Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-10-02

81 ne trratmeat of political sxilssin Siberia
arsbssore nn shrfliEnw description fspm thepen
of Mr. R1hnrt Lernke, = German writer. who has
visited - vnrious penal saiahEishmcne q Rus-
IS nish an oNcial lseisimaaion. ne bad bsen -
Tsbulzk; arr which he had . make long.
drsAE4 Iourneg IL wretched car until q high
,neumsniu rnau 90 lefore hfm. in sts tara and
cranwg Sara the monnanin ahowed . euieasal
openink. slaslax t. he usuth IS burna-uateFs-
~ Fessa saters which nlapes .psk aw&T hls
htH'H eN
Lemke enssrsd ne opsning q TIE Eock, where b
found q large waseh-house, with picket OfCOs-
sacks. Having shown hispapss be was OOnduc-
ted BY - guide through long, very DARK aaa
narrow corridor, which, judging from its slOping
descent, led down into some unknown depth
IN spite of his good far. the visitor els extremely
cold. Amer walk Of some ten minutes through
the dense obseurity, the ground becCEaing more
and more son, vagae shimn1eF Of light became
observable. 'we are in the mine said the
guide, pointing with significant gesture 70 the
iron sFos-bars which closed the cavern before
them.
The massive bars were covered with thick
rust. A watchman appeared, who unlocked the
heavy iron gate. Entering room Of considers
bic extent, but which was scarcely q mans
height, and which was dimly lit by an oil-lamP,
The visitor asked: where are wer Tn the
sIeeping-room Of the condemned Formerly II
was q productive gallery Of the mine, now IL
serves as q shelter.
The visitor shuddered. This sabteFanean Sc
pulcher, lit by neither sun nor moon, was called
sleep-room. Alcove like cells were hewn into
the rock; here, on q couch Of damp, half-rOtten
straw, covered with q saekcloth, the unfortunate
sufferers were to repOse from the days work.
Over each cell cramp-irOn was fxed, where
with 10 lock up the prisonerslike ferOeious dogs.
No door, no window anywhere.
Conducted through another passage, where
few lanterns were placed, and whose ends were
also barred BY an iron gate, Mr. Lemke came TO
large vault, partly lie. This was the mine
deafening noise Of piSkaxes and hammers
There he saw hundreds Of wretched figures, with
shaggy beards, sickly faces, Redeemed eyelids;
clad in tattess, some Of them barefoot, others in
sandals, festered with heavy foot-chAins. No
song, no whistIing. Now and then they sbyly
look al the visitor and his scOmpanion. The water
dripped from The stones; the convicts were thor
oughly wet. One Of them, tall man with suf-
fsring mien, -Iabored bard with easping breath,
bat the strokes Of his pickaxc were not heavy
and firm enough to loosen the rock.
'why are you herer Nr. Lsnke asked.
The convict looked confused, with IN air al
most OF CONSERVATION, and silently continued his
work.
1T Is forbidden TO the prisoners said the in
speetor, ito speak Of the cause Of their banish-
mentp
EntOmbed alive; forbidden to say why
But who Is theconvictT p Mr.. Lemke asked the
guide, with low voice.
1T is Rumber 1872 the guide replied; lacOni-
eally.
This I see,' answered the. visitor; 'Lut what
are the man's antecedents1 To what family does
be belougr
He Is acount,' replied the guide; a we'll
known conspirator. More, regret 70 say, can
not tell you about 1877
The visitor felt as II he were siiHed in the
grayelike tmosPhere-Asif ifhis chest were pressed
in by demohiAcal nightmare. lie hastily asked
his guide to return with him to the upper world.
Meeting there the commander Of the military es-
tablishment, he was ObligingIy asked By that Of
fcer:
well, what impression did our penal estab-
lishment make upon your
Mr.. Lemke sitting bowling in silence, the Of
icer seemed to take this as a kind Of satisfied as
seEt and went on:
Very industrious people, the men below, are
they notr
But with what feelings, SIR. Lemke answered,
| must these uEfortuna2es look forward 70 day
of rest after week Of toll q
RestF said the officer; 'convicts must always
labor. There Is no rest for them. They are
condemned TO perpetual forced labor; and he who
once enters the mine never leaves itP
But this is barbarOusl'
The officer shrugged bis shoulders, and said,
The exile works daily for twelve hours; on Sun
days too. They must never rest. Bat no; ]
am mistaken. Twice year, though, rest Is per-
miited them-at Easter time and ON the birth
day Of his majesty the emperor