Who went to the barge haulers and how was their life

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Many people know about barge haulers only that they are depicted in the famous painting by Ilya Repin. Few people today remember these people who earned their bread by hard work. Today it is difficult to imagine that people can drag a huge loaded barge on themselves. And in the old days, the profession of a barge haule was very widespread. Read who in the burlak community was called a bump, how the song helped to carry weights, and why women became burlacs.

Who went to the barge haulers and what is the shoreline

From the 16th century until the advent of steam engines, barge haulers were dragged along the rivers against the current. The main "waterway" was the Volga. But there were many villages that were located along the banks of large rivers. As soon as the ice drift ended, artels of barge haulers came to them in search of work. Most often these were desperate people who lost their economy and gave up on life.

There were many traditions among the barge haulers. For example, initiation into the profession. Especially steep banks of the Volga were chosen, which were also called “fried mounds”. When the ship passed such a hillock, the artel set up a berth. The newcomers were supposed to line up at the foot of the coast, and the pilot, taking the strap in his hands, was behind them. And then the cry of experienced workers was heard: "Heat!" - the pilot began to lash the newcomers with a strap, and they quickly ran up. Whoever reached the top first avoided blows. After this exam, the newcomer became his own, he was accepted into the artel.

Barge haulers walked along the coastline. This was the name of the coastal strip trampled by the burlak's feet. No special conditions for work were provided, except that by order of Emperor Paul, it was forbidden to build houses and fences. As for stones, swampy places, bushes - they had to be overcome with difficulty.

What was the hierarchy among the barge haulers?

There was a strict hierarchy in the burlak artel. The foreman was called a bump. Usually it was the most experienced and strongest man. He walked first, setting the rhythm of the movement. It was necessary to go synchronously, and the barge haulers walked with their right foot, pulling up their left. From the outside it looked like wiggling. It happened that someone got lost, then the bump would command: "Hay and straw!", So that people could get in time again. Keeping the rhythm on the winding narrow paths over the cliff was not easy. The foreman had to be able to do this.

The bump assistants who walked to the sides of the brigadier were called cranks. These were his main accomplices. For example, an artel headman, who was engaged in the purchase of food and distribution of salaries. The amounts were sometimes ridiculous and could be as high as 30 kopecks a day. That was how much it cost to drive a cab from one end of Moscow to the other.

The barge haulers followed, who had to be controlled. For example, these were bonded, who lowered all salaries in the very first days, working for food. Therefore, they did not show much effort. The youngest barge haulers were usually appointed as a cook.

In any artel there were hackers who tried to make as little effort as possible. They were looked after by experienced barge haulers who walked behind. The inert one closed the movement. It was his responsibility to make sure that the rope did not catch on bushes and stones. The inert walked in his own rhythm, for this role they took those who were weak or sick.

How was the burlak labor organized

The work of the barge haulers was monotonous and extremely difficult. Only the wind helped, which sometimes could be fair and blew into the sails. Stepping heavily, people moved along the shore, and when it got really hard, they sang songs. The most famous - "Dubinushka" has reached us. Her rhythm helped to coordinate and "push".

From time to time the artel made stops to change shoes, mend clothes, and have a snack. After leaving on the shore one could find an extinguished fire, old shoes, and, alas, a grave cross.

The owner of the ship hired an artel and took the residence permit from the barge haulers. People passed into his property until the moment when the path was completed. The barge haulers were obliged to obey the owner, walk day and night without whims and unnecessary stops, and even fend off the robbers if they attacked the gang.

When it was unrealistic to walk along the shore, another method was used: a drum with a long rope was installed at the stern of the ship, at the end of which there were anchors. The harder barge haulers loaded into a boat with anchors, sailed away and threw the load into the water. The barge haulers, who were on the deck, manually pulled the ship to the anchors. After that, the process was repeated.

Non-female work: not only men, but also women worked as barge haulers

The city of Rybinsk was considered a conditional burlak labor exchange. In the spring, those who wanted to earn money by dragging barges and ships rushed into it. It is interesting that not only men came, but also women. Many of them had to do this by a court verdict, that is, we are talking about convicts. But most of the fair sex were free, for example, soldiers, widows and even orphans who could not get married - those who were in dire need of money.

Artels of burlachek gathered in the same way as for men, based on a thousand pounds of cargo (which is 16,360 kilograms). It took five women and three men. Unfortunately, women's labor was paid cheaper, since almost all the owners wanted men to drag their barge. The women tried to bring down the price so that they would be hired. Despite this, the haulers earned good money, and there was enough money until the next season. Most likely, the matter was that the men, having received the calculation, went on a spree. A lot of money was spent on alcohol and women, and the bargainer's income could be 500,000 rubles in terms of modern money. Women-haulers were more reasonable in this regard, and they spent their finances sparingly, trying to save more.

Barge Haulers on the Volga is one of the most successful paintings. And each of them has its own special history of creation.