The Labor enquirer., 1884-03-15

course there With the highest d1Stlncuon,
toward the year 1861, but impeiled by
the love of study, instead of entering the
service of the court, he went to Siberia
to pursue some geological researches. He
remained there several years, taking
part in many scientific expeditions. and
obtained through them vast amount of
information which he afterwards utilized
in conjunction with Mr.. Elisee Reclus.
He also visited China. .#
On returning to st. Petersburg, he was
elected a member and afterwards secre-
tary of the Geographicai society. He
wrote several works, highly appreciated
by scientific men, and finally undertook
a great work upon the glaciers of Fin
land, which, owing to a petition of the
Geographical society, he was permitted
to terminate, when already confined in
the fortress. He could not relieve him
self from the necessity of entering the
court service. He was chamberlain Of
the empress, and received several decor
atoms.
In the year 1871, or at the commence
ment of 1872, I do not quite remember
which, he went abroad. He visited Bel
gium and Switzerland, where sat that
time the 'Internationale" had assumed
such proportions. His ideas, which GER
tainly were always advanced, took their
definite shape. He became an Interna-
tionalist and adopted the ideas of the
most extreme party, the so-called an
archial party, of which he has always
remained fervent champion.
On returning home he put himself in
communication with the Revolutionary
Circle, inspired by the same ideas, that
of the ciaikovzi, and in the wear 1872
was proposed as member and admitted
by unanimity. He was intrusted with
the duty of drawing up the programme
of the party, and its organization, which
was afterwards found among his papers.
In the winter of 1872 he commenced his
secret lectures upon the history of the
"Internationale." which were simply the
development of the principles of Social
ism, and the Revolution, based upon the
history of all the modern popular move
ments These lectures, which to depth
of thought united cleanness and, SIM
plicity that rendered them Ineligible to
the most uncultivated minds, excited
the deepest interest among the working
men of the Alexander. Nevsky district.
They spoke about them to their fellow
workmen, and the news spread through
all the workshops of the neighborhood,
and naturally reached the police, who
determined at all hazards to fnd out the
famous Borodin, for it was under that
fictitious name Krapotkine gave his lee
lures But they did not succeed. In two
months time, having finished his lee
lures, he no longer showed himself in
the house under surveillance, and made
preparations to 60 among the peasants,
and carry on the agitation as an timer
ant painter for in addition to his vast
erudltion, be has much artistic talent.
The police succeeded, however, in
bribing one of the workmen, who con-
sented to play the spy, and perambulate
the principal streets, hoping some day
or other to meet with "Borodin." In
this he succeeded After some few
months he met Krapotkine in the Gostini
Dvor upon the Nevski Prospect, and
pointed him out to the policeman. The
supposititioas Borodin was arrested. At
first he would not tell his real name, but
it was impossible to conceal it. Some
days afterwards the landlady Of the
house in which he had hired room,
came to declare that one of her dodgers,
Prince Peter Kropotkine, had suddenly
disappeared on such day. On being
taken to the spurious Borodin she recog-
nized him, and Krapotkine was COM
PEELED to acknowledge his identity.
Great was the emotion produced at
court by the arrest of such high per-
sonage. The emperor himself was ex-
cited by it to such an extent, that a
year afterwards, in passing through kar-
koff, where cousin of Peter, Alexis
Krapotkine, killed in the year 1879, was
governor, he was extremely discourteous
to him, and abruptly asked if it was
true that Peter was relation.
!. Three years did Krapotkine pass in
the cells of the fortress of st. Peter and
st. Paul. In the early part of 1876, he
was transferred by the doctors orders to
/ the st. Nicholas Hospital, the prison
having undermined his health, never
very good, to such an extent, that he
j could neither eat nor move about. In a
j few months, however, it was re-estab-
Ilished, but he did everything in his
power to hide the fact. He walked
with the step of dying man; he spoke
in low voice, as if merely to open the
mouth were painful effort. He learned
through letter sent to him by his
friends, that an attempt was being or
ganized to effect his escape, and as IN
the hospital the surveillance was much
i less strict than in the fortress, it was es.