The Cape Girardeau Democrat., 1897-09-04
ON A RUSSIAN CONVICT sHIP.
How the Time Is Spent on the Way to
the Island of Saghnlien.

the Island of Saghnlien.
The sailing of Russian convict ship
from Odessa for theisland of Saghalien,
in the Japan sea, is always an impress
i've sight. The motley crowd, indigen-
Gus 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 a parting blessing
and a God-speed. Nothing is done in
holy Russia without the help of the
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 de-
parts, for even a hardened convict
would prefer serving his sentence on his
native soil to dragging out his existence
in distant foreign land. But, however
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 fetters, wrist
and ankle bracelets with connecting
chain, this and their half-shaved heads
presenting a most hideous appearance.
The daily routine on board is unvary-
ing; therefore. to change the montony,
the prisoners have resorted to all kinds
of devices to make the time pass away
rs pleasantly as the circumstances will
allow. Most lower class Russians are
born card players, so the convicts col
lect all the odd scraps of paper they can
lay their hands on. Clubs and spades
are roughly scribbled on these slips
with the ink supplied for letter-writing
purposes, while to provide hearts and
diamonds of the requisite color one or
more of the company consents to have
vein opened. This delicate operation is
performed with the aid of the tin spout
of tea can, ground to a sharp edge on
the iron deck. This improvised lancet
also does duty as razor, serving to re-
move the remaining hair from the
head of some devout follower of Islam.
The stakes of the card players are
knobs of sugar saved by rigorous
economy at the tea table; when these
fail, bones and other odds and ends are
substituted.
On the fifteenth day at sea the fetters
are removed. This is, indeed, day of
rejoicing, and the most hardened Grim
inal gives vent to sigh of relief at be-
ing released from these hateful en-
blems of bondage.
The coveted freedom is not, however,
of long duration. a poor inoffensive
Crimean Tartar accidentally treads on
the foot of regular cut-throat villain,
to be seized Immediately by the throat.
The cry is instantly raised that the
Mohammedans are killing the Chris
tians. A general melee ensues, in which
racial hatred Is given full play. The
guard is called out, and turning on the
hot water hose pipes which are kept
ready for any emergency, soon cow the
combatants. The ringleader is placed
in irons and put on dry bread and water
for II days. The Tartar is carried more
dead than alive to the hospital. and the
rest, guilty and innocent alike, are
kept in chains and shackles for the rest
of the voyage.-London Mail.