Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-24
BY THOMAS w. KNOX.

world as the idnQ OF cXlics. Cince Tue
time of Peter the Great it has beer the
place of Punishment for those who offend
against the sovereign OF Russia and his
laws. Ordinarily from 10000 to 1900
criminals are sent there every year; the
occasional revolts in Poland and the pres
ent spread of nihilism through the empire
add more or less largely to the involunta
~ emigration. In some years 10000 or
30, 900 exiles, including criminals and
politicals, have been sent to Siberia, and
of this great number comparati' ely few
are ever returned to Europe. 1t naturally
follows that Siberia is filed with an un-
due proportion of the criminal classes
Many of the criminal exiles have been
! sent there for small offences, and are.
consequently. of the category oil simple
detenns. or detained in the country
They can do pretty much as they like, as
long as they do not return to Europe; can
wander from place TO place. and take any
employment that is open to them. The
result is the country is full OF tramps, and
on occasions when there is chance OF
making an honest penny by highway rot
berry, the tramps are not slow TO embrace
it, In the winter the weather is too cold
for their operations, and they mostly
hibernate in the towns, like the tramps OF
enlightened America, so that the roads are
comparatively safe but il YOU carry any
baggage on the rear of your sleigh it
must be fastened with chains and not with
ropes, which can be cut away. In the
spring the tramp's fancy lightly turns to
thoughts of rural strolling, and he con-
tnues to wander ill the SHOWS fall again.
1t is in this period that he is dangerous to
the traveller or rather to certain classes
of travellers. He does not attack gov
ernment courier, as he knows he can,
and probably will, be shot down without
mercy, and besides. the courier does not
carry much money about him. The
same reasons apply to travellers OF the
second class; officers on private business,
and not travelling en- courier, and the
game OF the Siberian robber consists of
the third-class travelers-merchants
are not often armed, and far more likely
TO have large sums of money about them
than are the officials. Besides, the robbery
or death of an official would rouse very
unpleasant hue and cry, while the same
calamity to merchant would be-well,
| it would not be so much trouble for the
tramp.
Every traveller must have a pdderOjaia
or road pass on which is his name, desti
nation, and the number of horses to which
| he is entitled. A first class pdderOjnia
is for government couriers and very high
officials. while the second and third classes
of travellers are described in the proceed
ing paragraph. was accompanied by a
Russian officer. a captain on staff duty.
and we had a second class paderojnia, to-
gether with special letter from the
Governor OF the province introducing me
to the station masters, and urging them to
facilitate my journey. The pass and
letter were potent and we had no DELAY at
the stations ifthere were no horses ready
they were promptly impressed from the
villagers, and paid for at the government
rates, according to custom. Sometimes
we reached a station just as third class
traveller was ready to start with a fresh
team. There being no other horses, the
team was detached from his vehicle and
attached to ours and away we sped, leav-
ing him to gnash his teeth and perhaps
wait for hours before he could be supplied
Yes. OF course, it was rough on him, but
then it was the custom of the country,
and was powerless to change the laws
and ways of the empire; besides, if we
had been in his position when first class
traveller arrived we should have been
subject to the same treatment Once,
when we saw courier approaching and
before the station master caught sight of
him. we bundled into our vehicle and
were off as though we expected volcano
to hurst under us and we were trying to
get out OF its way.
BY day there was little fear OF trouble
from the highwaymen. as these fellows
do not generally operate in the light, and
besides it was easy to see that we did not
belong to the desirable class for plumber.
AT night we kept our revolvers handy and
were prepared to use them if necessary
my friend. the captain, said that according
to Russian law it is not permitted to shoot
the robbers that attack you unless you
are outnumbered that is, as we were
two-driver and horses not being consid-
cred of the fighting FORGIVE would not
be permitted to use our firearms with
killing intent if only two men attacked
us, while if the robbers were three or
more in number we would not be under
legal restraint. And let us hope there
will be three of them if they come at all. y
he sand, as he looked at the caps on the
nipples of his revolver. while as care
fully examined those of my weapon. In
the language of the bounding West he
was "spoiling tor a fight" and would
have welcomed dozen highwavmen in a
body without hesitation. 1t is not neces.
sary to give in extenso my own views on
the subject; suffice it TO say that | have
always held to the principle that it is ur.
wise for traveller in foreign country to
interfere with its social or political law.
aud customs and therefore was in favor
of peace.
We were slowly crawling through the
mud one dark night, my companion being
sound asleep. while | was beginning tc
nod. when heard sharp voices in front
of us and our carriage came to halt
The road was lined with thick growth
of willows on either side and the shade OF
the trees added to the darkness of the
clouded aud moonless sky. You could
see your hand before you but you could
not see the hand of man ten feet away
could discern the outline of the driver
on the box with tolerable distinctness
and what was more to the point | could
see some shadowy forms emerging from
the bushes and taking position at the
heads of our horses. spoke in French
to the captain and he was awake in
an instant. and not only awake bu,
had his pistol in hand. | could not