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the contents of the bottles to evaporate, after which, in the
cold air above, it is condensed and discharged in two streams,
one going into the great reservoir of the capitalists, the other
into that of the Government. Now, since all these bottles
have been emptied, and are, therefore, unable to produce any
more, they must, of course, be filled again to some extent in
one way or another. A large pail is therefore taken, dipped
into the great reservoir, and its contents poured over the
bottles on the table, but the greater part falls outside the
bottles. We are now trying to put funnels into the bottles to
avoid this running outside.”
A more intimate acquaintance with Government methods
helped me to understand the significance of this figure. Flour
was distributed monthly, according to prescribed rules. In
many cases the drinking habits of the miserable mushiks led
them to sell it at once for vodka, and in some it was at once
seized by pitiless creditors. Supposing that neither of these
calamities occurred, it lasted only for fifteen or twenty days,
leaving the poor family to starve until the next distribution.
Hence the sickness and death-rate went up with a bound in
the latter part of each month. Much sickness was also caused
by the lack of fuel among the mushiks, who were thus forced
to eat the food raw, having no means of cooking it. There is
no wood in this part, and straw is the fuel used, which of
course had suffered the fate of the crops generally.
Still worse was the system of selection employed by the
Government. No help was given to “labourers”; i.e.,
those able to work, or to those possessing horses and
cattle. It was entirely left out of consideration that there
was no work for these unfortunate people to do, and no food
for their cattle. Again, there was little hope for the “black
sheep,” that is, the sectarians, the Stundists, persons of
non-Russian extraction, and all who were not personæ gratæ to the
“powers that be” or their representatives. Further, expenses
were shamefully heavy, and large quantities of flour were
stolen, adulterated with sand, chaff, &c., or allowed to spoil.
I noted more than one case of this kind that came under my
own observation.
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