822 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEAXXETTE. 



came in and told Nindemann that the commandant was 

 coming. He was followed at once by a tall Russian 

 whom Nindemann took to be the commandant, and 

 eagerly accosted in English. The Russian, an exile by 

 the name of Kusmah, could not understand him ; but 

 he evidently knew something of affairs, for he uttered 

 two words, Jeannette, Americansk. Nindemann sud- 

 denly thought he might be some Russian officer who 

 had had orders from his government to look out for 

 them. He tried him in German, but the Russian shook 

 his head. He took out the little chart which the cap- 

 tain had given him, and pointed out the places, but the 

 Russian seemed to have no conception of what the 

 chart was. Then the Russian said something, but all 

 that Nindemann could catch was, " St. Petersburg," and 

 "telegrams." If it was necessary to wait for a dispatch 

 to St. Petersburg, Nindemann thought in despair, all 

 was over, for it would be impossible to reach the cap- 

 tain in time. 



While this confused exchange of words was going 

 on, Noros was in the hut writing out a note which the 

 two men had composed,, and the Russian picked up the 

 paper and put it in his pocket. They asked him for it, 

 but he refused to give it back, and about midnight took 

 his leave. He came back in the morning and rave 

 them to understand that he was going to Bulun, and 

 that they were to follow shortly. The people with 

 whom they were had furnished them with deer-skin 

 clothing and boots, and when preparations were made 

 to send them on their way, the woman of the hut 

 where Nindemann had stayed gave him some smoked 

 fish to eat on the road. 



The two sailors were now in charge of a man with 

 reindeer who was to take them to Bulun. They spent 



