responsibility rested, was moved to endorse the report in his own handwriting with the words, “It is inexcusable, even criminal, to allow such a state of affairs in Siberia to continue.” The frightful system which allowed an irresponsible bureaucracy to sentence untried persons to exile by so-called “administrative process” is fully explained and described in the present volume. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION 5 I. GENERAL SURVEY 13 II. TWO FAMOUS FORTRESSES 36 III. THE EXILE SYSTEM 68 IV. THE OSTROG AT OMSK 99 V. LIFE IN THE OSTROG 128 VI. TIUMEN AND TOMSK 160 VII. VAGABONDAGE AND UNIONS 185 VIII. TREATMENT OF POLITICALS 211 IX. CHANGES IN SYSTEM 247 X. SAGHALIEN 269 List of Illustrations YOUNG GIRL REVOLUTIONIST _Frontispiece_ FORTRESS OF PETER AND PAUL _Page_ 38 RUSSIAN PRISONERS ” 229 RUSSIAN PRISONS CHAPTER I GENERAL SURVEY Commencement of judicial reform in Russia—Abandonment of knout and branding iron—The plet—Two classes of prisons, the “lock-up” and the “central” or convict prisons—Experiences of a woman exiled from Russia—Testimony of Carl Joubert—The state of the central prisons—The “model” prison in St. Petersburg—Punishments inflicted—The food in different prisons—Attempted escapes—Myshkin—His early history and daring exploits—Failure of his plan to rescue Chernyshevski from Siberia—His escape, recapture, and sentence of death—The prisoner Medvediev.