The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-23
THE SIBERIAN HINES.
why Nlhllls.n .s So Widespread In nassla
Lsster 6am Ge,n,anv.

s~-S - ~ ssAaSt1f1CSAs1 IA 1bUSBA&ts
Letter firm Germany,
If person Of sane mind were to in.
form you OF his or her intention to spend
vacation in Siberia, you would un-
doubtedly smile audibly, and opine that
| the party making 60 audacious an asseg.
ton would be fit subject foE the lunatic
asylum. Still, I am bound TO confess
that have just returned from trip
to that Arctic region; where Mads
quite stay, In company with my friend,
Robert Lemke, the eminent political
economist, and student of political phi
losophy, than whom there is noLe more
been through tile land of the Nihilists
and, however earnest we might have beer,
in our desire to discover important in
formation, all our efforts would have been
in vain had not an influential. American
at st. Petersburg, whose name l. have
promised not TO mention, given as such
letters of introduction that all portals
were opened wide to us, and we saw and
heard what
ONLY A PRIVILEGED FEW
have seen and heard, for good many
years. It 10 easily understood that the
| Russian Government, under the trying
circumstances of the present day, is not
very liberal in granting extended privi.
ieges to newspaper men; and, had I trav.
eiled in that capacity, I might have been
denied access to the sources from which
| l have drawn the information about O
good many things in Russia. The largo
cities, however, are not the places for the
accumulation Of knowledge such as we
| desired to get; and, after idling q few
days at Moscow, st. Petersburg and ita
viilageatures, ne started for tho Siberian
mine. 80: l
Until we came to Tot,olsk, there was
still some civilization about and around
us. But after that, we received fore
taste of the horrors we were about to wit
ness. For days we dragged along In u
| miserable carriage, without meeting any-
thing or anybody, except the lonely Gov
ernment posts, with their stupid s'Stayost"
and his subordinate Cossacks. Af last
| we saw in the distance towering noun
tain, and within its cleft side o colossal
opening, similar TO the pit of volcano.
From within
FOUL AIR AND DIsAGREEABLE SMELLS
saluted our nostrils, and for some time we
had to draw our breath hard. With our
pocket-handkerchiefs crammed into our
mouths, We entered the gigantic month
of the rock. From the walls dirty water
dripped down in largo drops, forminga q
little rivnlet, which gathered in pool
outside the entrance. Toward the east
and the north the territory fCsa4 as high
rs 1000 feet above the sea. a chain.
several miles in length, of snow-capped
glaciers gave to the mine the character
OF. an unappfoachable fortress. To the
left of the entrance an enormous p-.avd-
house was built, occupied by number
of Cossacks. The establishment was
about as filthy as any babitation for hu-
man beings can we'll be. The furniture
consisted only of few rough benches
and large table. In front Of its door n
double file of musketa were stacked, be-
tween which bearded Cossack marched
up and down. We showed our letters 20
the young officer of the day, who regard
I'd us, wonderingly, searchingly. He
seemed at loss to understand the grant.
ing of o privilege 90 seldom sought and
go rarely granted. A guide waa given us,
and we passed G long, narrow and dark
corridor, which, to Judge from, the incli-
nation Of the floor, led into the depth.
The ground was 80 slippery and 60 wet
that we were in danger of falling more
than once.
PEsTILENTlAL MIAsMA
filled the air; and, in spite of good fur
! cloak-the gin &C g friend IL MS5lo1-E
actually shook with the cold. The DARK
| ness was so intense that neither of us
could see the other. q
We had gone ON perhaps ten minutes
when I perceived, far in the distance. the
trembling, uncertain giimmer of q light /:
and felt sure that wa were approaching
the mine proper. The ground became
softer and more slimy, and cold moro
penetrating. At eysfy setp we sank into
the maraas for several inches, and there
was smell ofputrefaction, as in char
nel-house.
eve are in front of the mine" said our
gnide. pointing .c high high iiTon raiiing
which surrounded n long ca7e--its mas.
siye rails, through tho gcrevice of which
hardly rat might have squeezed itself
being covered with rust. The Locks were
fastened with chains of immense thick
ness and weight. "A guard made his ap.
pearance, and upon the word OF our guide
he onenea the Al5;;::5 Al5;;::5s only wiU: a
great deal of strength was he enabled 20
far to turn the railing, upon its hinges
that we could pass through into the into
A.o.s We neSppcu luIO u room WHICH,
| although It was large enough otherwise.
hardly permitted q full grown man to
stand upright, and was lighted only by q
poor oil lamp, which left all slirroundiuE
things in darkness. .
"Where are we 7" I asked .hass S<;;:;..;aae.. S;:;..;ae.
"In the dormitofy OF the pyisoners.'f he
answered. Formerly this was a we'll
yielding lode; now we have made it into
q slesping- ROOM" We ehuddered. This
lsubterranean cave, into which neither
sun nor moon could ever send o ray Of
light, was called an apartment; and in
this terrible greyo, the mir of which yas
| pregnant with fearful miasnna. the r,nfor.
tunates banished here by the unpitiable
law of despotism were compelled to rest,
after the day's work, upon q. moor bed, oi
STRAW Into the dripping walls of the
rock alcove-like cells had been hollowed
out, and the entire room gave the i'm
| pression of an enormous beehive. Every
cell harbogB Ave prisonefa during Vfho
night; aad above each of the singie cota
strong iron bar was faatanesl. To e,h;cl.
the unhappy mortals were rocked and
chained like 90 many dogs. No door. nc
window, no chair, no table, no shelvinp :
everywhere the naked rock and rusty
iron The Rtfaw which served as q bed
for the delinquents was
WET AND HALF ROTTEN;
1t looked and felt like mass of dung. A
little bag filed with straw served as q
l ntltnfv. a xvak 1hank ,.,n,J. :. ~. =. I..--