The Washington times., 1903-02-15
CHAPTER XII.
On the March.

ness. Dressed in a gray convict suit.
with shaver face and manacled limbs. he
lplodded stOlidly along with that unfor-
tunate band Of which he formed a part.
A squad of Cossacks. in their dark
green uniforms, always rode in front
Then came the disorderly throng OF
men and women-criminals Of the worst
grade, many OF them-marching between
thin. broken lines Of soldiers
A string OF telegas followed, bearing
the old and sick and the small children.
and finally came a rear guard OF six Cos
sacks escorting wagons filed with gray
bags. which contained the meager per-
sonal belongings of the exiles.
Progress was painfully slow. very
few miles being Travelled each day. Every
night they stopped at one OF the exile
station houses-etapes. they are called
which line the Siberian post roads at
regular intervals. and every third day
they rested at one Of these places. which
were similar to the Tomsk prison. only
on smaller scale
They were all foul and dirty beyond
description. and Donald soon learned to
dread these periods Of rest He would
far rather have marched on from day
to day
Each prisoner was allowed a daily sum
equivalent to cents. and with this he
purchased such food as could be obtain
ed from peasant women along the way II
was often hard to get. and OF poor
quality Al that.
Donald avoided ali intercourse with
his companions There was none of
whom he cared to make coufdsnt. and
to avoid forced attention he affected ig-
ncrance OF the Russian tongue.
| He was constantly on the lookout for
some high Official. to whom he might
appeal for n hearing. but the weeks
passed into months. and still the hoped
for chance did not come. He frequently
saw Russian officers at distance. but
was never close enough TO hail them.
The 1.040 miles that separated Tomsk
from Irkutsk were usually covered by an
exile party in about three months. and
in this case very fair progress was made
during August and the first half OF Sep
TENDER
The weather continued hne and the
country passed through was so beautiful
that at times Donald forgot his troubles
in admiration OF 81.
Siberia is far from being the dreary
and barren land that its name usually
suggests In winter it deserves its obi
Gus reputation. but the brief summer is
in many parts OF the country a season
OF surprising beauty.
Day by day the exiIes marched over
wide plains carpeted with alpine roses.
6aises. wild pansies. dandeIions. vioIets.
lilies OF the valley. and various other
flowers that made the air perpetuaily
sweet.
Sometimes the way led through forests
of poplars. asPens. and silver birches.
and sometimes they passed villages
cluster OF quaint pagoda topped houses.
with a golden domed church rising from
the ceuter-from which swarmed pic
.turesquely clad peasants. curious 70 see
the procession OF prisoners.
But in the middle OF September all
this was changed. The autumn rains
began earlier than usual. and with them
came much frost and slcet.
Wet to the skin through their thin
garments the exiles trudged on day by
day in mud so deep that the wagons
/ stuck frequently. and il was no IN
common thing 10 cover but two or three
miles between dawn and sunset.
No pen can describe the misery and
( suffering. Many OF the prisoners died
along the way. and by the beginning
of October but little more than half re-
NAMED alive OF the band that had start
ed from Tomsk two months before.
Donald had been permitted 90 retain
his undergarments. and owing partly 10
this. and partly to the faint hope that
( nickered in his heart. he escaped serious
Illness.
He sought relief from his own sor-
row in the misfortunes Of others. aiding
the weak and iuarm with his strong
arm. and often carrying little children
for miles at a time
J About the middle Of October winter
began in earnest. The weather grew Bit
terly cold freezing the roads as hard
as stone. SnowstOrms were frequent.
and were often followed by rains after
which a crust formed on the snow that
was strong enough for travel
At the end Of October Irkutsk Was
/ still nearly 200 miles away
The exile party had now reached the
most lonely and desolate region that is
| traversed by the great Siberian road.
But few habitations were seen
To the north and south lay range after
range OF gloomy mountains, deep ra-