iz dish, commonly called "koumyss." And this was
all. It may be added that the weather had become detestable. There were
considerable atmospheric commotions, bringing squalls mingled with rain.
The unfortunate prisoners, destitute of shelter, had to bear all the
inclemencies of the weather, nor was there the slightest alleviation to
their misery. Several wounded women and children died, and the prisoners
were themselves compelled to dig graves for the bodies of those whom
their jailers would not even take the trouble to bury.

During this trying period Alcide Jolivet and Michael Strogoff worked
hard, each in the portions of the enclosure in which they found
themselves. Healthy and vigorous, they suffered less than so many
others, and could better endure the hardships to which they were
exposed. By their advice, and the assistance they rendered, they were
of the greatest possible use to their suffering and despairing
fellow-captives.

Was this state of things to last? Would Feofar-Khan, satisfied with his
first success, wait some time before marching on Irkutsk? Such, it was
to be feared, would be the case. But it was not so. The event so much
wished for by Jolivet and Blount, so much dreaded by Michael, occurred
on the morning of the 12th of August.

On that day the trumpets sounded, the drums beat, the cannon roared.
A huge cloud of dust swept along the road from Kolyvan. Ivan Ogareff,
followed by several thousand men, made his entry into the Tartar camp.

CHAPTER II CORRESPONDENTS IN TROUBLE

IVAN OGAREFF was bringing up the main body of the army of the Emir. The
cavalry and infantry now under him had formed part of the column which
had taken Omsk. Ogareff, not having been able to reduce the high town,
in which, it must be remembered, the governor and garrison had sought
refuge, had decided to pass on, not wishing to delay operations which
ought to lead to the conquest of Eastern Siberia. He therefore left a
garrison in Omsk, and, reinforcing himself en route with the conquerors
of Kolyvan, joined Feofar's army.

Ivan Ogareff's soldiers halted at the outposts of the camp. They
received no orders to bivouac. Their chief's plan, doubtless, was not
to halt there, but to press on and reach Tomsk in the shortest possible
time, it being an important town, naturally intended to become the
center of future operations.

Besides his soldiers, Ogareff was bringing a convoy of Russian and
Siberian prisoners, captured