The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-06-19
EXULES IN SIBERIA.


CHIEF Engineer ATsIvlns's Encounter with
the Russian Victims Of Tyrunny--Leaves
from an Unpublished Record OF Arctic
Romantic Experience.
Chief-Engineer MelVille's new book,
which his nephew, Melville Phillips, is
now preparing for the press, contains
the narrative of his Polar experience on
the voyage of the Jeanette and after
the abandonment of the vessel. Among
the many interesting episodes is an ac-
count of his meeting with the Nihillst
exiles at Verkeransk in the Government
of Hakutsk, Eastern Siberia, in the
winter OF 1881. and of their strange adj.
ventures as related by themselves. Mel
Vile was delayed at Verkeransk await
ing the arrival of the rest of his party
from Beluu, as the posting facilities in
Siberia only admit of two or three per-
sons travelling at the same time What
follows is taken from his forthcoming
book:
Directly after my arrival the esprav-
mix, or Cossack commandment, sent for
Mr.. Leon, one OF the political exiles
in his keeping, to act as interr reter be-
tween US. Leon came and introduced
himself as the gentleman who had
written the letter for the espravnik to
me while | was nc the delta, and now,
while he interpreted for us, he managed
TO interpolate for my benefit n part of
his history. We had capital dinner
together Of teal duck, snpe and other
game, which kasharotlski, the esprav-
mix, kept frozen in his cellar all the year
round Leon told me that he had never
before eaten at his table, though often
at first invited to do so, for Leon was a
very bitter Nihilist, and would not fra
ternize with his keepers. Kasharoffski
had son, whom 1 named the 'malinki
soldat Qittle sOldier), TO the great de-
light of both. Mrs. Kasharoffski was a
pleasant, fair-haired, good-looking
woman, seemingly quite coutented to
spend her days in this remote wilder
ness of snow, cooking and caring
for her house and spouse and little son.
She waited on us at table and did not
sit down until we had done 1t was the
first good meal had eaten since Ieav-
ing San Francisco. We remained Mt
table in conversation until four o'clock
the next morning.
Leon Informed me that he had
never heard of the Jeannette expedi-
ton until we actually came to the polar
sea to visit them. l could see his eyes
brighten when 1 spoke of the facility
with which / could navigate the coast
of Siberia in a vessel as small as our
whaleboat. Kasharoffski was anxious
to learn all about the clothing and pro
visions necessary to undertake journeys
such as we had been making, and
Icons face flushed with hope and joy
while | opened TO his glistenng eyes n
glorious vision of escape from an odious
imprisonment"
Leon continued to act as interpreter
during Meville's stay in Verkeransk,
and told him that in putting Kasharoff-
skis questions he would take the liberty
4 L.
Leon now urgently invited me to
visit his comrades in exile. / asked
Kasharoffskf whether he had any OBJ
jections, and he said: oh no! L do not
believe a nihilist can hurt a Republican,
So he sent me TO the hut OF the exiles
in his sleigh, which returned again
for Leon and myself at dinner time.
Leon was sienderly built, dark and
cadaverous-lOOking man with Jewish
features, though when / asked him he
said he was not a Hebrew. His hair
was long and black, reaching to his
shoulders. He had been a student of
law, he told me, and was arrested in
students street row. He had been
brought afterward before three separate
tribunals, NOS one of which, however,
had been able TO lind anything irregular
in his habits of life, and so, indeed,
his final commitment papers expressly
stated. While on his way to Siberia
the good natured Cossack officer in
command of his guard permitted him
TO look over these papers, and learned
that he had been sent out, after three
different tribunals had acquitted him.
on what is known as a Government
order most remarkable instrument,
which closed with the following
specimen of legal logic: we can prove
nothing against this man, but he is a
student of law, and no doubt very
dangerous man. Aud banished for
life he accordingly was. Leon had pre-
served copy of his commitment papers
and exhibited them with q great deal of
merriment at the peculiar philosophy OF
the administration "
On the hut with Leon Melville found
four other young men, all political ex-
lies, the oldest twenty-Seven and the
youngest eighteen years of age. They
were all professional men and spoke
French fiUently, some of them German
and others a little English All were
Nihilists, though several said they had
not been so until after their Danish
ment. Each one had mournful story
TO tell. They were from different parts
of the empire, had known the inside Of
Russian prisons all the way from Arch
angel to the Crimea, and were finally
sent to the frontier for safe-keepiug
They questioned Melville eagerly IN re-
gard to the navigation Of the Siberian
coast, and had q number of charts and
maps They had often talked and
dreamed, they said, about making theil
escape, but thousand miles of rivel
and two thousand miles of coast seemed
animpossible journey with the mean!
at their command.
Melville continued his visits to the
exiles "In the evenings" lie says
several parties were given, when tn,
men sang, played, ate. gambled, dranl
and smoked. The women did rs mucl
In separate apartments of their own
and I astonished the assembly by tell
inc them that never played cards, no
even in nv own country. Leon, VIII,
vas present, told me that they woult
tbink evil of me. They viii say u
themselves, this is q queer man VIII,
neither CANDLES nor smokes, he mus
~ AWAY thinking, and a man who doe
that is dangerous But this was
sneech of a poor exile, whose life wa
lost because by reading and rehectInl
he had learned the truths of morals an
Dolitics and had unwisOly uttered then
aloud. He had read Mill, Golden an
Herbert Spencer and longed for Englis
hooks. for though they had an English
tos-stber with a German and French
djstionsry in the hut they had no othe
6ocLs nrinted ia English and begge
me for the Bible or any other Englis