The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-28

rror. Howard. visit to the I.iaua OF saEha.
lien.

delivered n lecture In ChlcRerlnR nan on Mon
day night before the American Geographical
Society, is tho only American who has been
able to reach the Siberian island Of sakhalien.
or Sagalin. This island, with its political ex-
lies and convicts, was the subject of his lecture.
and the stereopticon views which illustrated It
were chiefly from drawings and pen and ink
sketches which he had made himself.
Snkhalien is n long, regular. mountainous
island which skirts tho Siberian coast north OF
Japan. Here have been sent the worst Russian
criminals, for from here there Is no escape. In
Prof. Towards words It is behind the beyond"
1t has been described as n kind Of hell on earth, a
place not to be spoken Of, q place to which mono
20 ever to return. The population OF Sakhalien
IL a population OF murdorers and OF Nihilists.
Tho tales told to DIR. Howard OF the fearful
crueltics perpetratod there upon the prisoners
could not be repeated without causing n sbud-
der. Corpscs, 1t was said, strewed the ground;
fogging was an everyday occurrences; even can
nibalism was INDUCED in. OF all the Siberian
prison pens 1t was the most horrible. Prof.
Howard wished to see for himself vile. her these
stories were true. He felt that the real truth
should be made known not only to his country
men, but to the world at large. Others had
penetrated to Tomsk, to Irkutsk, and to the
coast, and ho was determined to penetrate to
sakhalion. On reaching vladivostock he was
forced to come to o standatill. Sakhalien lay
beyond. as impregnablo as ever.
At vladivostock he called upon the Project Of
Police, announced that he wished to explore the
island Of Yezo, and that the only way of reach
ing 1t which had occurred to him was TO go to SAX
halien. and thence to this island. That he had
come there for the express purpose of visiting
sakhalien he did not divnlgc, for to mention 1t
would have been suicidal to the project. The
Drofart told him TINT ha dpuhfn6 v-hpfhnr hia
scheme of exploration could be carried through
and offered to show him the prisons at vladi-
vostock. The professor spent many hours
among the prisoners. converslng freely with
those who spoke in French and German. They
were confined in a sort Of stockade and were al
lowed to associate with each other, smoke and
chat as much as they liked. The worst feature
Of their condition was the lack of anything to
do, of any object in life. Many of them were
awaiting trial. Tho slow progress Of Justice Is
one of the hardest things to bear in Russia. A
mans hair may grow gray In prison while he Is
waiting to be tried.
One poor fellow effected his escape from the
prison at Vladivostock and succeeded in hid
Ing himself away in a ship which was in the
harbor. He jammcd himself in among the
boxes and bales of merchandise In the hold.
In three hours the ship would weigh anchor
and he would be free. suddenly he telt one OF
his feet grasped. He had thought himself en-
out. Holding that foot was a policeman. The
man returned to prison.
Three miles beyond vladivostock is a village
OF convicts. Here they live in cottages just rs
they would live anywhere else. They, raise
crops. keep cows or ply the trade for which they
As the professor fingered on watching for an
orportunity,to reach his goal. sakhalien. his ren;;
by the idle gossip Of the little place, and a din.
ner was given TO him by some Of the officers.
Opposite to him on this u Occasion o,a sat a hand nd
professors project OF reaching tho island of
Sezo was discussed and the official opposite
but as his acquaintance with the professor
grew he changed his mind. One day he flung
his arms round the professor IN Russian style,
month was ended that he returned to SAX
halien, OF which he was Governor. the next
stay as long as ever he iikedi He added:
ITO tell you the truth. we officers are just as
badly of as the prisoners NJ we get Just as lonely
among u.s."
The professor accepted the invitation; If he
island Of Sakhalien out of curiosity he never
would have got there.
three days. As they approached the Professor
was more impressed by the absolute. deathly
stiffness ST. n by Tie .;sd life 6s SoarG Of ,S Sse s Z ,Ngs than han,
fns boats~ain. Yes" the Governor repiied.
never wish to have" Then the Professor re:
every sangpinnk While the ship was in port. The
reason was evident: 1t was manned by convicts.
The first news that greeted the Governor on
his arrival at the town of korsabof on SAX
halien was that five Of the worst convicts had
escaped: That might mean death to any one
protected. Prot Howard was conducted to
comfortable quarters in tho Governors house.
and as he went to bed the Governor placed q
the heavy shutters OF his room. the windows OF
which, were already barred. Don't open
ing. just as the first streams OF daylight found
their way through the chinks OF his shutters.
the door opened softly and a hide1us looking
cup Of ten which ali Russians drink early in
the morning. She, was a murdsress. That day
the island so long that ] must INSPECT every
thing. We have forty horses in the stables,
the steam launch, and the pinnace; I should be
cisely what DIR. Howard wanted. They went
from one end of the island to the other. The
for two years. and the quarters are very com
Portable. Among the prisoners Prof. lloward
up as well. as the quarters of an ordinary in
fantry Captain.
After the term of imprisonment expires they
arc practically free of the island. They are put
in model cottages, receive tools. seeds, n COW,
and everything necessary TO gain n livelihood,
together with rations until = crop has been
raised. Some arc employed at the mines which
run along the surface. AIlthe servants OF the Gov.
eminent house. the coachman-all the employees
In fact upon the island are murdcrers, and bet,
ter servants could not he found. Floggjng Is
employed only to punish the perpetrator OF II
double murder; Prof. Howard attended upon
ment was precticod during his stay. There
were present, besides the criminal and the fog.
ger, the Governor, the regular physician. and n
man who checked off tho number OF strokes.
rhe whip was composed of II long rope lash, end.
ing in three points; at tho end OF each OF these
was a hard Knot; Every time this descended
out. AS soon as tho oracal was over the pris.
oner was carried to the hospital, and as tender.
ly cared for as a private patient in one of our
own hospitals.
There is a Greek Church and a chaplain on
the island, and the free convicts attend SER
vice. IL was pitiful to see that when Sunday
came and all prepared for church each wore
some relic OF past days, some little ribbon or
token that they had brought with them out OF
their past. Religious. offices are not extended
to those who are serving their term within the
prison.
The winter on Sakhalien Is eight months
long. During that time tho only means Of
transportation 10 by dog teams, so the dogs are
carefully reared during the summer. Fish are so
plentiful in the waters there that II is only nee.
essary to dip in "A net to draw II up fun. Barrels
There are no birds upon the island.
Prof. Howard reports only what he has seen.