing　long　white　garments　bordered　with　fur。　They　spoke　Russian；　a　language　little　heard　farther　north　and　east　in　Siberia；　and　when　Rezanov　de…　clined　their　hospitality　they　dispatched　a　courier　at　once　to　the　Governor…General　of