The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-09-15
On q Russian Convict Ship.


The sailing Of Russian convict
ship from Odessa for the Island of
Saghalin, in the Japan Sea, IS al
ways an impressive sight. The
motley crowd, indigenous to all
countries, is of course present, but
there are in addition many gov
eminent officials, full of import
ance in their emblazoned uniforms
and more numerous members Of |
the clergy attending to perform
the ceremony of sprinkling the
ship with holy water, anasto give
The inmates parting blessing and
a God speed. 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, it
| is with a, cargo of heavy hearts
that the convict ship-usually
built at Glasgow by the way
weighs anchor and departs, for
even hardened convict would
prefer serving his sentence on his
native soil to dragging out his ex-
|istence in a foreign land. But,
however that may be, the accom-
mediation for the thousand or
more convicts on board is am
Iple and the arrangements for
! their we'll being complete. The
: food provided is good and whole
, some, and it is not an infrequent
thing for people in the saloon
: the convict ship carries ordinary
) passengers as we'll as State prison
ers-to ask for convict soup and
} rye bread.
81 All the convicts are in letters,
! wrist and ankle bracelets, with a
. connecting chain. These and thei1
) half-shaved heads present a most
} hideous appearance. The daily
: routine on board is unvarying
| therefore, to change the monotony
\ the prisoners have to resort to all
/, kinds of devices to make the time
r pass away as pleasantly as the cir.
4 cumstances will allow.
: Most lower class Russians are
e born card players, SO the convicts
collect all the odd scraps of paper
Y they can lay their hands on. Club:
$ and spades are roughly scrubbed
), on these with ink supplied for let
+ ter writing purposes, while to pro
5 vide hearts and diamonde Of til,
, requisite color one or more of thu
e company consents to have a veil
i opened, this delicate operation il
IS performed with the aid of the
= tin spout ola tea can, ground t.
g a sharp edge On the iron deck
: This improvised lancet also doe
.e duty as a razor, serving to remov
: the remaining hair from the heaC
If Of some devout follower of Islam
is The stakes of the card players ar
o knobs of sugar saved by rigorou
economy at tIe-taa table. Whe
le these fail, bones and odds an
ii ends are substituted.
l. On the fifteenth day at sea tn
Il letters are removed. This is, in
i deed, day of rejoicing, and tn
l. most hardened criminal give
to vent to a sigh of relief at bein
e. released from these hateful en-
IN blems of bondage.
c. The coveted freedom is no
w however, of long duration.
J. tpoor inoffensive Crimean Tarts
H. accidentally treads on the foot of
ry regular cut-throat villain, to
.se seized Immediately by the throa
ne The cry is instantly raised TIL
u Mohammedans are killing, tt
Christians. A general melee Q
ick1 sues, in which racial hatred is gi
hat en- full play. The guard is call
out, and turning on the hot wat
~ hose pipes, which are kept rea'
ans for any emergency, soon COWS t
is combatants. The ringleader
placed in irons, and put on d
res bread and water for fourteen da,
'ios The Tartar is carried more de
low
inc than alive to the hospital, and t
rest, guilty and innocent ALL
our are kept in chains and shackles
the rest Of the voyage.
J. w. Baggett; of Oak Grove, Fla,
| ,o@@1 IS IT, II IL