Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-06-19

oNN UAN hoAAIlg WIN btAIh Sl-1h alA'A
an occasional piece of meat, composed
our food, and there was generally
enough of it.
"The object of exile is to provide
population for Siberia, ard consequently
the government has no object in jtarv-
ing prisoner on his way to execute his
sentence.
~ was six months in reaching my des-
tination, small village q hundred miles
from 1akutsk, and five thoCeand miles
from st. Petersburg The governor al.
lotted me piece of land gave me tools
for cultivating the ground and building
house, and told me | would be sup
piled with provisions once week for
three years. AT the end of that time |
was expected to have my land under cul-
tivaiion, and must support myself.
could also catch fish in the rivers, and
hunt for game in the forests, but under
no circumstances must l fail to report
once week to the. Starosta, or head
man of the settlement.
The village contained dozen houses,
all occupied by exiles like myself They
were all without education or re-
tlnement, and, therefore, could not OBJ
tain much mpanionship from them,
but they showed the most kindly spirit,
and gave me all the help they could
With their assistance | built a small
house, and they showed me how to hunt
and fish, and in little while | was set.
tied in my exile home. The govern
ment offered to bring my family to 81
IBERIA, but declined the proposal; the
wife and young children of an exile can
always follow or accompany him at gov
ernment expense, but they cannot return
to Russia until his term of banishment
has expired. This is done in order that
the exile may be contentcd in Siberia by
having few or no ties to bind him to
Europe.
1.-THE first thoughts of prisoner are
always directed to securing his freedom,
and was no exception to the rule. Not
q day passed that did not revolve in nv
mind the possibilities of an escape, and
the means for accomplishing it.
''Ifspeedily abandoned all hopes Of
going to European Russia on account of
the enormous distance that separated
me from my home, and the almost sure
detection that would follow if | sue
Ceeded in reaching home. Then turned
my thoughts eastward, and decided that
| would escape in that direction, but it
was more than two years before | could
execute my plan,
81 developed great fondness for
hunting and trapping, and when l Sc.
cured a particularly nice piece of game
/ presented it to the Starosta.
"One day told the Starosta l had
found the traces of an unusually large
sable, and hoped to secure the animal
very soon. Early the next morning l
left everything as usual in my hut, and
made the circuit of my traps; then l
started in northeasterly direction
across the hills that borde.ed the valley
of the river where our village lay.
'While was hurrying along with no
thought except that of my newly gained
freedom, a bend in the hill brought me
face to face with Starosta!
"'Where are you going, little
brotherp said he.
II tried my best to appear calm, as I
answered that had trap in that di.
rection, and wanted to visit it.
"I will go with you, said he.
81 was in a dilemma! | had no trap
there, and what to do | did not know,
but soon hit upon a plan.
''It was in the spring of the year, and
there were holes in the ice on the streams.
In crossing the stream managed to fall
into the water, and was wet to the skin.
After soundly rating me for my careless
ness, the Starosta abandoned the idea OF
going to the trap, and ordered me to &c
home and dry my garments, of which
had but one suit.
Il waited another week, meanwhile
setting two or three traps in localities
that would give an excuse for long
journeys in the direction of freedom.
The next time | started | had better for
tune, and got safely away. felt that
the Statosta had not suspected my inten.
tiOns, and would not be alarmed about
my disappearance for at least fortnight
moreover, he might think | had fallen
into the water again and been drowned.
"When night came | was good
thirty miles away from my village. Not
daring to light a fire, passed the night
very uncomfortably, after making my
supper on some crusts of bread | had
brought in my pocket, and the raw flesh
of partridge L had knocked down
with a stick.
"For fifteen days was alone in the
wilderness of Siberia, living upon the
birds, which l killed with my bow, OIL
caught in snares. On the fifteenth day
the birds were more shy than they had
been, and l knew was approaching &
native camp. Sure enough, before sun
set deserted column of smoke which
led me directly to village of Tungu
slams, the aboriginals that inhabit the
region bordering on the Arctic ocean,
and wander from place to place in search
of pasturage for their vast herds oi
reindeer.
"Some of them knew q few words o
Russian, and partly by conversation and
partly by signs l told them was the
only survivor of q ship that had beer
wrecked ON the coast of the Arctic
ocean. Ships have been lost there a
different times, and my story was plaus
ible enough; luckily, the absence of 6
common language saved me from trou
blesome oss-examination. | asked
them to take me to Russian settlement
but to my great joy they were not going
to ones at present. They were intend
ing to pass the summer on the shore o.
The Arctic ocean, and would start for
the very next day.
"My skill with the bow and arrow Sc
cured their friendship, and was allowed
to travel with them, and soon to joir
their tribe. Pretending to be one o
them, adopted their dress of deerskin
and threw away my old clothing. as i
might lead to my detection in case w