# Siberia and the Exile System/Volume 2

Siberia and the Exile System Volume 1
SIBERIA AND THE EXILE SYSTEM
BY GEORGE KENNAN
VOLUME TWO
NEW YORK THE CENTURY CO. 1891
Copyright, 1891, by The Century Co.
The De Vinne press.
VOLUME II
CONTENTS
| chapter | | page |
| I. | Prisons and Exiles in Irkútsk | 1 |
| II. | Under Police Surveillance | 29 |
| III. | A Visit to the Selengínsk Lamasery | 60 |
| IV. | A Ride Through the Trans-Baikál | 98 |
| V. | The Convict Mines of Kará | 131 |
| VI. | The Kará "Free Command" | 166 |
| VII. | State Criminals at Kará | 191 |
| VIII. | The History of the Kará Political Prison | 223 |
| IX. | The Silver Mines of Nérchinsk | 278 |
| X. | Adventures in Eastern Siberia | 319 |
| XI. | The Great Siberian Road in Winter | 355 |
| XII. | Our Last Days in Siberia | 386 |
| XIII. | The Character of Political Exiles | 430 |
| XIV. | Evils and Projected Reforms | 457 |
APPENDIXES
| Appendix A. | List of Authorities Cited | 475 |
| " B. | The Russian Press Censorship | 484 |
| " C. | Revolutionary Documents | 495 |
| " D. | Laws and Orders of the Government with Regard to Political Offenses and Offenders | 507 |
| " E. | The Tomsk Forwarding Prison | 510 |
| " F. | Condition of Prisons | 524 |
| " G. | Reports of the Governor-general of Eastern Siberia to the Tsar | 544 |
ILLUSTRATIONS
* page.
* A Marching Party of Exiles Passing a Train of Freight Sledges................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Frontispiece.
* Irkútsk from the Western Side of the Angará................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2
* Boats on the Angará................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3
* Old Powder-Magazine and Bazar, Irkútsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
* A Siberian Fire-Station................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................12
* Village of Lístvinichnaya................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................66
* Lake Baikál and Steamer-Landing at Lístvinichnaya................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................67
* An East-Siberian Teléga................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................68
* Selengá River and Valley................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................70
* Khainúief Munkú and His Children................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................73
* The Grand Lama................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................83
* The Lamasery................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................85
* Lamas and Their Musical Instruments................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................87
* Sacred White Elephant and Shrine of the Burkháns................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................91
* The Dance of the Burkháns................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................93
* A Wealthy Buriát and Wife................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................99
* Propitiatory Offerings of the Buriáts................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................100
* A General View of Kiákhta, Showing the "Neutral Ground"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................103
* Bazar and Chinese Shops in Tróitskosávsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................106
* A Street in Maimáchin................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................109
* Types of Buriáts, Chinese, and Mongols in Maimáchin................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................111
* Two Views of the New Vérkhni Údinsk Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................126
* A Trans-Baikál Étape................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................126
* A Part of Chíta from the "Hotel Peterburg"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................129
* The Shílka River and the Town of Strétinsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................132
* Living-Room of Russian Peasant's House at Ust Kará................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................137
* Central Part of the Penal Settlement Known as the Kará Lower Diggings................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................139
* Convicts at Work upon a New Government Building at the Lower Diggings................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................141
* Major Pótulof................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................142
* A Kámera in the Ust Kará Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................146
* View near Upper Kará, and Houses of the Free Command................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................151
* Old Hard-Labor Convict................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................155
* Convicts Returning at Night from the Mines................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................161
* Convicts at Work in a Kará Gold Placer................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................163
* A Convict of the Free Command Surreptitiously Washing Out Gold................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................164
* Telegraph Station and Part of Lower Diggings................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................167
* Houses of the Political Free Command................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................167
* Road to the Political Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................167
* A Part of the Lower Diggings with the Political Prison in the Distance................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................172
* The Cabin of the Armfeldts................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................185
* Dr. Véimar................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................201
* Madam Kavaléfskaya................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................213
* Old Mill near Kará................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................218
* The Kará Political Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................224
* Plan of the Kará Political Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................225
* Interior of a Kámera in the Kará Political Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................226
* Anna Pávlovna Korbá................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................247
* Hypolyte Muíshkin................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................250
* Madam Bogomólets................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................257
* N. Shchedrín................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................258
* Elizabeth Kaválskaya................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................265
* Madam Sukhomlína................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................270
* A Religious Service at an Orozhánni Encampment................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................273
* Peasants Threshing Grain on the Ice................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................274
* Returning from Kará on the Ice of the Shílka River................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................276
* The Alexandrófski Zavód................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................284
* Old Political Prison at the Mine of Akatúi................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................287
* The Valley and Mining Settlement of Algachí................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................291
* The Prison at Algachí................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................291
* The Prison Corridor................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................291
* Camels Grazing in the Snow near the Algachí Mine................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................297
* The Pokrófski Mine................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................302
* The Pokrófski Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................303
* The Village Well at Algachí................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................306
* The Village of Kadáiya................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................308
* The Mountains Pierced by Kadaínski Mine................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................310
* Górni Zerentúi................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................312
* The Sávenski Mine................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................315
* Bútin's House at Nérchinsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................322
* House of Decembrist Exiles................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................335
* The Political Exiles' Carpenter Shop, Chíta................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................335
* A Meeting of the Political Exiles in Chíta................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................337
* Siberian Freight-Sledges................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................342
* Siberian Pavóska, or Traveling-Sleigh................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................344
* The Alexandrófski Central Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................345
* Convicts Grinding Rye in the Alexandrófski Central Prison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................347
* A Visit to the Alexandrófski Central Prison at Night................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................349
* Through the Ice on the Angará River................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................351
* A Storm at Night in the Mountains of the Angará................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................353
* Crossing the Ice Bridge over the Angará................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................354
* A Village on the Great Siberian Road................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................360
* Snow-Waves, or Ukhábi, near Krasnoyársk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................362
* Passing a Train of Freight-Sledges................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................367
* Examination of Political Convicts' Leg-Fetters at the Prison Gate................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................369
* Scenery of the Upper Yeniséi................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................382
* Mountains and Palisades of the Yeniséi................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................384
* A Street in Minusínsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................389
* A Soyót................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................394
* Prehistoric Burial-Places in the Valley of the Yeniséi................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................396
* A Yurt of the Káchinski Tatárs................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................399
* Distilling Arrack in a Tatár Yurt................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................401
* Káchinski Tatár Woman and Child................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................403
* A Káchinski Tatár................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................405
* The "Plague-Guard"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................414
* Interior of a Peasant's House near Tomsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................417
* Kírghis Camel Sledges................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................419
* Merchants' Sleighs Coming from the Irbít Fair................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................421
* Tobólsk—The Upper Plateau................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................423
* The Convict Prison—Tobólsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................425
* The Exiled Bell of Uglích................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................427
* Yermák's Monument, Tobólsk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................429
* Véra Phillípova [born Figner]................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................433
* Véra Figner as a Young Girl................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................437
* Gregórie and Heléne Máchtet................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................443
* Sophie Nikítina................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................453
MAPS
* Route from Irkútsk to Kiákhta................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................61
* Route prom Tróitskosávsk to Kará................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................118
* Our Route from Nérchinski Zavód to the Angará................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................319