hey came there, were at liberty to go whither they would; why did they
not then go away to any part of the world wherever they thought fit? and
I began to examine what should hinder them from making such an attempt.

But my wonder was over, when I entreated upon that subject with the
person I have mentioned, who answered me thus: "Consider, first," said
he, "the place where we are; and, secondly, the condition we are in;
especially," said he, "the generality of the people who are banished
hither. We are surrounded," said he, "with stronger things than bars and
bolts: on the north side is an unnavigable ocean, where ship never
sailed, and boat never swam; neither, if we had both, could we know
whither to go with them. Every other way," said he, "we have above a
thousand miles to pass through the czar's own dominions, and by ways
utterly impassable, except by the roads made by the government, and
through the towns garrisoned by its troops; so that we could neither
pass undiscovered by the road, or subsist any other way: so that it is
in vain to attempt it."

I was silenced indeed, at once, and found that they were in a prison,
every jot as secure as if they had been locked up in the castle of
Moscow; however, it came into my thoughts, that I might certainly be
made an instrument to procure the escape of this excellent person, and
that it was very easy for me to carry him away, there being no guard
over him in the country; and as I was not going to Moscow, but to
Archangel, and that I went in the nature of a caravan, by which I was
not obliged to lie in the stationary towns in the desert, but could
encamp every night where I would, might easily pass uninterrupted to
Archangel, where I could immediately secure him on board an English or
Dutch ship, and carry him off safe along with me; and as to his
subsistence, and other particulars, that should be my care, till he
should better supply himself.

He heard me very attentively, and looked earnestly on me all the while I
spoke; nay, I could see in his very face, that what I said put his
spirits into an exceeding ferment; his colour frequently changed, his
eyes looked red, and his heart fluttered, that it might be even
perceived in his countenance; nor could he immediately answer me when I
had done, and, as it were, expected what he would say to it; and after
he had paused a little, he embraced me, and said, "How unhappy are we!
unguided creatures as we are, that even our gre