CHAPTER XXXVII.

_THE CONVICT MINES OF KARA._

Gold-mines not underground.--Hours of labour.--Visit to a mine.--Punishments.--Branding abolished.--Miners marching off.--Statistics respecting runaways.--Women criminals at mines.--A new building for expected politicals.--Superannuated forçats.--The hospitals.--“Birching” and its effects.--Kara in 1859.--Improvements effected by Colonel Kononovitch.--A children’s home.--Return to the gold-mine.--Comparison of Siberian and English convicts.--Distribution of books 462