chains to Siberia, effected his escape from the
"Katorga," or convict prison of Ekaterininski-
Zavod on the banks of the Irtisch. He has lately
recorded his adventures in three octavo volumes,
bearing the title of " Pamietniki Rufina Pietrowskiego"
(Posen, 1861), and from this work the
following narrative is compiled. The whole
book is full of interest, but our limits compel
us to confine ourselves to the facts of the
courageous Pole's escape, which we give as
nearly as possible in his own words:

The first point to be well considered was the
direction of my dangerous journey. After
abandoning many plans, I resolved to seek
safety towards the north, across the Ural
mountains, by the steppe of Petchora and Archangel.
Having come to this decision, all my inquiries
henceforward were directed towards obtaining
information concerning the countries that
border the White Sea, and, thanks to the
cosmopolite character of our bagnio, and
the number of merchants and travellers who
came to Ekaterininski-Zavod from all quarters, I
soon completed my education. More slowly and
painfully I collected together the objects
indispensable for my journey—the first and most
important of which was a passport. There are two
sorts of passports for the inhabitants of Siberia,
who share in the Russian desire for travel—one
of short date, for places near, and the other for
long distances, delivered by the superior
authorities, on stamped paper, which is called a
plakatny. I succeeded in fabricating both.
Certain trades and employments are carried on
in the bagnio by those who have previously
learnt and wish to pursue them, and a convict
whom I knew, a skilful coiner, sold me for a few
roubles an excellent die of the imperial arms;
as to the indispensable stamped paper it was
easy enough for me to secrete a sheet out of the
many I used in the interest of the public. My
next care was to transform myself, morally and
physically, into a native of Siberia (Siberski
tcheloviék). I had long suffered my beard to
grow, and in time it reached to a respectable
length; after some trouble I also became possessor
of a Siberian headdress, made of sheepskin,
and worn with the wool inside, and thus
my external appearance was complete. Finally,
deduction made of the sums which various
purchases cost, there remained 180 roubles in assignats
(about £8 sterling), very little for so long a
journey, and unfortunately greatly diminished by
an accident at the very outset.

By the latter end of January 1846, all my
preparations were made, and the period seemed
highly favourable for my enterprise, in
consequence of the proximity of the great fair of
Irbit, at the foot of the Uralian mountains,
whither the natives of eastern Russia flock in
vast numbers, covering the roads with innumerable
trains of merchandise and travellers. I
flattered myself with the hope of being
confounded with the crowd, and on the evening of
the 8th of February I quitted the establishment
of Ekaterininski-Zavod, and struck into a
cross road. I wore three shirts, a coloured one
above my trousers after the Russian fashion,
a waistcoat and wide trousers of thick cloth,
and over my coloured shirt an armiak or jacket
of sheepskin well prepared with suet, which
reached to my knees; a girdle of tri-coloured
wool confined my waist, and surmounting my
head-dress was a round cap of red velvet bordered
with fur, worn by merchants' clerks and Siberian
peasants on festivals. I was also wrapped in a
large wide pelisse, the collar of which, turned
up and fastened by a handkerchief knotted
round it, not only preserved me from the cold,
but also helped to conceal my face. High boots
well tanned and large sheep-skin gloves
completed my costume. A bag which I carried in
my hand held a second pair of boots, a fourth
shirt, a pair of blue trousers such as are worn
in summer, some bread and some dried fish. In
the leg of my right boot I concealed a large
poniard; I placed my money inside my waistcoat
in notes of five and ten roubles, and for
support and defence I was armed with a thick
knotted stick. It froze hard, and the rime
glistened in the moonlight as I advanced
towards the Irtisch, the frozen surface of which I
quickly crossed and took the road to Tara, a
small town about seven miles from my place of
detention. I had scarcely crossed the river
when I heard the sound of a sledge behind me.
I trembled, but determined to let the nocturnal
traveller pass, whoever he might be. It was a
peasant going to Tara, who stopped, and after a
short colloquy proposed to give me a lift for fifty
copecks (about eightpence). I took my place
beside him, and we set off at a gallop; my
companion was pressed for time, the frozen road was
smooth as glass, and cold lent the horses
wings, so that in half an hour we arrived at
Tara. The peasant set me down in the streets
and pushed on. At the first house I saw, I
approached the window and in a loud voice,
after the Russian fashion, asked for horses to
go to the fair of Irbit. A bargain was struck
for eight copecks a verst, and in a few minutes
the horses were harnessed to a sledge. Then
came the question: "Where are you from?"
"Tomsk," I replied; "I am clerk to N——
(the first name I thought of), my master has
gone to Irbit; I remained to settle some
matters, and am so much behind hand that I
fear I shall get into a scrape. Drive quickly,
and you shall have something to drink."

The driver whistled, and the horses darted
away at full speed. Dark clouds now covered
the sky, snow began to fall quickly, and my
conductor lost his way. After turning, first this
way, then that, he was obliged to come to a
stand-still, and said we must pass the night in
the forest. I cannot describe the anguish I
experienced till daylight came, expecting every
moment to hear the bells of the Kibitkas sent in
pursuit of me from Ekaterininski-Zavod, from
which we were not more than four leagues
distant. I abused the driver, threatened him
with the police, and ordered him to return to
Tara where, I said, I should get another sledge.
He obeyed, but I had hardly gone a verst when