given away in Russia, I do not remember ever to
have seen one torn or defaced. Mr. Ignatofi’s testimony
was similar : that among the exiles he had
never seen a New Testament spoiled, not even when
sold or taken to the dram shop. I had also the
independent testimony of an officer over soldiers that
guard the prisoners at Tiumen and Tobolsk, and who
had been connected with the transport of the exiles to
Tomsk, to the effect that when at Tobolsk he had
observed how glad the prisoners were to get the
books, and how pleased they were to read them.
Moreover, he knew no instance of their being torn ;
but, on the contrary, he had known cases of prisoners
come from Tiumen, who, on being searched at Tomsk,
were found to possess New Testaments hidden about
them, which they were allowed to keep. That the
prisoners may sell the books to each other, or the
exiles occasionally to those willing to buy them, is,
of course, possible ; but this surely is not an unmixed
evil, for it means that a portion of Scripture has passed
out of the hands of one who did not care for it into,
the hands of one who does. I was, therefore, only
too thankful to leave a goodly store of books at
Tiumen, finding my friends willing to do with them
all that was possible and lawful.
I was able at Tiumen to get a few more introductions
for the south. As they now stand in my journal,,
allocated under the respective towns where they were
to be presented, they amount in number to 255 : but
this includes documents of all sorts, official and private;
letters open and letters sealed ; cards 1 to introduce
Mr. So-and-So,” and cards backed with miniature
epistles. Moreover, they extended over a longer
route than I covered, for had the way to Central Asia
been blocked, I was prepared for a run from Petersburg
through Finland, and then to Persia, the Tigris
valley, Armenia, Constantinople, Greece, and Italy.
Another thing we obtained at Tiumen was a second
vehicle wherein to carry the books. Mr. Wardropper
ordered to be made for me a strong telega or wagonette
(though not in the English sense of the word),
which answered its purpose admirably. We obtained’
too, a few more provisions, but I found I had made
a mistake about tinned meat. This article is so heavy
that I had deferred its purchase as long as possible
on account of the inconvenience and expense of carrying
it as passenger’s luggage, and thinking to get it
at Ekaterineburg or Tiumen ; but at neither town,
however, could I procure cans of beef, but only
relishes, such as tinned salmon and lobster, or pâté de
foie gras, and this last at a price to make one’ s hair
stand on end.
In a very short time we were ready to leave for
Omsk ; but the question arose, By water or by road ?
Mr. Ignatoft’s steamer was not to start for some days,
and I was therefore inclined to post with horses. An
important factor, however, in my calculations was,
\ Where can I meet General Kolpakovsky ? ’ the new
Governor-General of the Steppe, who had been resident
in the south at Vierny, and was said to be on his way
to Omsk, his future residence, but making official inspectlons*
n route- 1 had a letter for him, that an officer
at Moscow, who knew the country, had strictly
counselled me on no account to fail to present, in
order that I might receive the proper papers wherewith
to enter Kuldja; “ for,” said he, “ so prejudiced
are the officials down there, that an autograph letter
rom the Emperor himself will not gain you admission