New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-20

Mr. lanSdell, VINO Is an EnSiIhi ~ h'ii' '"NN
IN 1879 the hard but divertng journey which he
describes in these two bulky volumes. He went
through Siberia partly as a missionary, carving
with him for distribution large quantities of Bibles
Testaments and tracts in native languages Mucn
of his store he left among the exlcs and prisoners
10 whose condition he devoted particular attention.
Those who look in his narrative for confirmation
Of the stories of cruelty to pohtlca,
exilcs so profusey printed in Enganu
and America will be disappointed. Exile IN eipc'l"
is as Mr. Lansdell describes it, sad enough ou'
not so terrible as has been believed III Shoui" '0
remembered however, that the Traveller III MS Il"
Ouires suffered under the disability oflghor"hco VA
the Russian language, and that the authorlueS'
from the highest officials IN ST. Petersburg 10 'he
most insignificant postmaster IN Wlld Nioelia
countenanced and assisted him III every posslol'
way. All this MIR Lansdell frankly admits and IS
indeed. notably modest and sincere IN his state
ments.
A large proportion of the eXiles-about 20 per
cent-are charged with no one particular offence
except that they have rendered themselves oonoN-
ions TO the community among which they lived. An
idle and drunken Russion who won't support his
family nor pay his taxes but leaves these things 10
he done by his ncighbors is sent by them TO Siberia
10 Get his living rs a coonist. His COMMUNICATION
may consist of several villages-rneet In their
Mir or village parliament vote the ncer-do-we'l
Nuisance and adjudgc that lie be sent at their eN-
pense into exile The higher authorities cohhr'n
this Judgment unless just cause he shown to tAe
contrary This Ingenious method of getting rid OF
nnisances might be practised 10 advantage III
other countries Religions diSsenters used
70 he largely dcported, but little OF
this is now done. Mr.. Laudsdcu asserts that
the great mass Of cxes are nothing more nor less
than ordinary criminals Comparatively few are
condemned to prison to prison and labor for lie.
The wife of an exile and her children may accom-
many the husband and father to Siberia if she
chooses the Government furnishing transportation
and food. The proportion oi men thus accompanied
by their wives Is one ThoSecXiles who are con-
dcmncd to lose all their civil nights cannot look for
ward TO the hope of returning; though occasionally
potica offenders are seen hurried out of as fast as
they are hurried into exile. Mr. Lansdell heard of
n Polish exile of good station, who was fortunate
enough TO win the love of English girl connected
with one Of the Ducal families of Great Britain,
through which, it is said the ear was gained
Of a member first Of the English Royal fam
ily. then of the Imperial family OF Russia
and finally of the Emperor himself. Not the
least romantic part of this tale concerned
n heroic Scotch Professor who escorted the
Young lady to her lover in Siberia, sat by her side
for 600 miles watched over her, saw her married,
and then, returning. gave 10 rest to fflendS OF
officials till he had obtained the Poles release.
Another released exile related curious story 70 the
author When Alexander II. visited Paris III the
fine of NAPOLEON ILL., the Gar asked the Emperor if
there were anything he could do for him. Upon
which the Emperor replied: You have French
man who. IN young and silly days, joined the
Polish instruction. He was made prisoner
and is now in Siberia. Will you do me
the favor to release INN The request
was granted mess cnger dispatched. and in loity-
five DAYS the exile had driven back from the mines
TO Moscow and had received his pardon. But, as
our author notes, such cases are rare.
4 high official told Mr.. Lansdcl that nearly zoe
exies escape every year 1t is not difficult to get
away but to keep away and 10 get ont OF the
country. 1t is SO immense that they cannot travel
far before winter lays siege to them, and then II
they have escaped in company they have the choice
Of returning or eating one another Some Of the
native tribes also hunt down escaped exiles,
and receive three roubleS each for every
prisoner they bring the police either dead or alive
The author thinks that the severance of family and
social ties j. with many the really hard pinch of
Siberian exile. One woman who had escaped and
been again captured, when asked how Sue liked
Siberia said that, as regards the country, she had
nothing 10 complain of, but she added pathetcally
81 did 50 want to see my mother" To do this she
had escaped during three years had traversed more
than 1900 miles. had reached her old home, and
was retaken. This woman, when she went into
exile, was eight months Ill gong
from Petersburg TO Tobolsk, ing
all the way. That was before the introduction
of railways and etcamboats-in the days when one
of the most heart-breaking sights on the globe was
that of the chained men and women toiling pam
fully across the Siberian wastes. Now they are
Obliged TO walk only part of the way. houses are
erected alOng the road to receive them for the
night and If necessary they are permitted longer
rest in towns where there are hospitals and medical
attendants Nlhihsts receive more careful attention
than do the ordinary vulgar criminal exlles. Each
one is placed between two gendarmes and sent OFT
TO travel alone TO their destination. These persons
while travelling never allowed to be out OF
sight of their keepers. who are ordered to allow no
one TO speak to them. These orders are not, no "
ever, always carried out for friend
of the author, corning one day to
swollen river near Omsk where
q gendarmc was waiting to cross with an exile,
young lady Of seventeen, was permitted TO speak TO
her. The poor girl told him that SINCE she left
Petersburg. a distance Of 200 miles she had not
once had a gendarme out of her presence-the
wretchedness of which fact Mr.. Lansdcll
does not appear to realize. When sew
eral Nihst exies travel in fashion
together they are kept apart, and are
not permitted to speak to each other though this
is not always enforced. Sometimes exiles are al
lowed to journey into Siberia by themselves like
ordinary travellers. Mr.. Lansdell met lady who
was forced to quit Petersburg at twenty-fOur
hours notice; she was allowed to travel alone, and
by reason of illness Oh the way was year IN
reaching her appointed place of exile III Eastern
Siberia.
The mildest form of punishment inflicted for in
subordination TO prison authorities or for subse-
quent crimes Of Siberian convicts is Incarceration
in a solitary cell. Then comes deprivation in part
Of food and minor comforts; then if the offender Is
ha bou ,4tto