MEMOIRES OF the DOCTOR ALEXANDRE OKINCZYC
DEPORTATION AND ESCAPE
Volume II
I already mentioned before that ours were sent to the government of Tomsk, to reside in the cities, that is to say like deportees in the villages to be there under the monitoring of the rural communes. The State allocated little help neither to some nor to others. Kienowicz alone gave them a few roubles per month, a decision which displeased extremely all other Siberian governors. Even many reported against him to St Petersbourg what Diatramel confirmed, a military governor, man without character. When he was persuaded that Kienowicz acted very badly, he entirely believed in it. Kienowicz was thus called to St Petersbourg in order to explain the way in which he wasted the government funds. It seemed that logic of the business had a little importance. Kienowicz's action could be so well explained. This was why he was allowed to continue to help the deportees, and even he was decorated and obtained a gratification. He returned to his place. He made fun of everyone and, moreover, the central authorities gave the command to the other governors to make them like him and ordered to distribute help. But the things remained like formerly in the other governments and the sums intended for us were only used to increase the wealth of the governors. Kienowicz had reported to St Petersbourg that he gave help only to those of ours who were driven back by the hunger, who could revolt. Otherwise each one of us, then, would have had to choose, to die of hunger or start to escape or kill. "If we did not give satisfaction to most of them", Kienowicz had said, "he cannot answer for the consequences."
Those of us who were to live in the city still had the chance to be able to find work to earn their living, either in a trade, or in all other work. He defended of giving money from the government to us. Those who lived in villages were really feeling sorry for themselves, and they were the greatest numbers. In Tomsk, we were about 150. The peasants of this area could cultivate soil as much as they wanted it. Although the population was limited, they did not seek to take workmen and thus to increase their incomes.
All that they did, these peasants, was to drink, not making any money. Drunkenness in Siberia is very widespread. There are some that drink to the last shirt and do not have anything left on their premises. The misery, which results from a similar existence, does not correct them. The Siberians prefer to flee or kill rather than to change their life. Similar examples are frequent. One of us, sent to the countryside, was thus assassinated by his owner, in his village, during our stay in Tomsk. He still had, from the time of the insurrection, a wound in the leg. One day, by bandaging it in the presence of his owner, he exposed to him involuntarily a small bag hidden under his knee; another time to pay his rent, he took money from there. He did not have, in all, more than ten roubles. This imprudence lost him. He remained in this house with a comrade. One day his colleague was missed, the owner returned drunk and sought a subject of discussion. My comrade seeing that he had in front of him a drunken man yielded to him in all. At the end, when he tried to move away, he was struck strongly in the head. Blood spouted out. He fell, then he still raised, had the force to come out to the street and to arrive at the office of the peasants where he fell and lost consciousness. During that time, his colleague suspecting nothing returned to his place and seeing blood asked the owner what that meant. This last one told him stories. Then, suspecting that a drama had had to occur, he left to search his comrade and found a friend. He still had the force of him to tell what had occurred and expired. His body as well as the assassin was brought to Tomsk. The assassin acknowledged that he had killed. In spite of that, as we learned later, the peasant left the prison at the end of three days. Such is the life of ours in Siberia. And yet, the Russian courts considered condemned to the deportation in the cities and villages as condemned to light sorrows. What a horrible situation!
Ours seek by all the means to earn their living, but nothing is sure and seldom they succeeded. For example, one of them knowing the veterinary art by the courses that he had followed in Morymont started to look after the inhabitants and succeeded. Many could have earned their living while learning how to read and write, but in Siberia few peasants make a point of making inform their children. I know one example. He was a comrade who graduated from the 7th class from the college of Bialystock. He was condemned to live in a village, arrived there with a few roubles only. Being in a very precarious situation when this money was exhausted, he only knew that his future was bleak. He had still a gold ring, a memory of his past, which he held much and from which he had sorrow to separate. The profit would not help him too much. It was necessary regardless of any costs, to find in all haste a solution. It was not easy matter to achieve. The city was far away and to go there, was required one day. He had needed a written authorisation of the head of the commune and it was difficult to obtain it! Assigned to this village it was necessary for him here even to find a solution to gain his life. He had chance however. It is said sometimes that misery and the need lead to demoralisation and cowardice. Can it be applied to us in Siberia? I doubt it. A hard-working and sober owner could have been successful here, if not with a fortune, at least be well off. I knew them well and he was one of these that my colleague was likely to meet. He remained at this man since his arrival to the village, he ate at his place, not causing much trouble and devoting his time to reading books that he had brought with himself. By seeing him thus reading his owners concluded from it that he was erudite and noble. They imagined to themselves soon that they placed on their premises a count or a prince; perhaps the gold ring, which he carried on the finger, was the cause, because it seemed to them of great value. They believed that he was rich because he paid them regularly. They asked him sometimes if he was rich and as he was defensive in answers they took that for the modesty. They urged him to buy a house, horses, etc. They did not suspect that his last roubles were going to be exhausted. They were persuaded of his high birth and his fortune. One day however, they tried to ask him and it is until my colleague expressed such an amount of impatience. This saved his misery, because his owners gave at once to him home and the food in payment for the lessons that he gave to their children. He took his task to the heart, occupied the children and the brother of owner heard about his reputation, encouraged by what he saw sent his children to him, what increased the income. Via his benefactors, he hoped to obtain a place in the office of peasants where, for a little work, he would have had a good learning facility and gifts offered by the peasants. His owners were good people. They gave a proof of their kindness during the disease that my comrade was reached soon. Care, such as they gave to him, did not succeed. It is true with everyone that one should see there only the intention and their sympathy in the circumstance. I spent a little too much time on this account, but I think that this description proves how some of us managed to create a good situation in the countryside, but it was, alas, the small number!
The disease of which reached my comrade rather frequently prevailed in Tomsk, it appears. As far as me, I never could note of it, except only one case during my stay at the hospital. Here are the symptoms: the body covered with red spots, which became pustules of different sizes similar to those that produce the application of vesicatory. The patient had a strong fever and complained about pains at the places reached. Then the pustules released pus and dried out at the end of a few weeks. The patient was cured, but the red spots remained a long time visible on the body then ended up disappearing. There were some that died of this disease so much because of the fever, because of the considerable number of pustules.
When my comrade fell sick, his owners were initially afraid of believing that he may be lost, then having already seen in their life of similar cases, they proposed to him to look after him in their way. Because of the doctor being very far, he agreed to accept their care. Here, in many similar diseases, i.e. external, the remedy consisted in applying compressed urine, what was more harmful than advantageous. With a certain quantity of this cream, one added a lot of ammonia. All that together was mixed and it was the universal cure. When someone applied to the patient such a remedy, the wound opened and the patient suffered terribly. It should be said that this application was done in a Siberian bathtub. When our comrade was dying, the owners were frightened; they brought him back to the thatched cottage, laid him down in the best bed than they had made all possible to revive him. They poured water to his mouth, then brandy and, finally, with their great joy, the patient reopened the eyes. The owner who had an active share in the just given care cried with heated tears when the patient returned to himself. The farmer asked for forgiveness of what they had been the involuntary cause of his fainting and promised to him to compensate it. And, indeed, thereafter they proved by their conduct towards my comrade that they did not resemble all the other Siberian ones. When my comrade could rise and turn over to a sound old room, they did not want to agree to it and he had to remain in the most beautiful part of the house. At some time after that he had to go to Tomsk. The owner invented a story saying that it was necessary for him also to go to Tomsk to sell his honey and he went along with him. At the time of the departure, they covered my comrade with several furs, because it was in winter and they feared that he could get cold. And this man was so full with gentleness for him that he chose a road where they could stop in villages after a few versts, where parents or friends could receive them with open arms and where they could be heated. I precisely became acquainted with the young man during his short stay that he then made in Tomsk.
The majority of those who were sent to the villages lived miserably with what they had been able to bring to themselves. The shoemakers could find work here and there. I knew the three Stawinski, the father and his two sons, who earned their living in poisoning the foxes and the wolves. Ours did not have the right to have a rifle. Those like us, fought for a long time with misery, all these tests though quite hard diminished from us neither the hope nor the forces necessary to the combat the life. But the young people suffered more, whose life had run out on flowers, who had never known so extreme distress. Only despair remained with them and some became insane. Many of those who lived in the villages at the end of a certain time could leave, because of their good conduct, obtaining the authorisation to live to the cities for some time, and even to stay there indefinitely.
I would like to speak now about those of ours condemned to live in cities. Their fate was much better; they were able to earn their living more easily. If they had been able to obtain an employment for the government, many could have found a livelihood in relationship to their aptitudes. At the beginning many bosses were happy to take us working for them, but one-day a strict order defended this possibility. We were even prevented working on a purely private basis. Whoever knows the employees in Russia and can then compare them with those of Siberia would be astonished by their despotism, but would be obliged to acknowledge that those employees outside of Siberia are model workers for those of Siberia. It is quite difficult, sometimes, to recognise in a drunk individual, in wrecks, often without shirt and boots, an employee in charge of a clerical work and one wonders how an administration can allow such conduct. However, one cannot find others behaving better. All are of the same category. Nothing thus astonishing that ours were required to replace these sad individuals. In Siberia the inhabitants have such an opinion of this class of individuals that, probably after many experiences with their conduct, it was promulgated a law prohibiting to take to the gold mines two classes of people: Gypsies and former employees. I found it astonishing by no means. In Tomsk, there were many families coming here as condemned to the deportation and these were well to feel sorry for. To arrive at being able to nourish family members having no fortune or any help of the State is a quite painful thing. Fortunately for some, when a member of the family could find work. Some of these families rented big residences and dividing all in small parts. They lived in one or two rooms and sub-leased the remainder to other deportees. They cooked for them and that helped them to live. Often some of them earned their living by giving lessons in languages, especially French. Some had odd occupations. One of us, for example gained 15 roubles per month, moreover the food, housing, a horse when he needed, in return for giving to the son of the house French lessons and good manners, i.e. to learn how to be held in a show, to greet, to sit down, etc.
Madam Ostromecka had found a place as a German and French professor in a school for girls. One of us, Michalowski from Wilno, gave lessons in piano playing and it is him who had the good position because he managed to gain a few hundred roubles per month. Komar from Wilno was a professor of dance in a school for girls, although he could not almost dance. It however flattered him that he excelled as a professor, probably finding that this profession suited him very well. He was a twenty-year-old young man, fair with long hair. And to increase an attraction of his appearance and especially of his feet that were to play so great role, he carried trousers of yellow colour with one bordered black and nice boots with high heels. He had even acquired special steps when he walked. He looked like he was going to start dancing. We made fun of him. We said to him that if he continued to go so outwards he would give himself such distortion and would lose balance. Szyszkowski from the Kingdom, a technician by profession, installed at his place a workshop: he was a clock and watchmaker, mechanic, chemist, all that someone wanted from him. He proposed to a commercial rich person to install for him at his place electric bells to call the servants. His business did not go badly and he hoped to do better in the future.
