language of the Gaidamaks, meant "to the other world." They conducted all the prisoners to the station, and continued to persecute them on the way, especially that same Pole. At the station they were all put in a separate car. In the evening they began to call out the Christians in turn. They, it appears, were called into a neighboring car, where three tipsy Cossacks questioned them about something or other and then took them into a third car. Some time passed, and they led five Jews out of the car, among them Tzatzkis' brother. When they did not return in the course of an hour and nothing was heard about them, the remaining Jews understood that they had been taken out to be shot. As indicated, they put the Christians, after questioning them, in another car, sending only one of them back into the car where the Jews remained. About 10 o'clock they took all of them, that is, ten Jews and one Russian, out of the car on to the bed of the railroad. They took the Jews aside, and, first of all, searched them and took away their money. Then they arranged them in two rows and led them to a river slope about 10 versts from the place where the cars were. It was clear that they were being led to be shot. On the way the Gaidamak marching beside Tzatzkis felt of his sheepskin coat. "Are you looking to see how fine a coat you are going to inherit from me?" Tzatzkis asked. "Shut up, you damned Jew, or I'll smash you with the butt of my gun I" the Gaidamak replied, threatening him with the butt of his gun. His father marching in front overheard these words and asked him in Hebrew not to quarrel, lest they torture before killing them. At last the river-slope was reached. The prisoners had to take off their clothes and shoes and remain in nothing but their underclothes. Tzatzkis asked permission to say farewell to his father. It was granted. He went up to his father, took him by the hand, and together with him began to pronounce the words of the prayer before death, mentioning in it the names of his children. Then all were placed in one line with faces to the river, and behind them the word was given and three volleys were fired. All fell, including himself. The groans and cries of the wounded resounded. The Gaidamaks ran up and began to finish off those who were groaning. They had to busy themselves a particularly long time with the Russian, who struggled with death stubbornly. Finally all was silent. The Cossacks departed. Tzatzkis began to feel of himself and was amazed to find that he was not only alive, but not even wounded. Making sure that no one was near, he hurried and ran as fast as he could towards the nearest
PROSKUROV:
village. In one place, crossing a stream, he fell through the ice and got up to his knees in water. But he did not feel either fatigue or cold. At last he arrived at the village and came to the house of a peasant whom he knew, aroused him, and told him what had happened. The peasant wept when he heard his story, but advised him not to stay in his house, because it was near the city. He gave him shoes and clothes, and Tzatzkis went on to the next village, from which he succeeded in getting to the town of Medzhibozh.
There were other cases of marvelous escapes.