The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-05

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taking off their worn out boots, unWrapplng tnelr
feet, and examining their chains, which often
cause bad sores Some of the prisoners deity
remove their irons altogether, and others, as
sisted 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 group eau
tiously whispering, discussing some con-
spiracy. Presently song, Down 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 once, Everybody drinks In
that melody, and happy "reminiscences 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-d damp
ened eyes. 1t is a sacred moment Even the
guard, sent to order the prisoners to bed, stops
as if petrifed, his heart melted by the familiar
air.
Many of them do not care to sleep Here and
there they light candles and play cards. but
the bridesmaids corner is the liveliest spot
There piles Of coppers constantly appear on the
the table and as rapidly disappear The prison
ers play for cash, and occasionally the tradesman
advances few copecks, under the guarantee
that he will get the prisoners share next day
Sometimes the play is for the government
things, that is to say, the prison clothes are
pawned, and the wretched man sacrifices his ne
nessities to his passion. The further we went
into Siberia the harder it was to move on.
The men grew tired, and many fell
sick. Bread was dear, and the hunger
typhusn was spreading in our party. As the
etap hospitals were far apart, we were com
PEELED to carry our sick and dying patients.
Now there were stranger scenes in the resting
places. In one corner men grumbled, IN another
a story-teller provoked paroxysms of laughter;
here was heard merry song, and there came
forth the last groan of dying man, But it was
only the world on miniature scale
On the route we often met with runaways.
The guards did not bother with them. Some
times conversations were held between the runa-
ways and the prisoners.
"Hullo, Ivan, you are again In the regulars
a runaway would remark.
"Halloo, Semen! are you not satisfied with free
boardln prisoner retorts.
sIsay, Semen, you are good running horse,
puts in Jester, yet you will not escape his
Majesty's stables.
The condition of the political prisoners was
far better than that of the capital criminals.
The political prisoners got fifteen eopecks per
day rode in wagons, and had a separate room
for themselves. 1t was the government order
that the political prisoners should be kept quite
apart from the others. But on the journey that
order could not always be executed Every
evening in the houses the prisoners of all grades
came together. 1t is common practice for the
prisoners to exchange sentences A man con-
demned to settlement assumes for some pay
ment the name and fate.of his fellow sentenced
to hard labor for a long period. engaged an
exile robber, to assume my role for pair of
hunters boots flannel shirt and eight roubles
l$4). / am told that in our party twenty ex
changes took place. Yet the guards and the
authorities knew nothing about it As rule,
the prisoners do not betray one another. My
new role and that of my substitute were bother
some. | was medical student, political
criminal, and nobleman; and he was apeasant
hardly able to sign his name But if / could
drag his irons, he, too, could support my reputa-
ton. Once our officer was taken i'll. and as he
knew that one of the prisoners of his command
had studied medicine, he called upon me, that is,
| my substitute, to treat him. Ny substitute did
it well.
Toward the end Of October we reached the city
of Irkutsk, where the prisoners were usually
classified. Those condemned to settlement are
sent to their new home. and those condemned to
hard labor are distributed among various mines
| My substitute and passed the differentiation,
and each went his own way, never to meet
again.
On the second day we exiles, or settlers, were
| turned over to the village authorities. We were
practically free My companions went to liq-
| uor shop to celebrate the happy event re-
solved to make the best possible use Of my free
dom by running away from Siberia. / had sold
some of my things and realized about rs cents,
which money determined must support me
during a week. / had to travel I40 miles
to reach the residence of a trusted friend
Profting by the lessons of the old runaways, /
made my way successfully though the gen
darmes were after me. II was in November
Snow covered the ground Whenever hid my
self in any bushes reached them by walking
backward into them, and thus, perhaps, misled
my prosecutors. My friend secreted me in his
country place for two months.
On the etape road ] made the acquaintance of
many old runaways, who gave me the knowledge
needed for becoming successful tramp, In
Siberia there are about thirty thousand runa-
ways tramping, as the sun does, westward to
Russia The villagers treat them we'll as long
as they do not injure property OF otherwise mis-
behave. Otherwise they hunt them like wild
beasts. Yet, if a runaway is badly handled
by villagers without just cause, the Iunaways
pledge themselves to have revenge. Incendi-
arismis meted outfor the whole village and death
for the individuals. I am told that in the
Irkutsk province there was native who made
it his business to hunt fugitives If you kill a
squirrel, he used to say, syou earn only fifteen
earning fifty copecks at least for his dress costs
that sum- That brute was in turn killed by
runaways.
A professional runaway, Beloff, who for
twenty five years has tramped Siberia eastward
and westward, from the Ural mountains to the
island of Saghalion, told me that for many years
it was impossible TO escape from Saghalien, be-
cause the Guilaks the natives, used to kill every
fugitive they saw. At last party Of runaways,
for their freedom and revenge. They ransacked
several Guilak settlements and killed every body
in them. After that the Guilaks ceased to hunt
runawayS.
When my health was restored / started back
to Russia in the most dignifed manner went
by the official post road, changing one troika
after another Ny pass was all right except
that it belonged to a retired officer recently
dead. In May, 1881, I reached Geneva.
LONG BRANCH COTTAGES.