Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-01-06

authority:
Four of us-women-Were, going
from Spaski to Bogdanovka. On the
road we We're oVertaken by hundred
Cossacks, who brought us into Bog
danovka. They there placed us in a
coach house, and then leh us out one
by one INTO the yard. Then they
stripped us in the yard. throwing our
skirts over our shoulders, and flogged
our bare bodies In the yard stood
some Cossacks. and many other people.
There We're only a few Of our own peo-
pie They logged US 50 YOU could not
count the strokes. Two of them held
US. and four tlogged. Three of us stood
through it. but one they dragged about
81 that She could not stand.
That these tloggings are not mere
matters Of form may be judged from
the fact that one man. Nassia koles-
nikoff. was logged until his boots We're
fun Of blood,
Another Doukhobor, Nicholas Posnia-
koff. who was logged, sang the follow
ing prayer three times while the Cos
sacks were inflictins the punishment
upon him:
Lord. my Saeior, Thou art my light,
whom shall | fear? The Lord Him
self watches over my life; of whom
shall | be afraid? Though they bring
my flesh to harm. my enemies shall be
put to shame. Let mine enemies rise
up against me, Vet will | not fear this:
though Il host should rise up against
me. my trust is in the Lord. My
father and my mother deserted my in
- ~
and gave me life and prosperity. Place
me, @ Lord. in the way of truth by
Thy holy law Let not mine enemy
trouble me, l trust in the life to come.
but do not leave me in this life, @ Lord.
to the hands of the ungodly. Cover
me q Lord. with Thy right arm from
all lying slanderers Let my head now
be lifted up against ALL terrible enc
mics. I offer with my heart a sacrifice.
| call upon Thee, @ Lord, in the psalms
Of those that serve Thee With my
heart and soul ! cling to Thee: let me
in truth not be cOnfounded, for my
trust is in God, To our God be glory,
The position Of the Doukhobors had
at last become intOlerable. They had
the choice between yielding to the in
iquitous demands of the government
or of being exterminated. At this
juncture some kindhearted Russians
intercedei in their behalf ana obtained
from the Car the immense boon of
being permitted to emigrate at their
own expense. The permission came
none too soon. out of one company of
1000 of them who had been driven from
their homes. 500 had died in two years
and half. The interest Of a group Of
English and Russian admirers of Count
TOlstoy a Purleigh in England was
aroused, ana the successful initiation
of the enterprise of emigration and
colonization is largely due to them
CAPTAIN st. John. formerly an officer
in the British army. who gave up his
commission because he concluded
that it was wrong to Kill even i'll uni
form. Went to Russia with funds and
SET the movement on foot He has
Wri,tvn most interesting account of
his experience. only part Of which has
~ vet been published. He was charm
cd hy thr unaffected piety NJ the pprsc-
cuttd peasants 1t was not long before
the police We're on his track. and final
~ ho was expelled from the empire. An
officer being sent to accompany him Is
the port IF Batoum. Visiting cyprus
IN his way home, ho selected that
island as the site Of the first colony.
and a Shir-load arrived there last sum
mcr. THE climate proved e. bo insult
WI ID I'll. Immigrants. The heat was
excessive for people accustomed tp til"
cold If the Caucasus. and there was
much illness among them. Theso
colonistS ar" still in cyprus. but it ha,
been determined to send them On To-
Canada JS soon w. transport ItiOn can
l." arranged McanWhile Aylmer
Maudc. IN English member Of the Pur-
leigh group VINO had lived long at
Moscow as merchant, went to Cana
da tc see what could be done to place
the Doukhohnrs on public Lana in the
dominion. His crraud was skillfully
managed ana proved completely sue
ccSsful. He secured the promise If 100
acres Of excellent land i'll Manitoba for
each family. and an allowance of one
dollar per head for each individual
Temporary shelter was offered gratis
in the cmicrant buildings established
at various points by tn" government.
ana No oath Of allegiance was cXacted
We talk If the United States as free
country, but in several respects Canada
showed herself frccr for these imm-
grants than "" could have done In
pursuance of this arrangement three
ship-loads Of immigrants have now ar
rived in canada. The vessels We're e.
peci1lly chartered and sailed direct
from Hatnum IN the Black sea to
Halifax. The second party were in
charge of Count Serge Tolstoy, the son
IF the distinguished author ana re-
former. All the reports Of these people
which have reached us from Canada
are most nattering. They are sturdy
Stronsly-built people we are told.
many of the men measuring nearer
seven than six feet in height" They
are strict Vegetarians, and their ap-
p"arance is sufficient vindication of
the merits of that diet. They are also
Scrupulously clean. and this fact has
impressed all observers. Clad in sheep
skins. like the conventional Russian
peasant. the women wearing trimmings
Of bright cloth on their jackets, they
presented striking appearance on the
quay a Halifax. Not one unfavora Bile
comment upon their looks has come to
my notice. And these Doukhobors in
Canada are no exceptions Those in
cyprus are of the same stamp A lady
in cyprus writes:
| hear from various acquaintances in