I also knew two brothers Pininski. These young people were very intelligent. None of them could neither draw nor to carve. It did not prevent that in Tomsk one of them carved the portrait of a Jew made of breadcrumbs, eternal wanderer, which was so successful that the experts found there no anatomical defects. In addition the work had an admirable size. The governor of Tomsk bought this figurine for 15 roubles. One day we had a need, at the hospital, for an apparatus to make points of fire. It was a piece of iron of special form that someone could flame with the red for the operation. Pininski happened to manufacture some although they never made similar things before and these instruments worked admirably well. Their work was if looked after their fame. They attracted many customers to themselves and they gained a lot of money all along. Abbot Dzierzynski occupied himself carving bones. On the way to Siberia he did that to distract himself from boredom, but not long he improved and liked this work as his work became very elegant and had a huge success. He had never learned anything from similar works and all his new skills derived from his practice. Some other people occupied themselves making wax flowers. They had a lot of difficulties to amalgamate the colours with wax, but the need is the mother of the invention, one says. They arrived to the city and their bunches of flowers were very pretty. Their flowers were bought readily. They put these bouquets in baskets or made various things decorated with flowers. Especially coloured bread with the rice mingled with dissolved lacquer in alcohol was successful, which gave the illusion of the coral. Among these manufacturers of flowers was Zygmunt Mineyko, my comrade of voyage, of which I will speak again later. But he did not continue this production and soon he gave up this trade making caps and pillows out of saffron. Many manufactured these flowers even in Poland still either as pastime or remembering their parents, and their friends who had to leave their fatherland. Here in Siberia, it was for some other reason, just to survive. Some of these bouquets very pretty but were appreciated often little for their right value.
I had with me two doctors Orzeszko of which I already spoke and Matuszewicz condemned to be settled in the government of Penza. After some effort, he obtained a permission to stay in Tomsk, where he proposed to marry Miss Barbara Witkiewicz. Soon the wedding was organised. These two doctors as all others who were in Siberia succeeded because after their arrival they had never had any shortage of customers. I must say to our honour that those of us who lived in cities did not forget those who were in the hospitals and in the prisons. And these patients often did not have a penny to buy a glass of tea. By making visits among them they were able to distribute sugar, tea, and the cakes and meat during holidays. They shared what they had with them. Our worthy wives dealt especially with that. Among them, I remember Miss Elzbieta Fabienska, Witkiewicz and their family, the Stubrynski, Madam Kowalewska and her daughter, Miss Babianska, etc. Thanks to them Boleslaw Ponset, from Livonia, obtained the permission to found a house for workers in downtown. The foundation was done in name of a famous tradesman of the city. Merchant Tolkaczof accepted readily and gave thousand roubles as a loan for the first needs. Once the house was organised Ponset managed to enter there the condemned workers previously residing in the countryside. There were also tailors, and shoemakers. Prisoners could later obtain own place in the city. At the end of one year, if a workman had always behaved well he could move to own place, however only after obtaining required papers from authorities. I remember Nicolai, from Kowno, who found his own place working in the gold mine. We found easily Polish books in Tomsk: they were from the collections of the prisoners of 1831. Others were provided by people of the city or were brought by several among us. Thus I had in my hands a Parisian edition of Mickiewicz. I had books about medicine in big quantities. We could then speak in Polish freely, in Siberia. Nobody prevented us from doing so. It sometimes happened to us to meet in Siberia Russians speaking Polish. The most extraordinary thing, there were among them some who had never even been in Russia and even less in Poland. They spoke our language correctly and knew well our literature. I knew for example in Tomsk Mr. Jepimof who usually spoke our language and I had not guessed that he was Russian. To my great astonishment I learned later that he had never left Siberia.
Before finishing my account about our stay in Tomsk, I must still add that we did not have the right to gather and we were very supervised by the authorities. One of our comrades, deportee for a long time, Mr Boncza Rutkowski had wanted to found lithography there. But he was prevented from doing so because we often met at his place and he was a suspect in eyes of the authorities. He officially defended himself that all required apparatuses were already controlled by the state and that he waited for them in any day. As a result he lost 3,000 roubles and he was not rich. This was another event that can prove the cowardice of the Russians. Another of us, condemned to live in Tomsk, a landowner from Lithuania whose I do not remember more name, had resided there for a few months not socialising with anybody and being devoted to the literature. Soon he was informed that he had to be held under guards and that he cannot keep any books at his place because the authorities were intrigued by their content. This was caused by providing a library and by his writings. Everyone knows how much Russians are wary of educated people, since in front of their courts, they condemn to the deportation in Siberia ours for the only fact of being informed or to have finished the University. And they give as pretexts that they could become dangerous. Our comrade joked about this threat until one-day authorities descended on his place and took him along. At once he remembered what someone had said to him, of the warning that had been given to him and feared to see losing all his work. He could not draw any information from those who took him along. He was not surprised when at the office someone asked him initially this question:
"What is your fortune? Do you have one?"
"Yes, I had one."
"We have just received a paper concerning you."
"About which subject?"
"You must pay us a hundred and one roubles twenty kopecks although you did not pay. The paper ask to require payment from you."
"But my God, all my estates were confiscated by the State and with what will I be able to thus pay since I do not have anything any more?"
"It is required that you pay. Do not you have the sum?"
"But, it is to insult my misery. What do you want, Messrs?"
"Then, there is nothing to do but answer that you do not have the necessary sum, and now we have to enter your premise."
This was so barbarian. It was hard to believe if I had not seen it myself.
Last days of my stay in the hospital
During last days of my stay at the hospital I looked after the patients of the hospital helping Doctor Pokotujewski. I looked after not only ours but the others patients. The hospital had 150 patients. It was composed of a principal building and two houses occupied especially by ours and of a house intended for insane and among which were three of us. My comrade of the University Calixte Pawlowski arrived soon at our hospital. He belonged to underground organisation in Warsaw and had been stopped in Moscow on the business of "Earth and Will". As a result he was condemned to forced work. Two of us dealt with all patients. He had brought a large collection of medicine books, to which I had been used during all my stay in the hospital. At some time after I was completely cured and could leave, I made good customers downtown. I continued to occupy myself with treatment of the patients in the hospital, and I gave consultations to those who came to see me from the city.
On this my account during my stay in Tomsk I often named the Polish doctors who lived in this city. There were five of them by counting the two deportees. Moreover there were four, five Russian doctors. The Poles had the most devoted customers and the best reputation. While speaking about the doctors I counted neither my comrade Pawlowski, nor me, because we were only on passage to eastern Siberia. The reason for the popularity was not that they were Poles. It was because perhaps of some successful cures or some new remedies applied successfully. We had good reputation and the city knew about both of us. I speak about all that because this reputation was to me thereafter an obstacle and caused me worries about which I will speak in its time. I want also to say some words on the diseases that reigned in Siberia. Between patients we had at the hospital a young countrywoman, widow, a very pretty woman what is rather rare among them. She was under observation in order to check if the attacks of which she was effected were epileptic fits or if she simulated them. These crises occurred each night. The cause was the following one. A few days after her marriage, it was a time of the harvest. She worked hard beside her husband. In the morning, one day, she saw her husband dead. He had had his head cut off and she had not understood anything. At once she was reached by epileptic fits. Her innocence was recognised. Under such conditions, it was not impossible that she had not understood anything of what happened around her, more especially during these night crises. She always rolled on the left side and consequently she had been able to move away from sound husband. It thus had to be made sure that these crises were true and were not simulated. We had soon the unquestionable proof that she was well effected by epilepsy. The patient was to remain six weeks at the hospital, term fixed by the law, therefore we benefited from looking after her and we succeeded with wonders. We made her take sulphate of quinine in high amounts; her crises were spaced then decreased by intensity and, finally, disappeared.
The other diseases, which reigned in Siberia, were the scurvy, typhus, delirium tremens (disease coming from intoxication). During the winter we often had men with the two hands or the two feet cold and consequently gangrenous. We did many amputations, but only one among us, and it was not very significant. The reason was that the Siberian often found themselves surprised in their sleep in the cold. I saw thus several who did not awake any more, and I do not find anything more alarming than these faces pale and stiffened like a bone with open large eyes. Not once we did not manage to save them, they were always drunkards deadened outside and found on the street.
Night aggressions and the assassinations were frequent. I had of it unquestionable evidence which I saw with my own eyes. One day we removed from the shoulder of one man several pieces of glass coming from a bottle. He was attacked in full day on the street. Each day, we had to look after wounds coming from the same cause. Once we made the autopsy of a girl killed in full day. The murderer was not discovered. Then it was a woman killed by her husband and a son-in-law poisoned by his father-in-law. These poisonings were frequent and the authors were never punished. With share the patients whom I looked after at the hospital, I had others thereafter whose I looked after downtown. For example, I went to the house of Boukharin to look after the eyes of the host. If I had not been a doctor, I would never have had the occasion to see the wife of my customer, because the women, on their premises, are always locked up. Only the doctor is authorised to see them. As far as the features of the face, this Boukharin exceptionally represented the Asian type of race with a head large and round with eyes like flowers on the head. He could have been 40 years old. He carried a large black coat attached at the front and decorated with small crystal buttons and tight according to his size by a belt. On his shaven head he carried a gilded cap and the saffron shoes on his feet. On his chest in addition to a watch hung a rich person charm of gold coming from Europe. His wife had been a very different type and seemed to be of another race: large, rather beautiful, being approximately 25 years old. Her hair was dark blond, spread on the face and fell on the shoulders in two large plaits and finished by a whole chain from currency of gold and of money. With each movement of the head these currencies resounded pointing out a little noise of a Krakowian attachment (a little bell from Krakow). She carried on her arms the gold bracelets of an eastern kind. Her chest was covered with a shield made up of an enormous quantity of money and gold coins. From the neck also hung a collar of this kind. As clothing, she had a long tunic or blouse of only one part and tighten to the size. If it was not rather yelling colour of this clothing one would say that it was rather pretty and of good taste. This was an extraordinary outfit, equipped differently from what I saw before. I chatted with her husband and we had sat on a settee, close to a table, when a noise of steps on the carpet drew my attention. With my amazement I saw the mistress of the home with my own cap on her head. Indeed, it resembled a black astrakhan cap that was a little higher like belonging to our countrywomen. She took it by mistake. In addition to this cap posed gracefully on the side, she had a second dark tunic, reaching only her knees and not sticking at the front. Her costume suited her well. Her teeth were painted in black, they were remainder and very spoiled. She consulted me even on this subject. This was a rich house. It got my European attention, pointing out my curiosity to the East with its parquet floors covered with carpet of great value. I remained on their premises several hours. I had taken tea, provided by the samovar and accompanied by many accessories as on our premises, for example yellow-lemon, coloured-cream and various other things. We spoke naturally Russian. They spoke very badly this language with a dreadful accent. We did not find easily a subject for conversation. The presence of the housewife occupied near the samovar was the only our distraction. Suddenly, the host rose, crossed the room running and stopped at the gate. I believed that I asked what there was. The husband explained to me, then, that somebody had just entered the premises he wanted to see who was there. He feared that this was an ignoramus. He did not want him to enter the house and see anything inside. The husband left and warned the visitor that he had to wait one moment. While he was turned over towards the new visitor, on the another side the young woman entered without being seen by him. The visitor was also Boukharin. Then, I left because I was strongly bored with two similar types. The poor women, for their happiness they do not know the emancipation. They believe that this seclusion is a divine command and not the human jealousy, which reduces them to such slavery. Seemingly she seemed to yield to such a fate. I noticed however that this woman had been quite content with my visit and that it was a quite rare event in her life.
