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Serkohadbeenobligedtotakerefugeinthecarriage。
Michaelknewwhatwashappening。Hefelthimselfdrawnroundinagraduallynarrowingline，fromwhichtheycouldnotgetfree。
Howhelongedtosee，tobebetterabletoavoidthisperil，butthatwasnolongerpossible。Nadiawassilent，herhandsclingingtothesidesofthecart，whichwasincliningmoreandmoretowardsthecenterofdepression。
AndNicholas，didhenotunderstandthegravityofthesituation？
Wasitwithhimphlegmorcontemptofdanger，courageorindifference？
Washislifevaluelessinhiseyes，and，accordingtotheEasternexpression，“anhotelforfivedays，“which，whetheroneiswillingornot，mustbeleftthesixth？Atanyrate，thesmileonhisrosyfaceneverfadedforaninstant。
Thekibitkawasthusinthewhirlpool，andthehorsewasnearlyexhausted，when，allatonce，Michael，throwingoffsuchofhisgarmentsasmightimpedehim，jumpedintothewater；
then，seizingwithastronghandthebridleoftheterrifiedhorse，hegavehimsuchanimpulsethathemanagedtostruggleoutofthecircle，andgettingagainintothecurrent，thekibitkadriftedalonganew。
“Hurrah！“exclaimedNicholas。
Twohoursafterleavingthewharf，thekibitkahadcrossedthewidestarmoftheriver，andhadlandedonanislandmorethansixverstsbelowthestartingpoint。
Therethehorsedrewthecartontothebank，andanhour’srestwasgiventothecourageousanimal；thentheislandhavingbeencrossedundertheshadeofitsmagnificentbirches，thekibitkafounditselfontheshoreofthesmallerarmoftheYenisei。
Thispassagewasmucheasier；nowhirlpoolsbrokethecourseoftheriverinthissecondbed；butthecurrentwassorapidthatthekibitkaonlyreachedtheoppositesidefiveverstsbelow。
Theyhaddriftedelevenverstsinall。
ThesegreatSiberianriversacrosswhichnobridgeshaveasyetbeenthrown，areseriousobstaclestothefacilityofcommunication。AllhadbeenmoreorlessunfortunatetoMichaelStrogoff。OntheIrtych，theboatwhichcarriedhimandNadiahadbeenattackedbyTartars。OntheObi，afterhishorsehadbeenstruckbyabullet，hehadonlybyamiracleescapedfromthehorsemenwhowerepursuinghim。
Infact，thispassageoftheYeniseihadbeenperformedtheleastdisastrously。
“Thatwouldnothavebeensoamusing，“exclaimedNicholas，rubbinghishands，astheydisembarkedontherightbankoftheriver，“ifithadnotbeensodifficult。“
“Thatwhichhasonlybeendifficulttous，friend，“
answeredMichaelStrogoff，“will，perhaps，beimpossibletotheTartars。“
CHAPTERVIIIAHARECROSSESTHEROAD
MICHAELSTROGOFFmightatlasthopethattheroadtoIrkutskwasclear。HehaddistancedtheTartars，nowdetainedatTomsk，andwhentheEmir’ssoldiersshouldarriveatKrasnoiarsktheywouldfindonlyadesertedtown。TherebeingnocommunicationbetweenthetwobanksoftheYenisei，adelayofsomedayswouldbecauseduntilabridgeofboatscouldbeestablished，andtoaccomplishthiswouldbeadifficultundertaking。
ForthefirsttimesincetheencounterwithIvanOgareffatOmsk，thecourieroftheCzarfeltlessuneasy，andbegantohopethatnofreshobstaclewoulddelayhisprogress。
Theroadwasgood，forthatpartofitwhichextendsbetweenKrasnoiarskandIrkutskisconsideredthebestinthewholejourney；fewerjoltsfortravelers，largetreestoshadethemfromtheheatofthesun，sometimesforestsofpinesorcedarscoveringanextentofahundredversts。
Itwasnolongerthewidesteppewithlimitlesshorizon；
buttherichcountrywasempty。Everywheretheycameupondesertedvillages。TheSiberianpeasantryhadvanished。
Itwasadesert，butadesertbyorderoftheCzar。
Theweatherwasfine，buttheair，whichcooledduringthenight，tooksometimetogetwarmagain。IndeeditwasnownearSeptember，andinthishighregionthedaysweresensiblyshortening。
Autumnherelastsbutaverylittlewhile，althoughthispartofSi
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