The Newtown bee., 1891-12-18
Woman Among Siberia's tepers.

A Woman Among Siberia's 1epers.
Miss Kate Marsden's work among the
lepers of Siberia is one of no common in
terest.
She is a Red Cross Sister, both in Eng.
land and Russia, and was engaged with
some English companions in tending the
wounded in the Russo-Turkish war.
where her devoted ministrations and
those of her colleagues endeared them
greatly to the objects of their care. One
day, she and companion were seeking
for any scattered wounded they could
find and strayed into deserted barn,
whose sole inmates were two wretched
lepers who had taken shelter there. One
of these was so utterly manned and dis
figured as to have lost almost the semb-
lance of human form. The sight made
so strong an impression on her, that she
then and there resolved to devote herself
to trying to amelorate the condition of
lepers.
err field of labor in New Zealand and it
was some years before she was free to
follow out her own plans. AS soon as
she could, she began her researches in
several countries as to the mode of treat
ment. etc., followed, Der main object be-
ing unfortunate fellow subjects in India.
She revisited Russia and found she could
gain much Information there. Backed by
royal patronage and accompanied by Miss
Field, whose perfect knowledge of Rus
sian enabled her to be fitting Interpret
er, she set out and, before she had reach
ed the last railway terminus, she met with
one able and willing to be her best in
formant, in an aged missionary bishop
of the Russian church, who had spent 40
years among the Siberians of the north
east, beyond Yakutsk and had translated
great part of the Scriptures into their
language. He told her that in that remote
part there is d large colony of lepcrs, out
casts from all their countrymen, living a
wandering life among the forests and
marshes of that inhospitable climate and
fish in the lakes, which have been found
to contain germs conveying the faint of
leprosy. These poor creatures are very
anxious for hospital and have been hith-
erto unable to find any to plead their
cause. But they are said to have discov-
cred a remedy, an herb known only TO
themselves, which, though their wretch
ed mode of life binders its good effect, is
believed to cure the disease when it can
be fairly administered under favorable
circumstances.
Miss Marsden resolved to go on in
search of this remedy. The kindness of
the Russian officials and of many in posi-
tions to help her has been great and this
it was which made the journey possible,
for they had always an escort and every
facility afforded them; but the hardships
were such as would have been felt Sc
verely by the strongest and most active
men and for two young and delicate Wo-
men they were an ordeal, which nothing
but the courage born of devoted benevo-
lance and lively Christian faith could
have enabled them to face.
1t was mid-Winter, the frozen rivers
prevented steamers from plying; the on
ly land conveyance was by the sledges of
the toughest description, with head
covering behind, but no seat; the travel
ers must lie on their backs on the lug
gage slowed in the bottom, shaken fear
fully by the rough snowy roads. No
sleeping places but kind of caravan
serai" post house, no beds attainable but
the floor on their outer coverings of REIN
deer skin; none but the coarsest food,
supplemented by such timed provisions
as they could bring; and this mode OF
travelling had to be carried on for weeks,
with only rare and occasional intermis-
sion, where more habitable place could
be reached and little rest taken.
Their chief earthly consolation was the
power of visiting the sick and prisoners
in the hospitals and prisons they passed
and giving them little comforts, princi-
palIy squares of 'sbrick'' tea and sugar
and kindly words of sympathy and Christ
ian love.
At last, it became clear that Miss Field
must return to seek further help in Eng
land otherwise means would not be forth
coming. Miss Marsden proceeded alone
on her difficult enterprise. The last part
of her journey was to be proformed on
horseback, over the toughest and most
primitive bride paths in the remote coun-
try beyond the Yakutsk. There she
hopes to discover and test the remedy.to
see how the discovery can be applied to
the amelioratien of lepers in India and to
plead the cause of a hospital for the poor
Siberian lepers and then return to Eng
land. Nothing has been heard from her
for some time, but contributions in her
behalf are being asked for in England.
1t is one of the strangest and most self
sacrificing undertakings of the present
day.-[Canadian Queen,