The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-05-04

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the watch being over, the prisoner digs his way out
under ground and goes 10 his old work Should II u-
luckily chance that the brodjaga recognised IN the JAIL
and that witness appears against him. then place
In the mines or compromising win some other convict
is his lot He receives generous share OF the knou'
and is branded for his repeated escapes All This, how
ever, does teriiy him destroy his taste for his
| trade He remains what he was becomes more Gun
ming, and even contves 10 render his brand invisible
Shortly after our arrival IN Siberia we were visited by
apparently very respectable. He informed us that
he was ILL., and. having heard that one OF us was phy-
sican, he desired to avail himself Of his advice He
visited us frequently and enthusiastic tor German
literature. Schiller delighted him above all other poets,
and he was charmed TO find that we had copy OF bis
works. and that he could them privately He gave us
to understand that he was Swede that he had been
formerly hght-ope dancer, and had done very good
business But unhappiy he once fell from the cord and
broke his leg since when be had depended upon the
charity OF the Poles for his living.
Just at this time the mayor OF the city to which we
had been allotted for our residence and in which we had
made the acquaintance of the Schiller enthusiast died,
and the superintendent OF police great lover OF spirit
uous drink, assumed his functions I'D interim II was
not long before rope.dancng friend the mos.
intimate terms with the new mayor, and gradually con-
cerned himself in all the details OF business More than
received our letters through him in quiet way
We believed nothing less than that the inguer would
gradually tip the chief OF police out OF the saddle, and
himself TO the dignity Of mayor But the stars had
otherwise decreed. Judge from Iobolsk came upon an
official visit to the mayor who received him in the room
where our friend seated The judge looked at him
sharply. recognised him once old offender whom
he had formerly tried and condemned for MURDER and
dered him instantly 10 be arrested turned out that
our crafty friend was common soldier in the guards.
who had murdered his officer and broken open his chest,
| and had then become Brodjaga. he received an ap
pcation OF the knout and sent 10 the mines but it
very possible that he has smuggled himself again.
ne p vev
mon Women thus revenge themselves upon an unfaith-
iu lover or to get rid Of tedious husband or Of child
poison When the deed is done. the murderer goes to
the Judge shows him five roube piece. (he customary
fee in such cases and declares i were man. that he
Ma sbapst hat
the Of the district who nspects the body
drinks cup Of tea in the house OF mourning, slips the
ceased died of apoplexy. occasoned by drinking The
thing is then DONE When children caused to die,
there is similar proceetng-oniy the fatal illness has
exile who has scarcely shed the shoes OF childhood and
is not yet capable OF political offence. Yet the
mission OF inquiry. bent upon advancing itself, finds
something TO do here. Games and jokes adjudged
to be conspiracles. They arrest the children, and BY
blows. and threats and promises drive them into
LESSONS OF deeds OF which they have dreamed.
What must become Of children under such inHuences'
Among the inhabitants of Siberia are also TO be reck
oned those Who the Phraseology Of the government,
Russian yoke The warlike among them are, however,
independent TO this day, and like the Tscherksh, are in
perpetual ieud with the Russians The friendly, too, do
not always deserve the name; Tor on favorable chance
they joirwh their free Brethren, and fall upon the Rus.
sian villages that lie along the border between the two
races and lay everything waste.
Yet the Russians often win brilliant victories over
these foes and had some opportunities OF observing the
prisoners brought in Far away noise is heard. no,
shri but smothered roar, il IRON the interior OF the
earth Then the green Russian uniform appears and
behind this crowd Of gray heads laden with chains and
surrounded BY guard oil soldiers Momentarily pauses
bodies, must constantly rest they creep with their
heavy chains these the hostages OF the Krgish,
and those who conduct Them for the most part Poles
who serve IN the Siberian baalions-slaves leading
slaves.
WHAT, now does Russia with all these peoples WHY
does she lead them into captivity And what finally
becomes OF them These are unanswerable questions
Should they be ransomed' The Kifgsh too poor for
that He has only the dry desert, his feet tent, and his
horse, and they do not suffice Tor Even the
friendly kigsh looks upon the Siberian with contempt
and stays in his cities only long enough his
and hunts whatever hand he regretted the
time lost and hoped to make up.
The Kgish is genuine nomad. and passes his life in
the wild. When not on horseback he sits in his conca
tent made OF the felt OF cames hair Here he drinks
his kumis, sour, spiriiuous exciting drink, made of
mares milk. which be suffers to drip into eahern bag
medicine. and contend that good for diseases OF the
heart. and even for consunp tion.
The kirgish externally resemble the Tartars, and
have. like them, ugly features little glowing eyes.
deeply set in the head, curling black hair and pale
complexion But the resemblance is only external The
Tartar has some what civilized himself, and has become
quiet, Peace-loving uadesman while the Kirgsh is still
the wild of the Seppes Brave inpatient and fiery
as his hose-hard, yet tempered as his dagger-rough
as hir drink, he doubles up his fist when he
Russian, and fosters his hatred forever The Siberian
Tartar dreams more OF freedoms he has become used
10 Tue YOKE and ~ good subject" The kiTgsh too,
has been obliged to submits but the consciousness lies
like stone upon his heart. Apparently. he bends I'M
der the iron law but II only that he may be the
oppressor TO plunge the dagger into his breast at the
| hitting moment. Their revenge is OF the most awful
character, and is such prevails among wild to
whom torment and msriyrdom are pleasant.
j They greatly who fancy that the Siberian exile
dwes in suberranean bole and hunts sables order TO
supply certain quantity Of skins to the government,
who seek the horror OF Siberia in the climate II is
that the cold 40 that birds upon the wing freeze
and fall dead 10 the earth and scurvy and govt are for the
same reason permanent Diseases especially in the
4 regions The n as warm as the winter is cold
aud the heat ntoerabe IRON the swarms OF gnats
But these things do make Siberia terrible II Is the
inexorabe thought thou shalt die here" This il s that
strikes its vulture beak into the heart OF the exile and
i enaws II always and everywhere. II mngles in his
dreams awases with him at morning. and cIings 10 him
until he sinks, weared TO sleep From every book which
he takes in his hand from the sheet OF paper which he
would conhde hi. stare al him the fghfu words
each OF his fellow sufferers stamped upon his brow This
high degree OF suffering shows ITSELF Also in the faces OF
natives, many OF whom, without knowing it, children
OF the unhappy whose bones lie under these eternal
SHOWS The horrible thought OF being Siberian exile
consumes the vital force, dries up The in the
bones. and drop by drop poisons the blood in the veins
When the tragedy IA consummated, the victim ueed
to i5otic auomaton, despair has made him maniac
Upon the wide Sieppes of Siberia neither roses blow
ngbtngaes sing but little islands OF forget not
strewn here and there, which by their color remind
The poor exile OF Heaven. and seem TO say TO him. God
Is here, too
Washington and Alsxanarta Boat.