A PRISONER IN RUSSIAN HANDS 191 
charge had been made against us, no inquiry held, 
we could get no redress whatever, and there was no 
British Consul to appeal to for help. On October 3 
I received this reply : 
“ Vessel and property seized pending result of 
trial for contravention of Russian hunting regu¬ 
lations.” 
I waited another fortnight, nothing being done 
in the meanwhile, and then sent another telegram to 
St. Petersburg : 
“ No trial Otome taking place ; over seven weeks 
nothing done ; is said authorities can get no instruc¬ 
tions what to do in matter ; have protested, and 
claim $50,000 for illegal seizure and imprisonment 
of crew. If not soon released will be frozen in for 
winter. Seizure, delay, imprisonment, most un¬ 
warranted, unjust, illegal, and serious. My presence 
urgently required in Japan ; please use influence for 
our protection, and report British Government.” 
To which I got this answer : 
“ Have urged immediate release and referred the 
matter home.” 
On the 28th we were all told to attend at the 
“ Staff ” at 8.30 the following morning. The Japa¬ 
nese sailors were marched down under a guard of 
twenty-two soldiers with fixed bayonets, and we 
were all ushered into a large court-room. Here were 
General Prince —— (who was known as the “ Wicked 
Prince,” and who, rumour said, had been sent out 
to Eastern Siberia for the good of his morals), the 
Chief of Police, and Mr. Dutton, who acted as inter¬ 
preter. The General read out a document in Russian, 
which Mr. Dutton interpreted to us. It was to this 
effect: “ That the British schooner Otome , her cargo 
