Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-27
EXILES AND CONVICTS.
A COLUMN OF RUSSIAN PRISONERS
EN- ROUTE TO SIBERIA
Marching in u Cloud Of D.st-A Roadside
Shrine-The MONDAY Halt-The Boast
of the Brodyag-Rcst for the Night.
Rations.

OF the Brodyag-Rcst for the Night |
Rations.
The column moved at the rate of about two
miles an hour, and long before noon it was
enveloped i'll a sutfocating cloud Of dust
raised by Ithe shufiling, fetter encumbered
feet of the prisoners. In warm, dry weather,
when there is no wind, dust is source of
great misery to marching parties, particu-
larry TO the sick, the women and the children.
There is no possible way of escaping it, and
when prisoner is suffering from one of the
diseases of the respiratory organs that are
so common in etape life it is simply torture
to sit in a cramped position for six or eight
hours in an open telega, breathing the dust
raised by the feet of $50 men marching in
close column just ahead | have traced the
progress of an invislole exile party more
than a mile away by the cloud of dust that
hung over it in the air.
Five or six miles from Tomsk the party
passed ''chasovnaya," or roadside shrine,
consisting Of an open pavilion, in which
hung CHASTITY wooden effigy of the crucifed
Christ. Here as upon our departure from
Tomsk, noticed that two-thirds of the con-
victs removed their caps, crossed themselves
A Russian peasant may be highway robber
or murderer, but he continues, neverthe-
less, to cross himself and say his prayers.
HALT BY THE wAysIDE.
The first halt of the party for rest was
made about ten miles from Tomsk, at the en-
trance to small village Here, on patch
| of green sward by the roadside, had assembled
| ten or twelve girls and old women with bas-
| kets of provisions bottles OF milk, and jugs
of ''kvasS,' or small beer, for sale to the
prisoners. At first sight of these prepara-
tions for their refreshments, the experienced
| brodyags, who marched at the head of the
column, raised a joyous shout of Prevail
| Preevaln-the exile's name for the noon day
| halt. The wecoGne cry was passed along the
line until it reached the last wagon OF ''in-
capables," and the whole party perceptibly
quickened its pace. a walk of ten miles does
not much tire healthy and unincumbered
man, but to convicts who have been in prison
without exercise for months, and who are
hampered by five pound leg fetters united by
chains that clash constantly between the
legs, 1t is a trying experience. In less than
a minute after the command to halt was
given, almost every man in the crowd was
either sitting on the ground or lying on it al
full length. After a short rest, the prisoners
began buying food from the provision Ven
ders in the shape of black rye bread, fish
pie, hard boiled eggs, milk and kvass, and il
half an hour they were all sitting on the
ground, singly or in groups, eating theil
lunch.
The afternoon march was without note
worthy incident. The brodyags talked con
stantly as they walked, raising their voice
SO as to make themselves heard above til,
jnglinE of the chains. while the novice
generally listened or asked questions. Their
is the same difference between a brodya,
who has been to the mines half dozen time
and novice who is going for the first tim
that there is between an experienced COW
boy and Il ''tenderfootn The brodyag know
the road as the tongue knows the mouth; h
has an experimental acquaintance with th
temper and character of every convoy Office
from Toms. to Kara; and his perilous ad
ventures in the ''taigan-the primeval Sibe
rian forest-have given to him self conf
Gence and a decision of character that max
him the natural leader in every convic
party. 1t is the boast of the true brodya
that the oStrog (the prison is his father an
the taiGa tthe wilderness his mother, and b
often spends his whole life in going from on
parent to the other; he rarely escapes froi
Siberia altogether, although he may reac
half dozen times the valley Of the Oi
Sooner or later he is almost always recaI
tured, or is forced by cold and starvation t
give himself up. As an etape officer ono
said to a brodyag rearTested in western 5
beria: The cars COW pasture is large, br
you can't get out of it; we find you at last
you are not dead.
REST FOR THE NIGHT