# Siberia and the Exile System/Volume 1

Siberia and the Exile System Volume 2
SIBERIA AND THE EXILE SYSTEM
BY GEORGE KENNAN
VOLUME ONE
NEW YORK THE CENTURY CO. 1891
Copyright, 1891, by The Century Co.
The De Vinne press.
VOLUME I
CONTENTS
| chapter | | page |
| I. | From St. Petersburg to Perm | 1 |
| II. | Across the Siberian Frontier | 25 |
| III. | The Flowery Plains of Tobólsk | 55 |
| IV. | The Tiumén Forwarding Prison | 74 |
| V. | A Siberian Convict Barge | 103 |
| VI. | First Impressions of Post Travel | 120 |
| VII. | The Great Kírghis Steppe | 140 |
| VIII. | Our First Meeting with Political Exiles | 168 |
| IX. | Bridle Paths of the Altái | 188 |
| X. | Two Colonies of Political Exiles | 227 |
| XI. | Exile by Administrative Process | 242 |
| XII. | The Province and the City of Tomsk | 278 |
| XIII. | The Tomsk Forwarding Prison | 302 |
| XIV. | The Life of Political Exiles | 322 |
| XV. | The Great Siberian Road | 351 |
| XVI. | Deportation by Étape | 369 |
ILLUSTRATIONS
* page.
* George Kennan................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Frontispiece.
* The Fair-City of Nizhni Nóvgorod................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
* A Part of the Old Town of Nizhni Nóvgorod................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................11
* Water Carrier in a Vólga River Village................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
* A Vólga River Hamlet................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
* A Peasant Woman of Simbirsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
* The City of Perm................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................26
* A Railroad Verst Post................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................33
* A Street in Ekaterinburg................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................37
* Tárantás at a Post Station................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................46
* A Caravan of Freight Wagons................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................48
* Bivouac of Freight Wagon Drivers................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
* The Siberian Boundary Post................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
* A Siberian Peasant's House, Barn, and Court-Yard Gate................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................67
* The Tiumén Forwarding Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................82
* The Court-Yard of the Tiumen Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................85
* Making Up an Exile Party in the Tiumén Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................88
* Court-Yard of the Women's Prison, Tiumén................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................93
* Tiumén Laborers Waiting for Employment................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................104
* The "Real Schule"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................106
* "Voluntary Exiles." (Dobrovólni)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................107
* A Marching Exile Party................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................109
* A Convict Barge................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................112
* An Exile Party About to Embark................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................113
* Exiles Going on Board the Barge................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................115
* Men's Cage, Convict Barge—Exiles Buying Food................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................116
* Inside the Women's Cage, Convict Barge................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................118
* Convict Types................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................119
* Our Tárantás................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................123
* Return of the Miracle-Working Ikón................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................129
* Huts of Village Gate-Keepers................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................132
* A Village Gate-Keeper................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................134
* A Steppe Village................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................137
* Police Station and Fire Tower in Omsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................141
* The Exile Suburb—Omsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................143
* A Kírghis Encampment................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................144
* Interior of a Kírghis Kibítka................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................147
* A Kírghis Cemetery................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................151
* An Oasis in the Kirghis Steppe................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................154
* Washing Clothes in the Írtish................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................156
* A Street in Semipalátinsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................159
* A Camel Team Crossing the Ford................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................161
* A Kírghis Horseman in Gala Dress................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................163
* A Wrestling Match................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................165
* Cossack Peasant Girl Spinning................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................190
* Upper Írtish Valley and Foot-Hills of the Altái................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................192
* The Altái Station................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................194
* Our House at the Altái Station................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................196
* Picnic Ground, Valley of the Búkhtarmá................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................203
* Cossack Picket of Jingistái................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................205
* The Village of Arúl................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................207
* Ascent of the Mountain from Berél................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................210
* Kírghis Encampment on the Summit................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................212
* Rakmánofski Lake................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................214
* The Rakmánofski Hot Springs................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................216
* Descent into the Valley of the White Berél................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................218
* Distant View of the Katúnski Alps................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................219
* The "Katúnski Pillars"—Source of The Katún River................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................221
* The Descent into the Gorge of the Katún................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................223
* The Katún River................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................224
* Lower Part of Katún Glacier (Upper Part in Clouds)—Katún Waterfall................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................225
* Climing up the Alexandrófskaya-Séivernaya Ravine................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................231
* The Ulbínsk Ravine................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................233
* The Valley of Ulbínsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................235
* The Town of Ust Kámenogórsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................238
* A Post-Station on the Barnaül Road................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................280
* Market-Place in Barnaül................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................282
* Old Prison or Guard-House in Barnaül................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................284
* Peasant Women at Work in Barnaül................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................287
* Koliván Lake................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................289
* Grotesque Rocks near Koliván Lake................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................292
* Ferry on the River Ob near Barnaül................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................295
* A Part of the Market Square in Tomsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................300
* A "Family Kámera" in the Tomsk Forwarding Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................313
* Prince Kropótkin................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................324
* An Old Siberian Ferry-Boat................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................355
* Bark-Mills, Krasnoyársk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................358
* Monastery near Krasnoyársk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................360
* Road to Monastery................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................361
* A Siberian Blacksmith................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................363
* The Departure of the Mail................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................365
* Sick and Infirm Exiles in Telégas................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................375
* A Convict Party Passing a Shrine near Tomsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................377
* Halt of a Convict Party for Lunch................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................379
* "Brodyágs" or Runaway Convicts................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................381
* A Polu-Étape on the Tomsk-Áchinsk Road................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................383
* A "Kámera" or Cell in a Polu-Étape................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................385
* An Étape................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................387
* A Party of Exiles Crossing the Yeniséi................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................398
* An Old Convict Begging Food................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................403
* A Break for Liberty................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................408
MAPS
* PAGE.
* Map of Siberia................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
* Enlarged Map of Route from Tiumen to Semipalátinsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................121
* Map of Route from Semipalátinsk to the Altái................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................189
* Route from the Altái Station to Tomsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................228