2 <S AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



been caught by the police without a passport on the 

 Ural borders of Siberia, and after due punishment 

 for refusing to disclose his identity (at that time the 

 penalty was the knout) had been transferred as a 

 settler for life to Tomsk. There everyone was struck 

 by his cultivated manner, his wonderful knowledge 

 of languages (for besides Russian he spoke English 

 and French perfectly), his gentle bearing, noble 

 features, and quiet mode of life. In a few years 

 his fame spread throughout the whole of Siberia. 

 The common people began to consider him a saint, 

 and would gather in crowds around his cell in order 

 to receive his blessing. He lived in a small room 

 in the house of a rich merchant named Somoff, who 

 had given him hospitality, but he refused all comfort 

 and luxury, took very little food, and prayed con- 

 stantly. One thing he never refused to do, viz. to 

 teach children, and it was noticed that his favourite 

 subject was Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812. 

 He was acquainted with every detail of the war, 

 seemed to know every general who had taken part 

 in it, and could describe every battle with precision. 

 He taught the children to love Russia and honour 

 the memory of Alexander I. the Beloved. In this 

 manner he lived over thirty years at Tomsk, ever 

 silent about his own personality, and sowing the seeds 





