In order to obtain employment in the factories and conceal their real purpose, they procured false passports, in which they were described as belonging to the lower classes; and even those who settled in the villages lived generally under assumed names.  Thus was formed a class of professional revolutionists, sometimes called the Illegals, who were liable to be arrested at any moment by the police.  As compensation for the privations and hardships which they had to endure, they had the consolation of believing that they were advancing the good cause.  The means they usually employed were formal conversations and pamphlets expressly written for the purpose.  The more enthusiastic and persevering of these missionaries would continue their efforts for months and years, remaining in communication with the headquarters in the capital or some provincial town in order to report progress, obtain a fresh supply of pamphlets, and get their forged passports renewed.  This extraordinary movement was called “going in among the people,” and it spread among the young generation like an epidemic.  In 1873 it was suddenly reinforced by a detachment of fresh recruits.  Over a hundred Russian students were recalled by the Government from Switzerland, in order to save them from the baneful influence of Bakunin, Lavroff, and other noted Socialists, and a large proportion of them joined the ranks of the propagandists.*

     * Instances of going in among the people had happened as
     early as 1864, but they did not become frequent till after
     1870.

With regard to the aims and methods of the propagandists, a good deal of information was obtained in the course of a judicial inquiry instituted in 1875.  A peasant, who was at the same time a factory worker, informed the police that certain persons were distributing revolutionary pamphlets among the factory-hands, and as a proof of what he said he produced some pamphlets which he had himself received.  This led to an investigation, which showed that a number of young men and women, evidently belonging to the educated classes, were disseminating revolutionary ideas by means of pamphlets and conversation.  Arrests followed, and it was soon discovered that these agitators belonged to a large secret association, which had its centre in Moscow and local branches in Ivanovo, Tula, and Kief.  In Ivanovo, for instance—­a manufacturing town about a hundred miles to the northeast of Moscow—­the police found a small apartment inhabited by three young men and four young women, all of whom, though belonging by birth to the educated classes, had the appearance of ordinary factory workers, prepared their own food, did with their own hands all the domestic work, and sought to avoid everything which could distinguish them from the labouring population.  In the apartment were found 240 copies of revolutionary pamphlets, a considerable sum of money, a large amount of correspondence in cypher, and several forged passports.