The Dickinson press., 1892-12-03

a sojonrn OF fortnight Was spent in
IrkutSk; then such of the party as were
going forward through the Trans Bailsal
to the east by way of the Kara Mines
where u large number of the convicts were
forty odd miles from lrllutsk TO the Great
Lake, which has Il length OF over
four hundred miles. This lake was
crossed upon the ice. and then com.
menced the march through the awful, des-
olate Trans Baikcl Provinces. Several OF
the convic's pcrished here from cold,
and Catherine and Rachel endured the mis-
cry and the rgours OF the climate. They
were sustained by something which their
wretched fellow-travelcrs had not. That
something in each case might have been a
shadowy, vague thing asshadowy and un-
breath upon polished glass. But what
ever it was it kept them up
The great region which lies 10 the east
and north i, a dcsolate, drcary region,
spnrsely populated. With wrctclcd roads,
if they can he called roads, and with no
proper accommodation for travellers. In
summer it is bad in winter its awiulness
cannot be overstu,cd. VT, through the in
hospitable wld> the civilized and Christian
Government of Russia allows its subjects TO
be driven like dumb cattle being taken to
the slaughter. 1t matters not that the
SHOWS sweep down from the Arctic regions,
and that the cold al times makes life we'll
nigh lnsuppo table.
On the wrctchcd people must go; people
who under the fostering care OF good gov
crnmen, would become an honor and credit
to their country. But the man who ever
looks angriy at the Cars cat is liable tc
| be at once sent into exile, and SO, noble anc
| peasant, paurer and prince. are constantly
| passing i'll streams overthc siberian Steppe:
| and s,lh-Arctic Wilderness to sile livin.
| grave Of the Kara Mines. or the horror
| and pursatory of Sakhalin; while brutal
ignorant aud stupid officials and soldier
treat the manac!e ed prisoners worse than TIL
Arab slavc-hunters of Equatorial Airic
+! treat their slaves. But while Christian
slave trade, 10 Government raises protc,,
ing voiccagainst the barbalities oiinhuma
| Russia
As the exile party pushed on their wa
through the terrible region, some died j
the poisonous etapes where every log, ever
stone, and every grain nj eartl, is salurate
with the conta.ion oi deadly disease; Other
fell by the way, and were buried in til
snow; and those who lived strained the
eyes wearily in searching the snow covere
wastes for some signs OF the end of the
journey: and in their hearts they cried out:-
"Oh. Lord. how long is this misery t
LAST"
1t WAS the cry of a sorrow-striclen peop
towhom thciI .cilow-lncn were crue!ler tina
the wolves hat hung upon their flank
Crucller than tlie ice.born winds from Il
frozen north.
In spite o; a their misery and thesuffe
ing, Paul Pe,rovna, Catherine, and Rach
held their way. Sometimes, althoug
, neither confessed ii to the other, each felt
sinking of the heart rs they gazed avs
across lie wild. lonely regions as wreckt
: mariner on a raft gazes over tine viii
, wastes of waters for the sail that will Civ
him hope of life and suocor. At la,
as bitter winter day vas tadin
. to its close. and the northcr
2 heavens were lighted with brilliant di
. play Of the Aurora, joyful cry went II
e simultaneously from the little band
{ worn-out cxiles as they camcin sight OF Il
il Lower Kara Diggings.
+ III order that the reader may gather son
5 general idea ofthe topography OF the r
: markablc Kara region, where the privat
mines of the Car of Russia are situated