This proofs that the man is created to live in a company. In winter, one of my parent's distant cousin August Kuszelewski (from Wolyn), a student arrived at our hospital. Being in Tobolsk, he had met his first cousin George Kuszlewski, a mining engineer who, for 18 years had lived in Siberia, working for a private individual. He had done some discoveries in Siberia and he had published certain works. August had one of his works with him. I read it and it appeared quite interesting to me. I will try to give some extracts from it. His account refers to the north-western part of Siberia, that extends from the government of Ienissei to the Ural Mountains and which I do not know. In the northern part of the government of Ienissei is the city of Truschansk located at the edge of the river Ienissei, in the surroundings of which are the graphite mines. They belong to merchant Sidorof, where Kuszelewski worked as engineer. These mines did not have great success because of the difficulties in communication. The graphite of Turschansk had to be transported to Krasnojarsk, then to Tomsk, Tobolsk and Tiumen by water and then by overland route through the Ural Mountains until Perm. From there again on land and water, it has to go through a long way to the various ports of northern Russia. Then one can load it on English ships. It is easy to understand what expenses this transport so complicated may generate. Having taken all of this in consideration, Kuszlewski undertook a voyage in the northern Siberia, with an aim of arriving directly by overland route through the Ural Mountains and on the river Putchona to the government of Archangelsk. Sidorof and his friends made thousand objections, suggesting that it was not possible. But Kuszelewski, thanks to the influence that he exerted on the owner and with his own expenses, he arrived where he planned. With a compass in the hand and accompanied by some Ostiaks, he left with reindeers. The voyage lasted several months because he had to cut through a path with the axe and, from time to time, to build a hut in which he left food for the path of return. These regions were so deserted that except snow and forests, he did not see a human being and not a trace of savage animals. He ended up achieving his goal with enormous joy of his fellow travellers who allotted the happy result to the protection of St Nicolas whose statue had been placed on the sledge at the head of the procession, trailed by two beautiful reindeers. That had been one of the conditions for which he had to yield. Without it Ostiaks would have refused to go. Ostiaks are for the majority, orthodox. The voyage caused to give all the confidence of Sidorof to Kuszelewski and he made possible other projects. The following year he proposed to Sidorof to go on a second journey. This time, he wanted to follow the way by water and not on land. Sidorof accepted the proposal. Kuszelewski started from Turchansk while following the river Ienissei to its mouth. From there he reached the river Taz by taking the overland route and following the marshes of this river. He arrived thus at the river Ob. He embarked on Ob and arrived at Obdorsk, the farthest city of the government of Tobolsk. Not stopping, he went up there on the river Wojkar (affluent of the Ob) which takes its source in the Ural Mountains. There, through the mountains, he discovered a valley accessible in a length of 60 versts where he traversed with his reindeers. He arrived thus at the river Petchora and while descending it, he arrived at the sea of ice. This voyage could have been done only during the hot season, consequently during his voyage time was crucial, but it appeared convenient and sufficient to the duration of transporting the quantity of graphite extracted during a year. Transport by this way became ten times less expensive and shorter for Sidorof. The quantity of fish that existed in the marshes that Kuszelewski crossed was such as that he could have carried barrels and salt fish to preserve it. Because of this fish the cost of the voyage would have been even less. Today the boats that transport graphite return additional benefit from it bringing back an enormous quantity of fish. Kuszelewski, while crossing the Ural Mountains discovered significant gold mines and places containing of the precious stones. He also discovered kaolin, which could be used to manufacture porcelain similar to that of China or Japan. With the occasion of his discovery of a gold mine, Kuszelewski was called to St Petersbourg in order to give a report to the government. He was committed giving to the State 60 poods (Russian wight measurement) of gold per annum, but they could not agree on the price. The State had too little for payment and Kuszelewski required too much. I do not know how the business finished but soon Kuszelewski fell seriously sick from typhus in Tobolsk. A thing worthy of remark is that he discovered new parts of Siberia, unknown races at the edge of the rivers. These people, living only between themselves, were far from suspecting that the Russians would for a long time had stripped them from freedom. He could not hide this discovery and was obliged to speak about it to the government. In Tobolsk he met my uncle and as he was nearest relative of my aunt he was delighted to have found him and promised to me to make any possible way to come near my uncle and to help the poor old man. Via Kuszelewski, Sidorof required from the government to allow the Poles condemned to forced labour and work in the graphite mines, under the pretext that it still was a work of mines. But actually, this work was much less painful and Sidorof was sure to obtain what he asked. In spite of so long stay in Siberia Kuszelewski had forgot neither his country nor his native language and only dreamed to return to his Wolyn, after he made a fortune.
In every about eight days a convoy of prisoners arrived to Tomsk. Since more than in two years all the roads of Siberia were encumbered by our prisoners who, similar to a torrent drawing his source from Poland would have run out in form of convoy by convoy to eastern Russia and to the borders of Siberia. Imagining us to see this immense wide stream, we followed this sad procession marking its passage by the many crosses that bordered the roads. We will have in front of us one of the quite black pages of the history of our country, of our suffering, of our blood martyrs. And even over there ours never lost courage. They supported themselves morally sharing between them not only the bread and salt but also their knowledge. The tedious and long road still became more insipid when, in spring or in autumn, their convoys found stopped for several weeks because of the state of the roads, which, in this season, became impracticable. And a decree was to stay in a village or in a city. As example of what ours did I will say some words of the convoy which arrived at Tomsk in winter and of which the "starosta" was Mineyko. Among the educated men forming part of this convoy were: Napoleon Debiski, an excellent draughtsman and Warsaw caricaturist, Kryniewicz, a landowner from the government of Kowno, Leon Dabrowski, a teacher from Stucka, both who left the University of Dorpat and many others. They had chosen as a "starosta" or a head of the convoy their comrade Mineyko. He accepted a role only under the condition that he will balance any day labour equally for all. This fact proves well the nature of his character. They stopped in the autumn because of the bad roads. At once, they organised courses of literature in Polish and of art history as far as the special conditions allowed them, in which they were lacking of books, etc. These courses were taken by writing. I had the occasion to read them later and considering the circumstances in which these conferences had been made and with a so noble aim appeared to me very documented and said in a beautiful language. Moreover, each week, they made to appear a small newspaper, under the title "the Stage", and the other "the Wasp". Debicki made illustrations. They represented usually scenes of their life of nomads. For example one represented the burial of one of ours at the stage. Comrades carrying a simple coffin preceded by a captive priest and a comrade carrying a poor cross, coarsely cut and which will be posed on the tomb then followed by the friends of the late one. Other times appeared the caricature of a comrade which one could easily recognise the features. Execution was perfect. The artists drew also their ideas from the episodes that someone told in these newspapers. For example, the meeting of Narbut, he sat in the house of the owner. Or in other example, Kutkowski from Radom, a soldier of 1831 when nine as of us under his command held their position against Russians. These newspapers contained the chronicle of the week, various articles as poems and prose, of the telegraphic news in the kind of "Alexandre II was not drunk", etc. Then authors agreed between them and which all interested them and, finally, the serial where Mineyko told the beginnings and history of the School of Genoa in Italy which he knew personally.
The "Wasp" was a small newspaper, which, as its name indicates it, launched points to the culprits and of criticisms to address of the sister newspaper "the Stage". It was for me a true satisfaction to traverse these two newspapers. It is regrettable that their existence was so short. "The Stage" appeared during nine weeks and "the Wasp" even less long. I would be happy to have them today. Thus were distractions for ours during their sad voyage.
This convoy, moreover of Mineyko, included Dabrowski, Kryncewicz and then Alexander Czekanowski of Ukraine, all from the University of Dorpat. All of them entered the hospital where I found them. Later French with name of Perin came there. He studied in Paris. He joined Polish uprising in order to fight for our cause, was arrested and condemned to 12 years of work in the mines. We formed a small group of friends and we all were almost completely cured. To distract ourselves we played cards in the evening, what Perin liked particularly. He started to learn Polish and to play cards. He could soon sufficiently understand us. We could also sometimes play with the ladies remained at the hospital: Mrs Ostromecka, Miss Truchanowska, and Mrs Kostanka (from Warsaw). Towards Christmas, I received 25 roubles from Louis that came at right time because my purse was almost empty. We organised an eve of Christmas Day at the hospital and we invited some people from the city, our friends like dear Gmewinski and Julian Biescekieski, both from the Kingdom. Several times we made "kolduny" (meat minced in paste) under my direction and they always succeeded with wonders. Kaminski, from Wolyn, made "kluski" (balls of pastes thrown in ebullient water), but as we could not get cheese similar to that common in our country, they were not always successful.
My comrades could not be always the same ones during the long stay that I made at the hospital. Some arrived, others settled downtown as condemned to live as deportees, others still managed to hide downtown and lived there under false names like Kaniewski and Mineyko, condemned both to work in the mines. Many were sent further to live in the government of Ienissei, in the town of Krasnojarsk, about 554 versts from Tomsk. Others were sent to the town of Irkutsk, about 1,000 versts from Krsanojarsk, or even beyond the lake Bajkal, in the town of Nierzynsk, about 1,500 versts from Irkutsk. Some others had to go to more distant mines. Dabrowski, Czekanowski and Szembel left us during terrible cold, all condemned with work in the mines. We had very seldom any news about them because of the difficult communication, especially for the prisoners. Their fate was sad because they went there very unhappy. Beyond Irkutsk, the authorities put chains on all prisoners and they had to go on foot and had only 6 kopecks per day. The prisoners did not own neither any businesses nor their money sent to them to Irkutsk. Before leaving to Irkutsk guards searched them scrupulously. Because of the lack of food, typhus reigned among them permanently and it was more serious than in the other areas of Siberia.
When ours arrived to mines of Nerczynsk authorities piled them up in immense prisons being able to contain up to 17,000 prisoners. These buildings started constructing ten years ago had just been finished. They were not completely finished in lower part. However were secure enough against the possibility of revolt. Ours, from there, were dispersed to other parts of Siberia, beyond the lake Bajkal, to the government of Jakutsk, etc. Everywhere ours were separated from the other prisoners. To prevent any leniency, authorities made to guard them by especially selected men. Ours could write only three times per annum and not more than 5 lines at the same time, in order not to tire the censure. And still these 15 lines allowed per annum did not arrive in entirety to their recipients. Disabled person, old men and those who had their families with themselves were sent less further. All these details are not very exact and it is possible that the existence of ours over there is more painful and that more martyrs could be left there. Who could say it to us? And I doubt that the Russians have pity for us and could save anyone. The unhappy poor that we are!
I should still add that those who denounced the others in the investigations, hoping by this means to avoid the punishments, were equally badly treated. Russians, after having drawn from them all that they wanted to know, sent them to Siberia as someone throws a bark after having eaten the fruit, without any sensitivity to their sorrows. Their fate was cruel in Siberia, because not only ours but even the Russians rejected their company. They became martyrs of their own conscience. I often felt sorry for them but it was not for bad intentions, but for weakness of character and fear that they showed of others. The word "spy" is a dreadful, alarming and fatal judgement. For that one there is no more safety. If someone could envisage moral tortures that are to be held and which is nothing beside the physical pains he would prefer a torment of the hand of his enemy.
During my stay in Tomsk, there was one certain scholar Mr Czernyszew of a Russian University, who went through Siberia, stopped in each city to make public conferences. He divided them into five parts. The subjects of these lessons were past of Siberia, its current state, its future and its needs. In the first part of these conferences in speaking about passed of Siberia, he reported the cruel facts about the governor of Kamtchatka, named Koch. He took pleasure in shooting innocent people. Because of the presence of the governor and other employees on these conferences, Czernyszew was very careful while speaking about the current state of Siberia. He did not certainly make any praise. However, Mr Czerniszew predicted for Siberia a very great future. Myself, I claim that Siberia is destined for a brilliant future, and which will become the principal establishment of Russia when this one is isolated from Europe. As for the last chapter, i.e. with the needs for Siberia, he insisted on the need for establishing a University there. But this project is far from the realisation here where the schools are very few and are more badly held that in Russia. The public made a festival for Czernyszew and received him with enthusiasm. He spoke well and clearly. It was enough to pack the hall with listeners. I liked the subject in spite of my plans of escape and my work downtown.
