172 FORESTRY IN EASTERN RUSSIA. 



those made by him were made to me when resideat in St. 

 Petersburg, at the time I have stated, when, as I have also 

 stated, I had the gratification of meeting with one of those 

 noble women who had voluntarily shared the exile of her 

 husband and her sons, and only returned after their death. 

 My opinion is that both accounts are substantially correct ; 

 that of Barry and of others accordant therewith, not less 

 than that which Atkinson has given ; and I find no diffi- 

 culty in recording them as statements of facts. 



The statements of Barry are in accordance with general 

 impressions which I received while resident in St. Peters- 

 burg from 18-33 to 1840, in the reign of Nicholas. At that 

 time I heard the common gossip of the day ; and from this I 

 received my impressions. Beyond this occasionally infor- 

 mation reached me incidentally and unsought through 

 different channels ; but my opportunities of forming an 

 independent opinion of any value were few. The treat- 

 ment to which exiles, whom I knew after their return to 

 Russia, had been subjected in Siberia, was never a sub- 

 ject of conversation between us; and what T did learn of 

 this was from others more intimately acquainted with 

 them or their connections. I had something to do with 

 supplying the exiles with New Testaments, but this never 

 brought me into personal contact with exiles ; and only into 

 indirect communication with exiles setting out on their 

 weary journey. 



Though the Russian Bible Society was virtually 

 suppressed, the Scriptures were allowed to be sold as 

 before. In the year 1828 two benevolent ladies in Eng- 

 land suggested the propriety of supplying the Holy Scrip- 

 tures to such of the exiles banished to Siberia as might be 

 able to read. They offered to contribute annually towards 

 the expense of the supply, and wrote to St. Petersburg to 

 Mr John Venning, who was a member of the committee 

 appointed to superintend the discipline of prisons, re- 

 questing him to undertake the distribution of the books 



