80 SIBERIA 



during the day. These interesting worthies are so 

 numerous in spring as to constitute a real danger to 

 travellers. When I told a Siberian friend that I 

 carried a revolver as a protection against wolves, I 

 was promptly informed that I had much more reason 

 to fear the human wolves I might encounter, aind this, 

 I found, was a general view of the case. About 

 one-third of the criminal exiles escape all control. 

 Armed with a stick, to which is attached a strong 

 piece of cord or catgut, they will approach the 

 unwary traveller from' behind, throw the cord round 

 his neck, and quietly strangle him by twisting the 

 stick, to rob him at their leisure of whatever he may 

 possess, or to secure his passport in order to make 

 their escape from' the country. 



There being only one police-officer to every 10,000 

 of the population, sparsely distributed over immense 

 areas, the authorities are practically powerless to 

 suppress these outrages. If a convict is caught red- 

 handed, therefore, he is very commonly shot out of 

 hand. Like the beggars, the garrotting robbers 

 usually travel in groups ; crime is prevalent, 

 murderers are to be met with in nearly every 

 town and village, and robberies with violence and 

 burglaries are of everyday occurrence. Shortly 

 before I reached Omsk the office of a resident Dane 

 had been visited by three burglars, who relieved 

 him of the custody of some £10 worth of goods. 

 He reported the matter to the police and was advised 

 to shoot them if they should come again. Some 

 time afterwards they did come again, and their 

 Danish host showed his appreciation of their courtesy 

 by shooting two of them and afterwards reporting 

 to the police, who were rather pleased than other- 

 wise to be rid of them. So long as a burglar or 

 foot -pad is shot in front the ai4thorities do not 

 make much trouble, but if he is shot in the back 



