Note 3 — Chapter XXXVII · THE CONVICT MINES OF KARA.

The number of “forçats” who, living free, ran away from Kara and escaped the control of the authorities for 15 years preceding my visit, is as follows: 1864, 327; 1865, 448; 1866, 369; 1867, 402; 1868, 354; 1869, 266; 1870, 483; 1871, 326; 1872, 368; 1873, 585; 1874, 321; 1875, 242; 1876, 175; 1877, 256; 1878, 194.

Thus it will be seen that in 1869 there ran away a smaller number than in any preceding year, namely, 266, whereas in the following year, 1870, there ran away 483. This great difference was accounted for by the fact that up to 1869 the prisoners were under the “administration of the mines,” and when they were passed over to the new administration of the Minister of the Interior, this at first gave much dissatisfaction. Again, in 1873, the number of escapes rose to the highest, namely, 585, during which year it appeared the quantity of provisions was lessened; whilst, on the other hand, in 1875, the number of escapes being so low, less than in any preceding year, namely, 175, was accounted for by there having been in that year a building committee, which gave wages to certain of the convicts for their work. Up to 1st July of the year of my visit, 155 had escaped.