My plans to escape from the city
During my stay in Tomsk, several people ran away either from the hospital, or from the prison, benefiting from the disorder that existed in papers, and settling downtown under false names. That was neither careful nor sure but was better than forced work. I reflected on what I was to do myself, because I could not wish one moment more favourable position for my projects. I had gained some knowledge of downtown and these made me better foresee the situation that was offered to me. About in the middle of the Lent, a Russian with sick eyes came to enter the hospital. He had the cataract on two eyes and hardly could see. He was approximately 45 years old, with a large beard and long fair hair and with beautiful features. He was called Nicolas Wiercholinski. While making the visit of the patients and seeing the yellow costume of the in-patients I could not guess if he was pope or peasant. But as he expressed himself well, I asked him which were his occupations. He answered me that he was a painter by his profession and that his eyes did not allow him to continue. He decided going to Russia to consult a doctor. On the way, his eyes ignited so much so that he was forced to remain here. At the end of a few days, having met him in the corridor on which my room was I bound conversation with him. While speaking to him, he made me understand that he was different from a simple peasant of Ienissei as he had been registered. This interested me, I approached him more, I invited him to come to see me and while speaking about various subjects, I saw that he knew many things and that all Russia, Siberia, and Lithuania were known for him. However I did not learn who he was. I liked to socialise with him and I insisted that he saw me what he accepted with joy. In certain evening, he realised that I could not harm him, he asked me with what I was condemned.
"A twelve years of work in mines", I answered him.
"Why, Sir, do not think of escaping; one does not need anything big for that".
"How to make it since I have neither money nor papers".
"It only appears that for you, Sir", he says to me while laughing.
"It is either so difficult or one needs such an amount of money".
"Have only 25 roubles, that will be enough. Myself I crossed all these adventures and yet I am not rich. You are so good for me, Sir, that I feel the duty to come to you with assistance".
One can imagine with which joy I heard these words. I doubted that my escape was so easy thing, but the hope had spouted out in me. I seized the occasion, which woke me up. He told me what were works in the mines. He described me the dreadful way in which guards treated the prisoners. He spoke to me about these mountainous and wooded regions where he had worked, of these guards hidden at the top rocks, supervising each path which left the mine. And before the unhappy prisoner escaped and had been able to make some hundred meters, he was already noticed and stopped. The escapes were frequent, but prisoners had to ran away with weapons in order to be able, if necessary, to defend themselves and resist. More difficult and more painful still than to escape his guards was the crossing of the lakes or the sea Bajkal. If one wanted to circumvent it, it was a death of unquestionable hunger, but then how to cross it? The storms are so violent and steamboats sunk. And whereas to say that these unhappy ones who launched out on some boards or in a barrel had any chance! Were not they the toy of the winds and did not run they ahead of an unquestionable death! That proves still how hard their sufferings in the mines since to escape from it they risk their life so easily. In winter snow and the cold still make these escapes even more difficult. I acknowledged from him, then, certain things that were not in his advantage. He was a man whose heart seemed monstrous, but in the heart there remained still some bits of honesty. He did not do things to sacrifice himself. Selfishness proceeded all in his actions. I feared him but the need obliged me to draw from such a dirty source the information necessary for my safety. He told me that he had been at the school of the engineers in St Petersbourg, that he was an officer and that he committed bigamy. As a result he had been sent in envoy for the forced work the first time. Then, he had been a manager for a landowner in Mohilew and that one day in the government of Witebsk, he had stolen 12,000 roubles from the post office with false papers. He spent all this money in Twer. Often in the market of Niznij-Novgorod, he sold goods that did not belong to him and, then, fled to the other end of Russia under a false name. He sometimes happened to play the role of colonel, peasant, of merchant, of orthodox priest, etc. He had changed so many times name than he could remember none. It had been eleven years that he was in Siberia but initially as prisoner, then playing various roles. He never lost his presence of mind and knew Russians well and all their subtleties. One day he manufactured forged identity papers related to finance. The police sent to him a woman (one of their agents) asking him to make a certain documents. At the time when the paper was ready and when he was reading it with the woman, a policeman entered his place with ten others. They tore off the paper from his hands and removed all false seals and spread them out on the table. Someone could have believed that he was lost. It was not the case at all. He knew very well that the deposition of the agents does not have any value in the Russian society. They are the lowest agents of the state. The testimony of one or two people is insufficient to determine a crime. The policeman must have with him people called "powiatich". He acknowledged nothing and claimed to the contrary of the police officer, saying that he was upset with him and had done all of it to him in order to harm and he was not condemned. Judges believed him. The second time he escaped from forced work. He arrived to the town of Kansk in the government of Ienissei and joking with the merchants, he was on the point to make a brilliant deal. The chance made that he could not succeed. There was in Kansk a young person and a rich widow whose husband had committed suicide in a moment of depression. My friend plunged in a violent pain. He fasted all the time. Poor widow trusted money to him, speaking to him about life of the Saints believing that he was virtuous like them. The second step that he prepared was suggesting the widow to make a pilgrimage to the Mount Athos. As a result, she believed in him as in oracle. To go on such a journey, one needed a strong amount of money, the more so as one had to travel for several weeks. He was to accompany her and with some miles from the start of the journey, he would have fled carrying the money. Unfortunately, he told me, one day several people were brought together at the widow's place. One of them was a uniform police officer. He used to be one of his comrades of works in the mines. His name was Rejuhard, who had obtained a position of a police officer in Kansk and came to present him to the widow. It was impossible that he had not recognised him. But he did not want to challenge anyone at once. After it he had greeted everyone. He approached my friend and said to him:
"Are you also an inhabitant of this city?"
"Not, I am one of Daour (race living the south of the government of Irkutsk)", he answered without disturbing himself.
"How come do you not have the dyed hair nor the projecting bones of the cheeks, as those of over there."
"You do not see", retorted to him, "that I joke." I am of such place, he added by naming an unspecified locality, indicating that his first explanation had not succeeded. And then he finished their conversation. He understood at once that he would have in Rejuhard a keen persecutor. He judged carefully to give up his plan and to leave the city. As long as his sight allowed him, he falsified his papers as well for him as for the others. He manufactured false seals, etc. Then, misleading everyone, he planned to move as far as Russia and I asked him whether he would continue over there the life which he had carried out until this day.
"Oh no, I want still arrive higher", answering it with full hope.
After he had explained me how to prepare my papers, i.e. in the way more practical, he proposed a plan of escape. He suggested preparing this plan by him and he offered to be my guide. Here is what was this plan: to leave the hospital disguised as a peasant and to flee towards south. Then, not far from Tobolsk, at the place where pilgrims celebrate their faith, to pass as a "bohomelec" or a pilgrim. There, he suggested joining a group of pilgrims travelling over to Russia and from there, outward to journey where I seem to prefer. He told me that the pilgrims always are received well by the inhabitants who invite them to their homes, and nourish them for nothing, so that it is not necessary to have much money. In the difficult moments, I would not have to, he said to me, trust him. However the experiment would cause me to withdraw from my business.
"I allow myself to point you out", I said to him, "that my disappearance from the hospital would compromise Pokotujewski."
"You have too many scruples."
"But why should I lose a good man?"
"My dear Sir, in similar circumstances, one does not worry about the details of this kind. One day, when I was forced to flee from Wilno, I gave up my best friend, exposing him, but what could I do? Remaining as a slave you can cure that. You do not want to harm Pokotujewski. We can sacrifice a character of less importance, the supervisor of the hospital, for example. You are in good terms with him, you will say to him that you should leave the hospital for 24 hours. He does not have the right to let to you come out, but for you he will do it. And in 24 hours, we will be far. Moreover, when he sees that you are not returning on the following day, he will fear of consequences and he will not haste by no means to announce your absence. Perhaps he will wait for two or three days, always hoping to see you returning before authorities realise of your disappearance. He will be punished, but for us this lapse of time will be completely sufficient."
This project made me indignant. I desired not discuss it with him. I preferred to say to him that I would think of all that what he proposed to me. By sharing his manner of seeing things, I could not have any guarantee in a guide offering a similar project to me. At the first occasion, he would sell it for his personal gain. I thus did not refuse him categorically, ravelling information for my benefit. I benefited from all that. He had given me information being useful for me in a project at which I put my thinking seriously.
During this time another character arrived at the hospital. He was an old man, employed downtown. He had chronic rheumatism in the legs and it was me who looked after him. His name was Nicolas Bielow, which I read on the sign above his bed. I took him for a Russian. One day, he addressed me with the word in Polish and said to me that he was from surroundings of Wilno. He could not say anything more to me in the presence of Russians who were there, but he left. Then, he saw me in my room and told me his life. He spoke to me about 1831. But I believed that he did not take an active share in the insurrection and it was for another reason that the state had sent him to the mines of Nerczynsk, where, having remained for five years, he managed to escape under the name that he carried today. He arrived to Tomsk where he had lived for more than twenty years. He was employed. He married and had a girl Maria. Later she had married to an employee with name of Andrei Stiepanowicz. They lived all together. When young couple's little daughter fell sick, someone called me and thus I had the occasion to know Bielow's daughter and his son-in-law. Mr Bielow, recognising the care that I gave him, stated that he wanted to help me in my projects of escape. His consulting was sincere, but alas, like those of the others, I could not follow them. He advised me to start as being an employee. As for my papers, I would have needed that I become acquainted with a man of the city, of a small employee of the same age as me. I was to make him drink several days as much as possible and, then, to offer him to buy his papers. Bielow offered to find me this person and to put all this together. For 30 roubles, he said to me, I could buy his papers. And if ever this employee had complained too early about misplaced papers, he ensured me to take care of him. He promised to poison him if that was necessary. Is not it the plan of a Siberian proportion!
Twice disappointed, I desired to ask more for consulting and not having enough money. I could not think of escaping. I limited myself to some places downtown where I asked for suggestions under false name. Each condemned, sent to the government of Tomsk, went through Tobolsk, a city where was the central office of the prisoners and all their papers. All papers came from there where all charges were made and all judgements. These papers were given to a legal office called "Soviet". This office was attached to the government. Moreover, each convoy had the list of all the prisoners who were deposited at once in the jail and in a court called "prykaz".
The justice department made the list of those who were sent further. Names of all those who were to remain in the city were sent to the Soviet to be checked and from there the list was returned to the "prykaz". The "prikaz" had right to decide fate of each one. An employee, sent by St Petersbourg, called baron Felker, had the right to decide where a prisoner can settle down. A person who was condemned to live in Tomsk received for this purpose a ticket of the head of the justice with a seal and its signature and it was all. It seemed that the thing was simple and easy to organise and that in the event of abuse all could be discovered easily and can be proven. But on the contrary there existed in this bureaucracy such a chaos, such disorder and further increased by the venality of the employees of the justice and other branches of the administration! With money anyone could manage to put on the list of those forced to leave further and those who remained downtown under a false name. This was for us a benefit and I counted much on the above.
