arrested, tried,
and condemned to the mines of Siberia for life.

My father's ancient and princely lineage, my husband's rank, the wealth
of both families, all were unavailing in procuring a commutation of my
sentence to some less severe punishment. Through bribery, however, the
co-operation of one of my jailors was secured, and I escaped in disguise
to the frontier.

It was my husband's desire that I proceed immediately to France, where
he would soon join me. But we were compelled to accept whatever means
chance offered for my escape, and a whaling vessel bound for the
Northern Seas was the only thing I could secure passage upon with
safety. The captain promised to transfer me to the first southward bound
vessel we should meet.

But none came. The slow, monotonous days found me gliding farther and
farther from home and love. In the seclusion of my little cabin, my fate
was more endurable than the horrors of Siberia could have been, but it
was inexpressibly lonesome. On shipboard I sustained the character of a
youth, exiled for a political offense, and of a delicate constitution.

It is not necessary to the interest of this narrative to enter into the
details of shipwreck and disaster, which befel us in the Northern Seas.
Our vessel was caught between ice floes, and we were compelled to
abandon her. The small boats were converted into sleds, but in such
shape as would make it easy to re-convert them into boats again, should
it ever become necessary. We took our march for the nearest Esquimaux
settlement, where we were kindly received and tendered the hospitality
of their miserable huts. The captain, who had been ill for some time,
grew rapidly worse, and in a few days expired. As soon as the approach
of death became apparent, he called the crew about him, and requested
them to make their way south as soon as possible, and to do all in their
power for my health and comfort. He had, he said, been guaranteed a sum
of money for my safe conduct to France, sufficient to place his family
in independent circumstances, and he desired that his crew should do all
in their power to secure it for them.

The next morning I awoke to find myself deserted, the crew having
decamped with nearly everything brought from the ship.

Being blessed with strong nerves, I stared my situation bravely in the
face, and resolved to make the best of it. I believed it could be only a
matter of time when some European or American whaling vessel sh