I produced evidence thereof by showing one of my I ¡J Growing printed matter from a train in motion, a
old photographs. regulation that in the excited state of the country was
“ Yes, to be sure,” he said, as he looked at th e * reasonable enough, but which I did not know to be an
picture ; and then he added, in soliloquy, “ What a n * 0|fence. The gendarme, moreover, who received the
apostolic face ! ” causing us, of course, to laugh ; after* tracts was in the main right, for the Nihilists are very
which he told the Captain there was no ground fo r * subtil, and not only put seditious leaflets into duly
bringing an accusation against us, and that, in fact, ■ authorized tracts to distribute, but I have heard on good
they had rendered themselves liable to be sued. The | ai|thority of a Bible having been seen, beginning with
Procureur then asked pardon for having detained us, ■ Gfenesis and ending with Revelation, but filled in with
and pleaded the excited state of the country as an* -¡Nihilistic matter! The telegram, therefore, of the
excuse, whilst the Captain in turn screened himself I g|ndarme sent to his chief, and read by the Captain at
behind the over-zealousness of one of his subalterns.* p|rnij was so far correct) ancj seemed to say that our
I t was now my turn to be gracious, and I took blame I books should be examined because he thought they
to myself (which I really deserved) for not having! m^ / contain proclamations, whereas in sending after
mentioned to the station-master before I started whatl u|he seemed to have muddled his grammar, and said
I was going to do, for then all would have gone th|t the tracts distributed did contain proclamations,
smoothly enough, but the narrow limits of my intended^^Hhe matter was then dismissed from my mind till
distribution caused me, I suppose, to forget it. Wei w| returned to Europe, and found that first the Russian
were then asked to sign a protocol to be kept in the and then the English newspapers, not content with my
a r c h i v e s , g i v i n g the particulars of our arrest, saying thai ariest, had been putting me into prison, o n e 'o f them
two Englishmen had passed through Perm, that one ol soiast as to declare it was only by the intercession of
them threw a bundle of publications in one instance, and| the Duchess of Edinburgh that I was released ! Thus
in another handed some, from the train, but that the my friends might well congratulate me, as they did on
publications on being examined proved to be religious! my return, at having been liberated. A s a matter of
pamphlets, bearing titles such as followed, and so wel fact, however, though twice arrested for distributing
parted with mutual apologies and shaking of hands. H f t t s , I have never been imprisoned, and in this case
One of my abettors present was greatly disguste: thd authorities did everything in their power to repair
with “ these Russians,” as he called them, andr ex-»the damage. Our railway tickets were allowed to
pressed his opinion that the gendarme who sent the* staid, a first-class compartment was secured for us and
telegram would “ get it hot,” or perhaps be dismissed! malked,“ reserved,” and the guards paid us everv
I asked in the evening whether the informer had made! attention. Thus we had a ride of 160 miles free, of
his appearance, but was told that the party were so^^Kre, as well as the pleasure of a little excitement
ashamed of themselves that they were taking care to and started by the next train, once more to attempt’
keep out of my way. I had, however, broken the la« and this time successfully, the crossing of the Urals. ’