One of us who had been made put on the list, lived in the city under the false name of Wachowicz and had made relations among the employees of the justice and of the "prykaz". He facilitated many things for us. I requested him to deal with me and he obtained for me a ticket for a housing downtown. I endeavoured to pay for it. All of that had cost. During this time, visits or inspections took place each day at the hospital. Authorities suspected that prisoners being allowed to remain in the hospital much too long time. They caught some of them under a supervision of Pokotujewski. However they could never show that he had accepted somebody who was not sick. As for me, because of my wounds to the legs, I was quiet on this point, but that irritated us all. Each day, it was a colonel of police or the governor or the vice-governor or the head of the justice, or others that came to see us. Being able to find a proof of what only they believed (and each one of us proved how much we were sick) they ordered in their anger to transport us all patients from the hospital to the prison. As a result, each one of us occupied premises of the justice system, either in the prison, or at the house of the Companies with prisoners. We were then fifty at the hospital. One day, authorities ordered to all of us to leave. Mrs Ostromecka and I had come to the prison which was run very badly and what was the worst, it was that we could never to leave downtown from there, as I mentioned above. It was bad deal for me. All my projects seemed to disappear. I decided to change the situation. I went to find the supervisor of the hospital and asked him whether Pawlowski, Mrs Ostromecka, Miss Truchanowska and myself can remain at the hospital. He was a drunkard like there are so many in Siberia. At some time previously, he had been very sick of pneumonia, and he had been very grateful for the care that we had lavished on him. He was always saying that he was our real friend and I hoped to obtain a benefit out of it. Afterwards some reflection, he declared that he authorised for us to spend still a night at the hospital and, during this time, he was going to find the vice-governor to plead in our favour by providing serious reasons. He was certain that he would do all that was possible for us, but nobody could count too much on him. In order to be more certain of our fate to four of us, I obtained from the head of the hospital office that he registered us as patients from the Companies but not from the Prison. It cost me a rouble. It made a difference if we should leave the hospital. If he had been discovered of having done that for us, he could always clear himself while saying to have made it by error.
The supervisor returned with a negative answer, as we feared. We thus had to leave the hospital. It was the week before the Holiday of Branches. The winter still prevailed. I became obsessed thinking that for me, all depended on this departure. One could escape from the Company, from the imprisonment, but one could not carry that business as I planned to do, saying to the director that I would return later to the hospital. By a fortunate coincidence, at the moment of leaving the hospital August Kuszelewski saw me. He was with the Company, in charge of some business since the day before. He was going to render a great service to me that I tell presently. By dispatching us from one place to the other, guards sent us to tie up books where our names were registered. Each one of us registered his/her name in this book. The gatekeeper of the hospital had a command to accompany us at the place indicated by helping us to carry our business. He left for one moment the famous booking office, with us inside the room. At once, we benefited from it changing our names, making them illegible while adding signs to certain letters, etc. Then when all was ready, we left (all the four) and Kuszelewski was the fifth one. At the Company of the prisoners, nobody could recognise yet the prisoners and Kuszlewski, because he was there only since a day before and there were many of us. I thus asked him to enter in my place to the Company of the prisoners, because the main thing was that four people were present to the call. I slipped downtown. I bribed the gatekeeper.
One hour afterwards, I rented a carriage. I carried my business in the hospital and I transported my belongings to Biescikenski who lived downtown. The first most significant step was made towards my escape. I did not have yet "ticket", but I knew to which name it would be given, because from now on, I was called Mieczyslaw Milewski.
My stay in Tomsk
I stayed in Tomsk. At the time of my departure to downtown, I did not dream about anything other than to remain in Tomsk as condemned to live there. In order to keep the incognito I had to give up my profession of a doctor and to live off an unspecified trade; I still preferred this life, so hard that it was, than a forced labour. The famous ticket that was so essential was soon in my possession. I was unaware of completely how this ticket was obtained for me from the justice department. It was enough that it was with my name, with seal and the signature of the head of the office with his number as the secretary himself on who all depended. To supplement my incognito, I went on the first day to a barber, the single one in Tomsk in order to return being unrecognisable. Hitherto, I wore a large beard and rather long hair: I decided to shave myself completely and to make my haircut as close-cropped as possible. Then in the place of clothing that I usually preferred, I wore a jacket and I put on glasses. In this costume, I left going to the barber. The evening fell and the boy who dealt with me could complete his work without light. At the moment when he finished, a young man came in going with crutches. Initially I did not pay any attention to him, but soon I heard the following dialogue.
Somebody asked him: "Why do you have to use crutches?"
"A few days ago, I was operated on the leg by a Polish doctor in the civil hospital."
"Who did operate you, because there are two of them over there?"
"It was not Pantowski, but the other one." He never could remember my name.
Indeed I remembered that a few days before I withdrew the tibia from his leg which had formed two dents. I was unaware then who was this young man and I did not doubt of meeting him. I did not even remember his features. Fortunately that it became dark and that I did not have any more my beard. If I could be quiet, he would not recognise me. The conversation continued in these terms.
The first person said: "Eh well, think that these two Polish doctors will remain here for ever, because you must know that the city requires them here not in Omsk. The military governor agreed to leave them here."
"I know it, but it appears that Omsk has answered that it was impossible because they are both condemned to a very hard sorrow."
"The future is quite unhappy for them!"
I did not wait for the rest of the conversation, I paid barber and I left. One week after not suspecting that I can be recognised, I returned to the same barber. I was so transformed that even my close friends did not recognise me any more and one of them, Milewski, introduced himself to me. When he did the scene it was quit amusing. I thus entered to the barber and this time it was only one young customer who finished shaving. At that time he paid, then he approached me and said to me:
"Please forgive me, Sir, aren't you a doctor?" He wanted undoubtedly to consult me not suspecting anything about my new situation. This question made me trembling because I was by no means prepared for that. I answered him briefly and I left immediately. This young man had seen me only one time during his operation and my features had been engraved so much in his memory that, in spite of my transformation, he recognised me immediately. This made me more careful. I left for downtown less frequently making sure that many people who had known me at the hospital could have recognised me. I bought a razor and, since then, I shaved myself. I had always hoped to be able to remain downtown under a false name, but a particular event soon ensured me of the opposite. I realised that I could succeed as long as I would not have exhausted my scanty means. I then did not need to leave downtown. But earlier or later, it would be necessary for me to come out of my hiding place and to seek work, and that could be fatal for me. And even if my resources had been sufficient for me without working for my bread, this was a torment of living thus always inactive, obliged of me to hide, without friends and in a constant fear of having a sword of Damocles above me. Was it any good a similar life? All these reflections were coming to me, following my visit at the barber. However gradually, when I saw that my friends continued not to recognise me, that all was calm and quiet in Tomsk, I started to have again a hope and then there remained still with me some pocket money. But it was time to think of finding a means of living! In a few days, I found an occupation in combing sugar eggs of bunches of flowers. We were at the beginning of the Holy Week and these eggs were for Easter. This work did not require main effort from me and if I spent two roubles, I gained five out of it. I bought eggs of sugar and through the mediation people whom I knew, I ran out of them very easily. It was the first time that I combed on sugar and I realised that it was by no means difficult. If I had started to paint some earlier before Easter, I could have piled up small savings. The festivals arrived, sadder and bitterer for me than that last year with my comrades of prison, in my fatherland. Mrs Ostromecka saw me several times, because I had made known to her where I lived while going to the Company of the prisoners at once after I shaved myself. She brought to me a little "blesses" (bread prepared for Easter and blessed by one catholic priest). A friend from the city had given it to her, but I almost did not touch it. My thought was continuously absorbed by the search of the means of communication with my parents. I could not receive any more their letters addressed to my name and how to inform them what had happened? It was difficult to find a solution and I still had another torment.
Before Christmas, I did not make any project of escape yet and my disease obliged me to remain at the hospital for long months. I had written to my parents, asking them to send to me a little linen, clothing and the books. This package could arrive any day but it was not possible any more for me to take possession of it. I regretted so much today having asked them for that, but it was too late! I could still easily survive without all that what my parents sent to me. I realised that this package had had to cost them more than 200 roubles. Taking in account the painful situation of my family, the spent money could have been useful for them and this thought tormented me, tortured me. I never received this package which, as I learned later, had arrived well, including the linen and clothing which was sent to me by members of my family. The forwarding had been made to Irkutsk where I never arrived.
I did not remain for a long time at Biestckinski, because he was a mean person. I went to live with Madam Kowalewska where I had to pay a cheap rate. This stay was very pleasant because I could remain all days without leaving and to have in addition the company of housewife and her daughter, a young girl and Miss Babianska who lived there like several others of us. Another tenant there was Napoleon Debicki from Warsaw, an excellent draughtsman and caricaturist, a very sensitive man with sympathetic personality. Another company was also pleasant and we found both of us in the same situation. He was called with name of Lampi. The last person was Wachowicz. He was that one who obtained me a ticket and for whom, despite everything and the services that he returned to me, I had only antipathy and my aversion started since the first day when I saw him. The chance of the life had brought us closer one to the other, not only in Tomsk but still thereafter. The human destinies are odd: he was to me the cause of many troubles. But I owed him a great recognition for my escape. These thoughts made me reflect even more because I had only antipathy for him. It happened even more when he approached me and tried to gain my sympathy. He arrived to my new house. He came to me promising a ticket, although it was a complete forgery, as I found out later. However the police chief of the district did papers. To get it I had to go to the office myself. I carried the receipt to the police station and I met an agent who kept my ticket and who told me to return the following day. Wachowicz worried about that all while not showing it to me. He was afraid that someone could find out the falsification of the ticket. Fortunately, the following day, all occurred well. The agent returned my ticket noted to me in the regular way.
With share of few friends that I attended downtown, I spent the evening dining at Doctor Pokotujewski. I was known under the name of Milewski. But my host, imprudent, often making mistakes and calling me with my real name had to be constantly corrected which was not always easy matter to achieve. His wife and the teacher of their two daughters, Miss Elisabeth Fabenska knew my secrecy. One day Pokotujewski truly ambarassed me. I came to dine when Pokotujewski missed it. Almost at once I finished the meal and I left. In front of the house, I saw the host with a lady whom I did not know. I stopped one moment in court in order to let them leave in time and I tried to pass the gate, but Pokotujewski, having taken some steps, left the lady and re-entered his place. Suddenly, he saw me and pointed out the lady and presented me to her as a doctor, fortunately without naming. He said to me that the husband of this lady was a patient with a bad eruption in the head and asked to me whether I did not want to go to see him in his company. What to make out of it? I stopped to be a doctor, at least I could not be challenged about it and I could not expose my identity. Once I came to the lady, she asked me whether for a long time I was in Tomsk, etc. I lied ensuring that I did not make customers (patients), etc.
I was very dissatisfied with this adventure and I reproached Pokotujewski. But fortunately this did not have an annoying consequence for me. It had been already a few weeks that I lived in downtown and all was calm. Nobody suspected my disappearance, and on the lists of the police, I appeared like having been sent further away. One day, I dined at Pokotujewski. I entered and sit down at the table. Suddenly, the host entered precipitately, and by a glance at him it made me understand that he had encountered something annoying. I run behind him to his cabinet and there he told me that the police sought me. The most terrible experience would not shake me more. I was not unaware of what waited for me if I would be taken again: it was a death or thousand blows of stick. Here that was the cause of my search: the whole city knew me, was interested in me. Authorities knew from my hospital that I had not returned and that I was not in any prison, in conclusion I had to hide in downtown.
My fame lost me while so many others were by no means worried. I returned home and through Wachowicz I learned that the police was searching me under my true name. I could thus not torment myself too much since I had a ticket (identity papers) with the name of Milewski. But could I be sure that after more meticulous search wouldn't all be discovered? What should I do? If I had had enough money, I would have fled the city, but it did not remain with me even ten roubles. Here began for me a true martyrdom, a continual fight and concern, knowing at any moment that I was sought and not seeing the means to draw me from this situation. I endeavoured to find some money, but it was not easy thing, everywhere, I faced a refusal. At the sight of a policeman, I feared, believing that he was after my case. I started shake so much that it was a great and constant my concern. I believed that sooner or later I could be taken, therefore I decided to leave Mrs Kowalewska, not wanting to compromise her. With Wachowicz, we went to remain at the widow of an employee, Mrs Fabiana Stiepanof. She was a dressmaker. Once installed there, we did not press ourselves to expose tickets, in this way the police could not easily find us. Our hostess did not know anything. She did not know about the decree forbidding accepting at home anyone without the ticket being issued by the proper authorities. We also thought that in the event of betrayal the government would not oppress her too much because she was Russian. It was obvious that she did not know too much the law.
