Note 6 — Chapter XLIX · THE ISLAND OF SAKHALIN.

Goryantchikoff, in “Buried Alive,” says a good deal about flogging, but some of his writing refers to the condition of things 50 years ago, and some of it is, to say the least, questionable; as, for instance, he had heard a story of an executioner giving 50 strokes or so more than was decreed, because the culprit was stubborn and did not ask pity. When I witnessed a birching at Nikolaefsk, a Cossack stood by, counting aloud every stroke; and when the plète is administered, a medical officer and others are obliged to be present. It is very unlikely, therefore, that a lictor would dare to give 50 extra strokes, even if he wished to do so. But, further, Goryantchikoff says, “400 or 500 strokes of a birch rod are almost sure to kill a man, and 1,000 strokes will kill the strongest man; but the same number of strokes with a cane will hardly injure a man of moderate constitution.” And yet I have quoted the case of a soldier at Nikolaefsk birched with 1,100 strokes, who, a fortnight afterwards, saucily declared that he would receive them again for a bottle of brandy!