Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-08

punishment? And these ignorant
aborigines point to drunkenness ana
other vices they observe among the
Russians as specific results OF the
Christian religion
AS far as l was able to observe.
these primitive people have no vicious
habits such as keep our penitentiaries
and warehouses; well filed. They 40
not drink, of course, and as all prop
erty is deemed common there is no IN
centive for theft. They do not lie.
seldom quarrel among themselves ana
do not wage war upon others, ana
much parental care is extended 10
children while they are young ana
helpless. AS soon as the boys are able
to shift for themselves they take 10
hunting and fishing on their own ac-
count and gradually draw away from
their elders. The C;ilyak loves domes-
tic animals. and looks upon his wife as
the most valuable of them. He never
Hit treats her. but sells her when he has
the chance. for that much he has
learned from his Christian betters-
the Russians.
The administration Of Sagnalin, you
must know. has lately added to the
horrors of the climate and or the whip
and chain the wholesale degradation or
women prisoners by selling them to the
highest bidder. Whether he be free
settler a liberated prisoner or newly
arrived criminal does not matter so
long as he has the coin II the auc-
tioneer is satisfied that he cannot get
more anybody may have deported
princess, or the wife of a professor or
priest. for neither religion, nationality,
former station i'm life nor grade of in
telIect are taken into consideration.
Indeed, as Count keyserling. the trav-
eler. says: "Tartars live in Saghalin
with blonde women from the Baltic.
Jewesses with orthodox popes. white
women with Chipese. Catholics with
laps. a countess ilteeps house for
murderous sub-otficer. and princess
Galitzin figures as the wife of a
saloonkeeper.
Many of these child wives spend the
years intervening between their be-
| trothaI and marriage behind bars, or in
a rude cage set up in their future hus-
bands abode. They are not allowed 10
| talk to any male until after their we'd
| ding day, not even to their father or
! brother At the same time, they rank
as full nedged wives and are called
| mama" | have seen ''mamas" who
| were not more than or years old.
| If however. a Gilyak has a chance to
| acquire new wife. there Is nothing 10
| restrain him from disposing OF the ola
| one by selling her 10 convict or any
body else, and he may keep changing
| mates as long as he likes or as long as
his funds hold out. These FUNDS
| consist of articles of exchange, dogs.
kettles. spears AND fishing apparatus
Far a good rifle one could buy three OF
| four "mamas" scarce as they are
| Well-to-do men acquire wives Tor
their little sons in the same way, TAX
| ing the future bride into their own
home Immediately after purchase. IN
such cases the girls are not locked up
| hut placed in charge of their lulore
| husbands, who watch them with Argus
ewes never leaving them rms busi-
! moss recalls certain royal marriage Ell
| aapements in the Middle Ages. entered
into while the contracting parties We're
| vet in their swaddling clothes.
| I.atterly the Gilyaks have begun 10
| sell their children TO conNicts. inc
usual price being ten to fifty SILVER
| roubles. and both boys and girls are
| made virtual slaves for that amount
| The convicts use them to keep house
or 10 assist them at the work the
state imposes as q punishment me
| children must serve their owner untii
| they are grown men and women-iha'
| is. until they are eighteen 10 twenty
wears old-but most of them de YOUNG
,s they cannot stand the semi-hNSlehic
mode of living, the enforced seihi-
| cleanliness Besides, the iood, az
fresh. or comparatively SO, doesh
agree with them.
The free Gilyak never works. asiue
from providing for himself ana fanny
nv hunting, fishing and the ike. In ms
avas work is the most degrading thine
arar invented. Once | made so bold as
"a ask a party of Gilyaks to shovei the
snow off the terrace of my mousse az
| AIaxandrovsk. They had lived lor
MANY weeks near ply residence "htle
7 had them under observation, ana
dare say, lived on the fat OF the taiiu'
fter their own style. They We're soou-
hearted fellows. fond of animals ana
children. and their women, TOO
shovel snow" they asked IN chorus'
NO. no. that would i'll befit Giiyak-
the Russians would laugh at u.s.