This housing was, under the circumstances, quite convenient for us. Although it was located at the centre of the city and not far from the dwellings of the governor, this house had to be demolished soon, and had nothing any more inside but us as tenants. We were separated from the room of our owner by an enormous part. In other words, we did not have useless witnesses and that rendered a great service to us. Moreover the servant was a deaf-mute. We had a place for 18 roubles per month, housing and food, for Wachowicz and me. Often the owner asked me why I never left, but nothing was easier than to tell her anything because she, suspecting nothing on our subject, always believed us. One evening, I was going to see Biesekowski, Quisoneski, Trebinski, and Witkiewicz who lived in our old house and I was going to give respect to Mrs Kowalewska, but in the course of the day, I never left. I occupied myself with nothing. I did not have any moral regrets. Not wanting to remain alone with my sad thoughts, I often went near our owner where lived two of her sisters, one widow and the other young lady, dressmakers too. From them, I learned the Siberian expressions about which I hardly worried before and I made an effort to acquire the true accent. I sang with them melodies which I learned by heart without any specific intention and which, later, were to me of a great help. And then the command of my good mood removed from my owner any suspicion that my constant presence at the house could have suggested to her. Today still, I remember these melodies:
"Say to me, my mother, why my blue eyes are filled with tears."
"Why I then have to sing more with my friends?"
"Why can't I any more make my hair with joy?"
"I look with sorrow at the gatherings of the girls."
"I wait for somebody who must come one morning."
"My dear child, at your age your sadness will pass."
"The young girls wait for their fate."
"Your very young heart will be often sad,"
"As long as will not calm it the caresses of a young man."
"Myself being young I cried in hiding-place,"
"My life was quite hard with my father;"
"But of the day when my beloved gave me a ring,"
"My figure of virgin is embellished by the joy!"
"Happiness is not beyond the walls, nor in a foreign country"
"And with spring will return cheerfulness."
"You will find a charming companion, and then, young child"
"You will understand my words."
And another song that the Russian prisoners sing in Siberia:
"The day rises, its glare embellishes the divine world. I will see the sea and the skies, but I do not have any more my fatherland! In the given up paternal house, the grass grows. Only a faithful dog cries at the gate. On the thatched cottage an owl shouts. One hears it in wood. My heart is tightened, I am sad because, only, I am not over there; In the horizon, the forest is dark! Let us entrust all in the destiny. Good-bye arches native skies. How the night is favourable for you! Tomorrow morning my wife and my children will think of me. They will pour bitter tears."
Spring started, the sunbeams were hotter, snow melted. Nature seemed to awake from long lethargy. This beautiful glare of nature in these first days of spring made on me a quite painful impression, because I was to remain locked up with nothing to do, without being able to benefit from these beautiful days. In front of the house there was a garden with birches and sorbs. As soon as I noticed first buds on the trees and growing grasses, I applied myself to the garden, which was to me a great joy. That helped me to drive out my sad thoughts. But these distractions could only daze me a little; they were too weak to erase my spirit what I ruminated unceasingly, these revived thoughts always increased by the increasingly worrying news. It was necessary for me to flee absolutely, it was not an other exit. I also combined an inexpensive plan because I did not have almost any more money. At this point in time I understood how much was hard for a man in a situation similar to the mine. Oh better would be finish all of these, to die in one moment rather than to endure similar tortures!
I was not the only one wanted. Others were Zygmunt Mineyko, Stanislaw Kamienski, Trebinski, etc. The list on which we were registered did not contain the names of all those which, like me, hid downtown. Among us, there was someone whose fate was even more painful than mine. Lampi, for example, he had lived in Tomsk for several months without any ticket (any papers). He had been completely forgotten, besides some knowledge about him, nobody was aware of his name. But when authorities learned about him search started and nobody wanted more agree to house him without ticket and it was not the moment to make a forgery. He was not reproduced on the list of those who left further. He was thus obliged to wander from one house to the other, the poor unhappy one spending the night sometimes at one place, sometimes at the other, never stripping himself in order to be always ready to run away in a case of inspection which was done at any hour. He did not have any more money to pay for the housing. He could not paint any more. But it was not all what concerned him. He received a letter from his wife from Warsaw, announcing to him that on April 1, she would get under way with her two children and go to join him in Siberia. This letter came to him on April 15, at one time when she had already left and he had no possibility to prevent her from getting under way. What a situation! He had already written to her under the name of Lampi, but he could not keep her informed about the current situation and his wife, unfortunately, could nothing guess. She had probably only just money necessary to come to Siberia, but not for a return voyage. A few days after having received this letter, the poor Lampi changed so much that he was not any more the same man. One could easily guess what was going to occur when his woman would arrive. In one so critical moment, she could be the involuntary cause of the loss of her husband, her children and herself, if God did not have pity for their fate.
After these sad examples and our unhappy migration downtown and when, I was convinced that Wachowicz had manufactured our tickets and that the secretary had hardly recorded them, and that it was not a sure remedy against the evil, I advised Wachowicz to give up this process. When I saw that my advice was not taken seriously, I addressed various people so that nobody would employ any similar means. The river Tom started to thaw and one expected one day or the other that the river would have finished carting the ice. We could see the first steamboats leaving the harbour. A voyage by water appeared to us the least expensive and easiest, therefore we started to think of it seriously. I waited impatiently for the moment when the river would get rid of its ice. I went on bank everyday to get an account of it. Once, being thus on the bank, I witnessed a dreadful spectacle: a man carried very far away undoubtedly on an ice floe and without any hope to be saved. When he crossed the city, crowd went on two banks. The bells reflected sounds as for a death. The unhappy one understood what the ringing announced, he raised his cap, sadly inclined towards us all, and soon disappeared before our eyes, grabbed with a tremendous speed by the current. He went towards an unquestionable death!
During the time when we waited for the departure of boats, we befriended our baker. He was young man, a native of Wiatka, Theodore Iwanowicz Kiscielew, who came to Tomsk with some other his compatriots to earn his living. He had been trained in Kazan and Niznij-Novgorod as a merchant where he vegetated. But somebody persuaded him that in Siberia, he could make a fortune. Hardly it happened in Tomsk. He had a great disappointment and with sorrow he found earning his living while carrying the bread downtown. Thus disappointed, having spent the winter in Tomsk, he intended to leave the city in spring and one day when we get together he proposed a project for us to escape from Siberia, offering himself to assist us. We knew him sufficiently to know that he was honest and did not propose it to us then to betray. We liked his proposal and we bounded with him even more, without however delivering our secrecy to him that he did not have to know, being unaware of even our names. He knew only that we were Polish, were condemned to live in Tomsk, and nothing more. He showed us his identity papers delivered on a plain paper by the office of the peasants, and he advised us to obtain similar. By entrusting his ticket to us as a model he only asked us to describe ourselves originating from another village than he was. He made us write the name of the village of Chotunick, fearing that in the case of discovered falsification of our identity authorities would not suspect him of conspiracy. He explained to us the seal and told us that it was to bear the following names:
PETCHATI
IOULOUINILKA
GOVOLOCTNA
TOPRAVLE
CHIV.
We thus knew how our tickets had to be written, but it was necessary to do them and get a seal for us. Wachowicz knew some sculptors. He went to find them, but one asked him for 25 to 30 roubles; that exceeded our means. Then I tried myself to do it; it was the first time in my life when I made a similar work. I doubted the success, but pressed by the need, I wanted at least to try it and produce a seal again later. On a slate, with a graver made of a branch of birch and using a simple penknife, I applied myself to the work. What was my joy when a few hours later, my seal was finished and then I had to say perfectly imitated. Having this principal instrument ready, our tickets (papers) were made forthwith. We were thus going from now on as the peasants of the government of Wiatka. However this role was difficult. It was necessary for us to pretend, especially for me who spoke Russian with a foreign accent and I had the short hair and shaven beard, contrary to the customs of Russian peasants. Wachowicz spoke Russian very badly but he was more the Muscovite type than I was. We had very little money and it was necessary to get costumes for us. Our baker came to see us each day and we took decisions about our voyage. It was decided that we would leave with him on a steamboat, like his inseparable comrade, Yvan Fiedorowicz. We sent our baker to the office of steamboats in order to get informed about the day of the departure and the price. It was him who was to buy our tickets. Disturbing news suddenly changed our plans. The police fearing that some prisoners could flee on steamboats decided that at the time of the departure the chief of the police in company of some agents would check all passports comparing them with the police records. This news disturbed all our projects and left us in a great embarrassment.
A misfortune is never final, people say, as, at the same time when I learned this worrying news, someone told me that authorities sought me under my false names. It was for me one terrible blow! How they had guessed under which name I hid, I could not manage to understand it. It is true that the chief of the police while giving the commands to his agents put only one of my names and instructed them that the search could not last a long time. The results of this search were negative. Concern and waiting for my misfortune which seemed inevitable to me this time, tortured me. I had neither one day nor one night quiet any more. I wanted to save myself escaping on foot, without much hope in such an insane project. But I preferred this than to be taken in Tomsk where I could be immediately recognised. However as the example for the similar story three comrades were who, as I intended, had come to Tobolsk on foot, without passport, almost without money and without knowing the language of the country. They arrived thus to the river Amur and had taken this direction to avoid being caught. According to any probability, they were wanted in Russia and, moreover, it appeared that, on the Amur, they could embark on an English or American boat. But this project did not succeed and they were constrained to reconsider their steps and they had to traverse all Siberia. What they became then, God knows alone. But the possibility of crossing Siberia in outward journey under similar conditions encouraged me to go on a similar trip. My comrade did not want to decide to leave on foot. He formerly spent summer in Nerczynsk, I do not know so far for which reason. He had fled from there on foot and did not have any more, as he said it to me, a desire for starting a similar journey a second time. He had 60 roubles; we were to sell all our useless clothing, which could bring back a few tens of roubles to us and, then, we were on the way with the assistance of God. I realised well that with such a tiny sum, earlier or later, it would be necessary for us to do a lot of mileage on foot, more especially as we were to pay for the voyage to two Russians. Then my comrade Zygmunt Mineyko joined. I was delighted to have a company of Mineyko, especially when I knew more Wachowicz and he seemed to me a monster. As far as the two Russians we risked all the same a little in sharing of our goods and our misfortune. They were people too different from me so their company could be to me a softening in probably hard adventures of our voyage.
At this time my former priest of Szeretiew, Aurèle Mackiewicz arrived to Tomsk, as condemned to live there. We lived on very good terms formerly. I knew he was rather rich although someone had stolen his belongings in prison. I decided to ask him for money. What a brave man: he did not have more than 50 roubles with him and he shared it with me. I did not tell about it to Wachowicz and I hid money in the lining of my boots. It seemed to me that one day it would be necessary for us to separate on the way and, then, in this case it was necessary that I have some money. That proved how little I had hopes in the success of our voyage. However, I started the enterprise with the small happiness. A few people only knew about our project downtown. Mrs Ostromecka deplored my project and she fasted every Friday wishing me well, hoping that I was saved. I did not know from where she drew 15 roubles that she obliged me to accept, begging me. Moreover I did not refuse her this happiness that she was able to contribute to my delivery of the project. The second person whose memory will be precious to me all my life was Miss Elisabeth Fabienska, a great friend of Mrs Ostromecka. Apart from them and of abbot Mackiewicz, I remember neighbours of Witkiewicz, their son-in-law the doctor Matuszewicz and Doctor Pokotujewski, all helping me in sharing with their means. Mineyko dealt with us buying necessary clothing and we prepared us to leave. Only we could not departure directly from the house where we lived, that had been too visible.
