There  is  very  little  of  interest  to  be  seen  in  Tobolsk
outside  the  prisons,  which  are  three  in  number,  and  gen-
erally contain  from  1,000  to  1,200  prisoners.  They  are


280  RUSSIAN  NIHILISM  AND

located  near  a  large  pleasure  garden,  and  directly  under
a  commanding  view  from  the  fortress.  I  managed  to
secure  an  introduction  to  the  chief  prison  guard,  who
being  able  to  speak  a  little  German  readily  answered  such
inquiries  as  I  addressed  to  him,  and  also,  after  much  per-
suasion and  the  gift  of  several  roubles,  finally  gave  me
permission  to  go  inside  the  prisons.  This  privilege  was
much  more  than  I  had  expected,  but  I  soon  learned  from
experience  that  a  few  roubles,  judicously  used,  could  be
made  a  magical  sesame  that  would  open  any  door  in
Russia.
The  buildings  are  of  brick  with  small,  square  win-
dows, provided  with  double  glass  to  keep  out  the  cold.
As  I  entered,  two  guards  stepped  forward  with  fixed  bay-
onets and  followed  me  wherever  I  went  in  the  prison.
The  chief  officer  also  accompanied  me,  and  from  him  I
learned  that  Tobolsk  was  formerly  the  station  to  which
all  hard -labor  convicts  were  sent,  but  as  mines  became
developed  further  east  the  prisons  here  are  now  used  to'
confine  convicts  one  year  before  sending  them  eastward  ;
it  is  only  a  comparatively  small  number  who  are  de-
tained at  Tobolsk  at  all,  those  in  confinement  being  crim-
inals who  have  committed  some  new  offense  while  on  the
transport  route,  or  convicts  who  have  been  retaken  after
an  attempt  to  escape.
Large  workshops  adjoined  the  prisons,  in  which  all
those  able  to  labor  were  busily  employed  ;  there  were
shoemakers,  tailors,  wagon-makers,  cabinet-makers,  etc.
