The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-06-07

oi police, great lover of spurious drink nssum-
cd his functions dd '"t'Tim. 1t was not hong hc.
fole our rope dancing friend was on the most luli
mate terms with the new mnyor nnd gradually
concerned himself IN all the details Of business
More than once we received our letters through
him ~ quiet way.
We believed nothing less than that the ntrig
uer would gradually tlp the chief of police out o.
the saddle, and raise himself to the dignity d
mayor But the STAR had otherwise ilccrccd. 4
Judge from Tobol-k came upon an official visit
To the mayor, who received him into the room
where or friend was seated. The Judge looked
a him sharply recognized him Mt once rs AN old
offender whom he had formerly triod and con
demned for murder, and ordered him instantly
to be. arrested 1t turned out that our crafty
friend was common soldier in the guards, whr
had murdered hi, officer aud broken open hi.
chest, and had then become Brodaiaga. lie
received an application of the kuout, and wa,
sent to the mines, but it is very possible tha,
he has smugglcd himself out again, and that he
IS to day All official somewhere
Murder even in broad daylight, is here very
common. Women thus revenge themselves up
on M unEuthul lover or to get rid Of a tediou.
husband, or Of children who hinder the maternal
plans. The usual means is poison. Whom the
deed Is done, the murderer goes to the Judge
shows him five rouble piece, (tle customary fee
in such cases and declares, il it were a man. tina,
he drank himselfto death. The official then turns
the thing over to the physician Of the district
who nspects the body, drinks IL cup of tea in the
house OF mourning, slps the five rouhle bit into
hs pocket, and certitics that the deceased died
of apoplexy, occasoned by drinking. The thing
s then done.
When children are caused to die, there ia a
similar proceeding the fatal illness has ma
turnlly another name Into such society falls the
exile who has scarcely shed the shoes of child.
hood, and is not yet capable OF political offence
Yet the commission, on inquiry, bent upon ad-
yanClng itself finds something to do here
Games and Jokes are adjudgcd to be cons pira-
cies. They arrest the children, and by blows and
threats, and promises, drive them into confessions
Of deeds Of which they have never Dreamed
What must become o. children under such iuilu.
encesi
Among the inhabitants Of Siberia are also tobe
reckoued those who, in the phrascology Of their
g"ycrnmcnt, are called Kirgi,h who have osten.
sihly submitted to the Russian yoke. The war.
Ike among them are, however, independent To
this day, and, like the Tscherkish aro in perpet.
ual feud with tie Russians. The friendly too do
not always deserve the name; for on a favor.
able chance, they join with their free brethren
and fall upon the Russian villages that lie along
the border between the two races, and lay every.
thing waste.
Yet the Russians often win brilliant victories
over these foes, and had some opportunity Of
observing the prisoner, 4,rough, in Far away a
noise is heard, not shri but a smothsred roar, as
if from the interior of the earth Then the gre,n
Russian Uniform appears, and behind this a
crowd Of grey heads laden with chains, and sur.
rounded by ~ guard Of soldiers. Momvntarily it
pauses; for the old men who can scarce carry d.
long their own bodies. must constantly rest As
they creep on with their heavy chains. These are
the hostages Of the kirgisd and those who con.
duet them are for the most part Poles, Wis serve
IN the Siberian battalliuns-- slaves lcldiuy
slaves.
What, now, does Russia with all these people
Why does she lead them into captivity , Aud
what finally becomes Of themi These are rlnan.
swcrable questions Should they be ransomcd
The krgish is too poor for that. He has only
the dry desert, his feet, tent, and bis horse, and
they do not suffice FOR ransom. Even the friend.
ly krglsh looks upon the Siberian with contempt,
and stays in his cities only long enough to trans
act his business Tha, once over, he springs upon
bis horse and hunts whatever comes to hand as
If ho regretted the time los, and hoped to make
it up.
Tho Kitgish is genuine nomad, and passed
his life in the wild. When not on horseback, he
sits in his conlca tent made of the felt of camel.
hair. Here he drinks his kumis, sour spurious
exciting drink, made of mares milk which he ,uf
fers to drip into a leathern bag adapted to the
purpose. The SIberans drink il as a medicine,
and contend that 1t is good for diseases Of the
heart, and even for consump ion.
The kirgish externally resemble the Tar.aIs
add have like them, ugly features. little glowing
eyes, deeply set'u the head, curling black hair,
and pale complexion But the resemblance il,
only external. The Tartar has somewhat civil.
zed himself and has become quiet. peace.loving
while the kirgish is still the wild son
of the Steppes.-Brave, impatient, and fiery as
his horse-hard, yet tempered as his dagger
rough rs his drink, he doubles up his fist when
he meets Russian, and fosters his hatred forever
The Siberian Tartar dreams no more Of freedom
he has become used TO the yoke and is good
subject The kirgish, too has been obliged to
submit; but the concousneGs lies like stone up-
On his heart. Apparently, he tvnds under the
iron law; but it is only that lie may be nearer
tie oppressor to plunge the dagger nta HE breast
Mt the fitting moment Their revenge il Of the
most awful character and is such as p.rvals
among will men to whom torment and nartyr.
dom are. pleasant
They err crafty who fancy that the Siberian
exile dwelI- in a sUbt,rranean hole, and hunts
shhcs IN order to supply certain quantity of
skins to to the government, or who seek The hor.
ror Of Siberia IN the climate 1t is true that the
cold Is 50 severn that birds upon the wing freeze
aud fall dead TO the earth, and scurvy and gout
are Tor the same reason permanent diseases. es-
peciaiIy IN the eastern regions. The summer is
rs warm ~ the winter is cold, and the heat is
more ntolerahle from the swarms Of gnats. Gn,
these things do not make Siberia terrible. II is
the mcxorablc thought, thou shalt die here. -
THIS it is that strikes its valmrc beak into the
heart Of the exile, and knaws il always and every
where, ltmingles in his dreams it awakes with
him nt morning, aud clings to him until he siuks,
weaYlcd to sleep. From every book which Ia.
takes IN his bands, from the sheet Of papcr Ia
which lie would cuufdc his eorrow. stare at him
the hightfui w0rdr. They mirror themselves
upon his features, and seem TO each of his fellow.
sufferers stamped upon his brow. This high de.
gree of suffering shows itself, also in the faces Of
natives, many ufwhom, without knowing it, nrc
children Of the unhappy whose bone lie under
these eternal SHOWS, The horrible thought Of
being Siberian exile consumes the vital force
dries up the marrow in the bones, and drop by
drop pcisons the blood in the veins. When the
,rrcdy is consumatcd, tho victim is reduced TO MI
idloilc auiomallon, or despair has made him a
maniac