Before I tell how we got over this difficulty, I want to say some words about my colleague Pawlowski. He was with the Company of prisoners since our reference in the hospital. It is regrettable that he had so little courage because he had been able to flee more easily than I. He had more than 600 roubles with him, without counting his clothing, his linen, his books and other things which he could had sold. This sum was more than sufficient to try the escape. He envied me for deciding to leave with so little resources. However he could not decide to leave although he had twice occasions to prepare his escape and most easily possibly successful. He wanted nothing to risk, fearing a treason. "Someone who does not risk anything has nothing", quite true proverb. An employee of the hospital agreed to resign and then give him all papers under the condition that nothing he will reveal in next six month. He asked for 300 roubles of which he would have lived during these six months, not touching a pension. His requirements were modest and this project could succeed very well.
Another opportunity, still better, arose. An Austrian subject offered to sell his passport for 250 roubles to Pawlowski provided that he would not say anything about the matter as long as Pawlowski would not have had time necessary to cross all Russia to the border. With this passport, he had been able easily to cross the border and that would have succeeded perfectly because he spoke German and referred as a Southerner. Having money necessary, he would have done the journey openly through posts and nobody would have any opportunity to put sticks in the wheels of his carriages. When someone would have realised of his disappearance, he had been already very far. My friendly relations with Bielow whom I had known from the hospital and his son-in-law André Stiepanowicz Kungurof, continued after my exit from the hospital and after my installation downtown. I visited them on their premises last Easter and they also came to see me. Bielow knew about my projects, as far Kungurof and his daughter, they knew only that I hid downtown under a false name and that, consequently, I was not a doctor. They were all good people who, not only had not wanted to harm me, but also still were delighted that I succeeded in successful hiding in the city. It should be said that this Kungurof was a head of the search office for the escaped prisoners. In many circumstances, he gave me good consulting and excellent information. For this reason, I maintained this so useful relation. When our project of escape from Tomsk was definitely stopped, I was forced to make in front of Kungurof a confession trusting to him all details of our plan. It was necessary that we had somebody who could facilitate certain formalities for us, who could give us good consulting, that we could accept it like coming from a qualified man on the matter and on whom we could count boldly. They remained together in a house, on their property, far away from the centre of the city, in the suburb called "Colony for the soldier". They did not have a servant. The house was surrounded by a large garden and it contained a little varied growth. That was easy for me to go to see them without being seen by anybody. The house was so small that when all three of us moved there it did not have any other space for other tenants on the property. The moving out was carefully pre-arranged. When we had to leave our housing, Bielow, knowing well all his neighbours, decided to place us at the gentleman from Mohilew for a few days. He explained to him that we were on the point to leave to the countryside, being condemned living there and that it would be more convenient for us to start from his house. The gentleman had a wife, old woman without any children. He was a carpenter by profession. Sharp and hard working, he lived quiet in his house and dealt neither from what occurred downtown, nor with the fate of the prisoners. He could have been easily misled. We were to pay him to compensate, therefore he accepted us as a natural thing. In his house on the street level a widow lived and they kept a small part in the court. It is there that we must spend a few last days in Tomsk. We were located very close to the Bielow, in a place very little attended, where the police never appeared and where walkers were never coming. About May 12, as far as I remember, we warned our owner that we found an employment in factories and we saw ourselves forced to bid our farewell to him. Our so sudden departure astonished him much, especially before the end of the month. However he calmed down when we announced to him that we would pay him for the entire month, making sure that he did not lose finacially. We separated with him on excellent terms. His wife deplored to lose such good tenants to whom she was attached and she made us a promise that on Sunday we would come to dine at her. According to what had been agreed, the following day, I went to see Bielow who led me to the neighbour where I remained until my departure. Then Bielow even rented a horse from one of his neighbours on his account to transport our business. He took care of that himself in order not to show from where we came. The same Wachowicz and Mineyko arrived bringing our costumes prepared in advance. Thus the day of departure arrived. We remained there without leaving; we did not show ourselves outside as long as it was dawning. We did many things for our old owner so that he did not suspect our projects and so that downtown no one was aware of where we had left. As for our two Russian comrades, who came to see us in order to know what was decided, we informed them about our secrecy.
In the evening, we went to Bielow and Kungurof. I learned there that if I had been taken in Tomsk, my sorrow had been cruel, because much of people knowing me, nothing would have been left for me to deny. It is a procedure that each escaped prisoner taken again and suspected of wanting to flee is sent to the nearest city, and the interrogations start there. In this case, only safety is to deny all, nothing to acknowledge and with the questions: "what is your name? From where do you come?" etc. the answer is that you forgot, that nothing is known. This case is envisaged in the articles of the Russian law. It is there a question of "that which does not remember any more its source". If authorities proved who I am the case is lost. Always deny until the end. Then one is condemned for four years in the Companies of prisoners and then for all his life to live in Siberia. This is less terrible than 12 years of forced work. I thus had still a chance to try. During these investigations, authorities do not have the right to beat nor to torture, prevented in any manner. But misfortune waits for those who acknowledge who they are, especially in light of civil laws. They are condemned to the mines! I saw myself dreadful. All these details, I had collected them conscientiously in the event of misfortune. During this time, I learned that authorities had just ordered search again in all the houses and corners of the city and, this time, with our descriptions. To excite the inhabitants against us, it was stated that all three, Kamienski, Mineyko and me formed a committee having for goal to set fire to the entire town of Tomsk. The police fabricated a claim that they found a ball that if thrown on the floor would at once ignite the parquet floor made of wood and would produce such a fire that water even could not extinguish. And they concluded that one of us being a doctor and knowing chemistry had been able to manufacture such a machine. Fortunately that our owner was unaware of all that, because even this figure of three could have not worried him. We were fully alert, waiting for the moment of leaving Tomsk. When this time arrived we had to face many kinds of obstacles. Our first fear came from what our owners received when their friends and neighbours visited to honour us. The majority were the Poles, old men and of the working class. Among them there was even someone who spent the night with us and asked us many questions. We were then tight like herrings in a box. But, thanks to God, all occurred without incident.
All businesses that we had to yet attend we entrusted them to a friendly person even before coming to this small house. Then this person had to sell many things to make money for us. On the day marked for our voyage, we decided to ask our Russian companions to leave ahead in order not to draw too much attention. We gave them a few roubles to rent horses and obliged them to leave us on May 14 in the evening so they could go to the close village and could spend the night there while waiting for us. The next morning, we were to join them as by chance and making pretence that we had met accidentally, we were to leave together further. But, new trouble! They left on the agreed evening and during the night, Wachowicz informed us that our personal businesses had not been sold; consequently, we did not have enough money. The person who was to sell them complained that it rained and not believing that the matter was so urgent had decided to do it the following day.
Because of this delay, we had to remain in Tomsk one day more. But that prevented us from meeting Russian comrades. It was impossible to oblige them to wait us more. They could return, involving us in new expenses or they could doubt us and believe that we had misled them trying to get rid of them. And, then, they could have harmed us. All was possible because we had realised at the last moment that they seemed to be wary of us. And then, counting on the fact that their voyage was on our expenses, they had spent all their money a day before their departure. After some discussion, we decided that I would leave the following day and that I would join the Russians and we would meet all at an agreed village. There, Mineyko and Wachowicz would join us. I did not have to hesitate more and I was very anxious to leave. Mineyko did not know the Russians. Wachowicz was to finish the sale of our business and to bring back the money. I offered myself to leave because I had if little confidence in Wachowicz. I would not have liked to bet that once with the Russians, he would not have left us alone, Mineyko and me. Leaving him one day more in Tomsk with Mineyko, I knew that this last one would prevent him from making some stupidity. Our situation was even more risky since we did not have between us the confidence, but what to do? It would have always been necessary to perish in one way or another and this forwarding was a last hope. And yet I left without much hope of success of our escape.
It would be time to describe here our costumes. We were to play the role of peasants. But because of our hair and our beards hardly started to push back and that was contrary to the customs of peasants, we were forced to equip us like workmen, of people of the city who allow certain rather European reforms. We had black caps with visors, colour shirts sticking out with two buttons on the side of the neck. We had trousers falling down on our boots and, around the neck, the red percale handkerchiefs. We had Siberian coats over. As for me, I had a black one that had been given to me previously by my brother. In the event of rain or of cold, we carried clothing typical for the country called "osijan", very common here among the peasants. It was a long and broad clothing made out of skin of camel, of yellowish colour with a large collar, long narrow sleeves around the wrists. This clothing was double too large for the size, but sufficiently hot because the skin is thick and, moreover, impermeable. Clothing such as I described is worth from 15 to 20 roubles. The red shirt that I put on and a cap, I had bought when I lived at Tatiana Stiepanowna.
At that time, I almost fell in the hands of the Russians. One Sunday, I had gone to the market to buy these things, in order to pay for them less. I had just paid for my cap when while turning over, I saw Mr Szostak a few steps from me, a very known employee that I had looked after for the eyes and who recognised me very well. He was a malicious man and a real enemy. We had unquestionable evidence of it. I dodged myself as fast as possible going through the mud. I bought a shirt later from a peasant on the street. I had already bidden my farewell with Mrs Ostromecka. I did not see the need for bidding my farewell with other people, by prudence it was preferable for my incognito. On the evening of May 14 (I remember this date so well), I left Bielow, leaving my host under an unspecified pretext. I gave him a cap that I had carried so far and he was delighted. He liked it so much. I arrived at Bielow, with my costume covered under some other cloth. I put some small things, a memory from my home that I could not separate with, into a small leather bag. Bielow went to rent horses, which were to come to take to me at 3 o'clock in the morning. During this time, his son-in-law and his daughter worried about me like about one of their, envisaging the difficulties that it would be necessary me to overcome and giving me consulting. We did not sleep during the night. Bielow had been formerly working in the stations and knew wonderfully all the roads of Siberia. He advised the best way to take in order to avoid as much as possible cities dangerous for us.
I had like a fever. Thousand thoughts went through my mind. I foresaw the dangers and the difficulties of all kinds, my imagination worked until I deadened on a settee with an agitated sleep. In dream, I foresaw the continuation of this nightmare where monsters appeared before me. Before Wachowicz and Mineyko left, we swore ourselves henceforth to speak to ourselves only in Russian, even without witnesses, in order to improve fluency in this language and especially not to betray us. For me, there was still another danger: in dream, I spoke often in high voice and very distinctly and naturally I expressed myself in Polish. I could betray myself. Today there is not any peasant in Siberia who does not recognise a Pole even by the accent while speaking in Russian, not to mention when I spoke Polish in dreams. At one o'clock in the morning, I woke up and waited the decisive hour for my destiny. Bielow went for the horses. His children prepared me tea that I drank on their pleasant insistence, because I could swallow nothing.
Horses arrived at 9 o'clock. It hardly started to be dawning, the East was tinted with pink, and the city was plunged in the sleep. I said good-bye to Bielow and the Kungurof. I promised them that once beyond the border of Siberia, I would write some words agreed upon between us to them. Very moved, I threw myself on the carriage, on the straw. The coachman whipped the horses and my voyage started. It was on May 14 of the year 1865. From this day, I was called Alexief Iwanowicz Kortow, a peasant from the government of Wiatka.
