The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-11-20
ON 4 RUSSIAN ooNvIcr SHIP.


horrora OF the voyage from Odessa to
the Island of saghaIin.
The sailing of Russian convict ship
from Odessa for the Island of Saghalin,
In the Japan Sea, Is always an impress
siVe sight. The motley crowd, indigo
nous to all countries, is of course pres
ent, but there are in addition many
government officials, full OF Importance
In their emblazoned uniforms, and
more numerous members Of the clergy
attending to perform the ceremony Of
sprinkling the ship with holy water,
and to give the inmates parting bless
ing and godspeed Nothing is done
In Russia without the help Of priests,
and Russian is bathed in holy water
from the cradle to the grave.
The religious ceremony over, 1t is
with cargo Of heavy hearts that the
convict ship-usually built at Glasgow,
by the way-weighs anchor and de-
parts, for even a hardened convict
would prefer serving his sentence on
his native soil to dragging out his ex-
istence in foreign land But, how
ever that may be, the accommodation
for the thousand or more convicts on
board Is ample and the arrangements
for their well-being complete. The
food provided is good and wholesome,
and it is not an infrequent thing for
people in the saloon-the convict ship
carries ordinary passengers as well as
state prisoners-to ask for convict soup
and rye bread.
All the convicts are in letters, wrist
and ankle bracelets, with connecting
chain. These and their half-shaved
heads present a most hideous appear
ance. The daily routine on board is I'M
varying therefore, to change the mo-
notony, the prisoners have resort to all
kinds Of devices to make the time pass
away as pleasantly as the circum-
stances will allow.
Most lower class Russians are born
card players, so the convicts collect all
the odd scraps of paper they can lay
their hands on. Clubs and spades are
roughly scrubbed on these slips with
the ink supplied for letter writing pur-
poses, while to provide hearts and dia-
monds Of the requisite color one or
more Of the company consents to have
a vein opened. This delicate operation
Is performed with the aid of the tin
spout Of a tea can, ground to sharp
edge on the iron deck. This impTO-
vised lancet also does duty as a razor,
serving to remove the remaining hair
from the head of some devout follower
of Islam. The stakes of the card play
ers are knobs of sugar, saved by rigor-
GUS economy at the tea table. When
these fail, bones and odds and ends are
substituted
On the fifteenth day at sea the letters
are removed. This is, indeed, a day OF
rejoicing, and the most hardened Grim
Inal gives vent to a sigh of relief at
being released from these hateful EN-.
blems Of bondage.
The coveted freedom is not, however
of long duration. A poor, inoffensivt
Crieman Tartar accidentally treads OF
the foot Of a regular cut throat villain
to be seized Immediately by the throat
The cry is instantly raised that thu
Mohammedans are killing the Chris
tians. A general melee ensues, il
which racial hatred is given full play
The guard is called out, and turning
on the hot water hose pipes, which ar,
kept ready for any emergency, sOoI
COWS the Gombatants. The ringleader II
placed in irons and put on dry breat
and water for fourteen days. The Tar
tar is carried more dead than alive II
the hospital, and the rest, guilty ant
innocent alike, are kept in chains ant
shackles for the rest of the voyage
From the London Mail.