Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-08-22
however, were dressed alike. We bad

UdCkS u SIGNIFY IndI We Weie seuleuCcu
to hard labor. The Siberian exiles
proper wore only an ace of diamonds.
From Keiff we went by railroad in a
ST cial prison car, accompanied by
gendarmes. Thus we passed Orel, Mos
COW, and reached Nijni-Novgorod.
Then we were placed in a barge, which
was towed by a steamer to Perm. Then
again we went by railway up to Ecater-
inburg. After that there was before us
the famous Siberian road. 1t is q com
mon post route, with three telegraph
wires stretched on one side. These
wires lead to the very shore Of the Paci-
tic. Each of us noblemen had q troika,
and each was accompanied by two
armed gendarmes. From Keith to Eca-
terinburg we had no chance to look
upon the world except through iron bars
and nets, but o we could enjoy the
view with no obstacle before III eyes.
What a Joy it was for me! I felt as if
freedom was returning to me. True,
since the first day of my arrest the idea
of attempting to escape never left my
mind. But now that l looked upon the
free wide world the thought turned into
a burning desire which controlled all
my actions. Once in the night. while
the gendarmes were asleep at my side,
1 took the cap from one of them, and
tried to pull out his pistol. II I had
succeeded in getting that pistol l would
have tried my legs, but the gendarme
awoke, and l parted for the time with
my happy dream.
We made two hundred miles and
reached Tiumen. From that town up
Tomsk we were taken along with hun
dreds of common criminals in a barge.
We ran up the Oh. The prisoners
called our barge poultry house, be-
cause it was covered with a solid iron
net. The prisoners were packed in the
barge like herrings in a box. We, the
political prisoners were allowed to walk
occasionally on the deck. In this man.
nor we %journeyed two thousand seven
hundred versts. From Tomsk to Kras-
noiarsk we travelled five hundred
versts on the troikas, and from there to
Irkutsk we had to go by the etape sys-
tenn. One thousand versts were thus
journeyed in two months. In our party
there were one hundred and seventy
persons. There were robust men,
hearty women, babies and the aged.
The etapc system is arranged in this
way: All the prisoners were put into
two lines. Then followed wagons with
the women and children and the prison.
crs' luggage. Then followed two troikas
of the noble exiles, and three troikas of
the political criminals closed the pro-
c%ession. An officer and thirty soldiers
formed q kind of chain around our
party. Fifteen miles was a regular
days tramp. Then all stopped in the
prison for the night. After two days OF
walking a day was allowed for rest.
The houses are divided in four unequal
parts, to-wit: a large hall for male
prisoners, a family room, a room for
noblemen, and the guards room. OF
cleanliness and comfort in any of the
rooms there was absolutely none.
Besides the officer and the soldiers
two men play an important role in the
prisoners life. Each group of prison.
ers elects from among themselves the
elder, who serves in the common inter-
est, representing the others before the
authorities, and keeping the prisoners
funds. That elder isa kind of a guard
ian angel to the prisoners. But then
there is an angel of quite a different
character. This is the tradesman who
keeps a store and Il club for the pris-
oners. He is a prisoner who outbids his
competitors for his privilege. He keeps
cards, etc. Each prisoner receives ten
copecks, OF five cents each day. The
officer turns the money over to the
elder, who distributes it among the
prisoners. On entering the etap house
and being counted over the prisoners
are let free. Whereupon they make a
lively rush, each one scrambling for a
good place. He who gets a bed of plain
boards is deemed lucky, and whoever
secures a place under such a bed is also
contented. The remainder sleep on the
floor.
Before bedtime the prisoners make
fires in the yard and prepare their por-
scene. Scores of wood-piles burn
brightly in the yard, and around each
the prisoners swarm, adjusting their
iron tea kettles and stirring porridge.
Here and there lei are taking off their
WORKOUT boots, %unwrapping their feet,
and examining their chains. which often
causes bad sores. Some of the prison.
ers deity remove their irons altogether
andothers assisted by specialists, try to
smoother the leg rings or even to stretch
them so much that the foot will easily
pass through. Here are two men ready
to fight, and there is Il group cautiously
whispering, discussing some conspiracy.
Presently a song, clown the Mother
Volga," is heard. A young prisoner
possessing a melodious and strong voice
pours his very soul into that ~favorite
Russian ballad. The prisoners camp
is hushed at n Everybody drinks
in that melody, and happy reminis-
ccnces of the past, of wives, sisters,
sweethearts, mothers, companions, and
children, chase one another through
these saddened minds. Some of the
men though rough looking, show tear
dampened eyes. 1t is a sacred moment,
Even the guard sent to order the pris'
oners to bed, stops as if petrified, hit
heart melted by the familiar air.
Many of them do not care to sleep
Here and there they light their candles
and play cards. But the tradesman':
corner is the liyelieSt spot. There piles