Departure from Tomsk - the escape
I then was thinking only about the time of the departure: I was in a single state that can be understood only by someone who was in a situation similar to mine. Nature was coming back to life, the grass was growing again, and tender greenery was showing on the birches. One morning radiant rose grew. But then nothing could distract me. A suffering, a weight, a crowd of thoughts held me down, I choked or well I tested a feeling of rage, but above all these pains planed a single thought, similar to evening star that shone with far or with the anchor of the hello. This thought, it was the reward of all my sufferings, it was the happy moment between all where it would be possible for me to inform my family, with despair, that I am saved. That only gave me the force and energy. Today, at the time when I trace these lines, I reached this star which seemed to me inaccessible, I have the reward of all my pains, I am amply rewarded because They are happy, content, They do not cry more! My God, graces are returned to you!
In spring, two roads lead from Tomsk towards Russia. They meet with a few tens of kilometres from the city. One, the principal one, skirts the prison and the river Tom. It was that which I had followed to go on. The other led to the village of Gravel Bank where it passes the river of the same name that it is necessary to cross on a raft. This road was preferable in spring because of the facility to cross the river in this place. It also had for us another advantage, we did not skirt the prison, we did not have to cross Tom close to downtown where always the gendarmes and the police stationed, quite awkward road for us. The distance from Tomsk to Gravel Bank could be divided into two stages: one in the village where the Russians awaited me, the other from Gravel Bank.
Hardly we engaged on the road, I felt despair towards to my coachman who prevented us from galloping to the city. I was certain that it was treason, that the coachman had recognised me as Polish because of my accent. I waited a moment to ensure myself some more and, then, to jump from the carriage and to flee anywhere. But when we arrived to the city he took another road saying to me that he seldom passed by here. He was misled and than he followed first road led in the fields. Thus, when we envisage the danger, all frightens us. The least trifle takes dimensions of a misfortune. The remainder of the road occurred without an incident: I lay down making pretence of sleeping in order not to be obliged to speak. We reached the village where I was supposed to find our Russians. Where to seek them in a village that had several streets going in all the directions? Someone proposed to me to rent horses, but I hastened to say that the price of the voyage being very high, I would be happy to find somebody who could travel with me. I had to wait for an occasion. Then I stayed in the village in the hope to find those whom I sought. Happily, one of the Russians having heard the horses had come to meeting me and there, in the presence of the peasants of the place, we appeared not to know us, and we played the comedy arranging our joint voyage. I taken immediately my bag and went to their premises. It was when I met for the first time the second Russian of our companion, Jelcyn. I explained to them what had been decided between us. I drank with them tea in order to spend time and not to leave immediately for Gravel Bank where it would have been necessary for us to remain too long time. Then, we rented a troika and we left for Gravel Bank. Consequently, I was a little less sad. Jelcyn appeared intelligent to me, brave, merry and being cool. And then I did not afraid any more myself and could speak freely with them without fearing to lose because of my accent. Our first stages cost us very dear but we did not hesitate to pay several roubles and we could not have continued thus doing for a long time. We had good horses. In a few hours we were in Gravel Bank where we had to spend the night. It was then midday; it was a little early, but what could we do? It was necessary for us to wait for Wachowicz and Mineyko or rather for Michel Sudnow and Nicolas Iwanowicz Nikolajew, because such were henceforth their names. To spend time, we prepared food to dine. My Russian comrades recommended me to wash the hands before the meal according to the Russian custom in one special container called "rukomojnck". It is a bowl full of water and suspended by two handles on a cord and which has a nozzle like a teapot. One leans the bowl by washing the hands and as soon as one ceases holding it takes again its balance on the cord. The second lesson was that they showed me the manner of sign in front of the icons and after the meals. For each time it is necessary to make three large signs of cross and a small fourth on oneself while curving enough low by making the three large signs of cross. It is necessary to proceed to this operation all the times that one enters a residence and, then, one is addressed to the Master the house by these words: "dzien dobry, gospodaru". It is necessary to be signed for the tea as for the meals. First of all I was caught there awkwardly, but then, when my hand had been accustomed to this kind of exercise I soothsayered as skilful as my comrades. I speak only about the gesture because the lips do not pronounce words. After the dinner, we lay down to kill time, but because I did not eat, the sleep did not come. I lay down in order not to attract attention. The evening arrived finally. Our host asked us from where we came and where we went. We told him that we left to the close city as workmen, but we also had our luggage and we wait to know if our bag did not remain with our preceding stage. If it would not be found, it meant that we would have lost it on the way and, then, we let us carry on our trip immediately. In order to cross short to this conversation, we requested him to give us something to eat. The evening fell. We occupied one room being used for the travellers and in whose there were a bed without bed linen, a table, some chairs, a bank against the wall and a curtain cutting the part into two and behind which was the bed. Separately from us, there were not other travellers. I remember all the details of this day, because that night, I had my first test, my first danger.
When one of us started to eat, the other put a lamp on the table, because it grew dark. At this time one unspecified employee entered my room following-up with some peasants. I made pretence absorbing myself with eating so that I seemed not to see them, but in myself I asked whether they had not come to seek me. He entered. He did not want to speak about a hasty departure. This scene impressed me even more than that with the employee, because it was the realisation of what I provided before. We would always have in Wachowicz a bad comrade. When I had left him in Tomsk explaining why I only left ahead, Wachowicz squeezing my hand said to me, with fire: "be sure that we will not be mistaken: Wachowicz will never betray!" At that time there, these words were expressed with such a sincerity in the voice and the gestures which made me forgot all the past and I believed him. What was my astonishment when I learned things that disappointed me. I learned some facts bitterly.
The shortly after my departure from Tomsk, Miss Fabienska, a great friend of Mrs Ostromecka, learned by I do not know through which chance about our hiding-place and came to tell me good-bye. She brought 40 roubles to me for the road and a letter from Mrs Ostromecka. But when Wachowicz said to her that I was not there any more, she did not want him to believe and, melting in tears, she said that it was badly of my share to have left without meeting with her. Reassured, finally, on my fate by our comrades, she gave the letter to him and the money and she wrote some lines with her hand, requesting Wachowicz to give me all that. In order not to oppose her, our comrades took the two letters without making the least remark, but for our security, they could not keep such letters with them. As soon as she had left, they decided to read these letters and to destroy them at once. When seeing me they would communicate the contents of these letters to me. As they were two, Mineyko took the letter of Miss Fabienska to read it; it contained only good-byes and wishes. Wachowicz took the letter of Mrs Ostromecka. I am unaware of what she said to me in this letter, but she undoubtedly warned me about Wachowicz of whom she had a very bad opinion. It appeared, told me then Mineyko that Wachowicz, while he read the letter, took a savage air and without completing it he threw it in the stove that flamed. He did not say a word to Mineyko about the content of this letter, but as from that moment, he was of very bad mood. This fact explained his anger against me because he could only suspect me of having said evil things about him to Mrs Ostromecka. In that he was mistaken because, quite to the contrary, each time we spoke together about Wachowicz, I took always his defence, would be this only to tranquillise her about my escape. Misfortune wanted that this letter fallen in his hands, this letter of Madam Ostromecka which, by very maternal solicitude had not been able to prevent from recommending to me to be wary of him, having probably learned some things on his account. Nobody could do anything any more about that, but that cost us on behalf of Wachowicz many nuisances. When I left Tomsk, Mineyko and Wachowicz remained all the day in their house, waiting the evening to get the money for our clothing. We hoped to get some well 60 roubles, but they were worth 100, but one gave them only 25. What to make out of it? In addition our owner could report us at any moment because I had left so quickly, saying to him hardly goodbye. Our comrades tried all to reconcile for the best. Bielow prepared horses to them as for me. Late in the evening they left the owner, in addition to the payment for the rent and food they paid three roubles for clothing and the linen. Then they went to the house of Bielow carrying the remainder of goods. They took them in bags and they gave the part of it to Bielow. At the moment of the departure they also gave a few roubles to him which he accepted without too much resistance.
The horses were to lead them directly to Gravel Bank where I was waiting for them. The three strong horses brought them in a few hours to Gravel Bank. However they had some adventures there. Their coachman, originating from the Ukraine, man of strong stature, with thick moustache, had been for ten years in Siberia. Not only he had preserved his national costume. But he spoke his language and knew certainly well also Polish and recognised our accent. After he had exchanged some words with the travellers, he started to call them "side" (Mister). Our comrades were frightened, the more so as he was very talkative. He could have told to others what he had discovered and, moreover, not knowing it, our comrades overcame with fear. He even tried to insinuate to them that he was from as same region as them. It was necessary, in a skilful way, to render him that he was misled. The best argument was the brandy. However our comrades were constrained to drinking with him. When they arrived to Gravel Bank, they brought the samovar and invited him for drinking the tea with them, in order to have him always within the eye. It is precisely at this time that we entered the thatched cottage. Hardly we were left of the embarrassment, because the coachman having left a little time set out back to Tomsk. Then another trouble and another fear awaited us. Our desire was to cross the river as soon as possible, but the peasants forced us to wait until more carriages went on the vat. Anyone can easily understand our concerns and our fears. From one moment to another the employee could show up. Our fears were all the more founded since the owner at whom we had spent the night suspected who we were. Our two Russian comrades had two old coats of sheepskin and wanted to get new ones. Our owner wanted to have them to offer as little money as possible for old coats. They did not want leave him coats at this price. When our comrades hesitated, he said to them:
"do not haggle over so much, because sooner or later even all the remainder of your clothing will not be useful to you any more".
This sentence made us fear the worst. What remained to be made?
Lastly, after a long waiting, someone transferred us to other bank out of vat. We left with the tightened heart, being sure that sooner or later we would be taken again and that all would be finished for us. Before reaching the postal road, it was necessary for us still to cross another river, not broad, but in spring it overflowed much and formed an island. We crossed the first arm, then we traversed the island on foot, and, then, we took again the vat to approach to other bank. At once, we went to the close village to search for horses. At the moment when we left bank, some owners of the vat charged us for the encumbered carriages and luggage. It was for soldiers travelling with women and children. They were about ten. The peasants recognised us for what we were. They asked us an excessive price for the crossing and, addressed soldiers asking them to stop us, that we were the Poles. We heard this sentence, but without losing our coolness, we approached the soldiers. We were smoking our pipes; we endeavoured to appear merry, but we saw perfectly the eyes of the soldiers and the peasants directed them towards us. We were sure that that would finish badly. I believe that the only reason that made the soldiers to hesitate and stop to arrest us was that they all were with family and did not wish to attract embarrassments without any real benefit to them. After the soldiers had left, the peasants became less hard on us and even made us pay less for the crossing. We owed our safety only to our luck.
When we arrived to the village, we went from one thatched cottage to the other thatched cottage to have horses. Some did not have them. Others asked us too much for it. At the end, a peasant agreed to give us horses at an accessible price. We entered his house, while he harnessed horses. We asked the host to bring the samovar and fried eggs. We were then about twenty versts from Kolyvan, formerly the capital of the district and the horses were rented to lead us there. I remember so well this brave peasant who was approaching about sixty, a figure red like a framed orange with white hair. He was merry and started at once to chatter with us and it was not difficult for him to see who we were. Even Wachowicz talked too long. But he was a good man and he did not say to us openly who we were. He rendered a great service to us. We were on the point of leaving. Nobody except him was in the room at this time. He told us these words then:
"I think that you will have troubles and embarrassment in Kolyvan because authorities gave command to stop all the travellers passing by the city and to examine their papers."
We answered him that that we did not worry and that our papers were in order.
"But you see", he said to us,
"You will arrive late. Nobody will be there any more at the police station. You will be obliged to spend the night and perhaps a second one before anyone lets you set out again. You will lose much time and I warn you that the head of the police of this city is a rabble."
We could not answer him.
"One could cure the situation." - he continued,
"Since you have to only pass the city, I will ask my son to circumvent the city and to lead you to
