CHAP. XXI.

DISCOVERIES OF THE RUSSIANS.

FIRST INTERCOURSE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND SIBERIA. -THE PROMYSHLENI. TRADE CARRIED ON BY STROGONOFF.ADVENTURES OF YERMAC. HE DEFEATS KUTCHAM KHAN. BECOMES MASTER OF SIBERIA. - OFFERS HIS DOMINIONS TO THE CZAR. HIS PROPOSALS WELL RECEIVED. YERMAC DEFEATED AND SLAIN. SIBERIA LOST. RECOVERED BY THE RUSSIANS. THEY APPROACH THE AMUR. EXPEDITION OF POJARKOF. FIRST COLLISION WITH THE CHINESE. - HOSTILITIES BETWEEN THE TWO EMPIRES. -TREATY OF NERCHINTSK. -RUSSIAN EMBASSY TO PEKIN. MISCONDUCT OF

THE RUSSIANS. -THEY ARE EXPELLED FROM CHINA. TREATY OF KIACHTA.-INTELLIGENCE OBTAINED BY MICHAEL STADUCHIN. THE TSHUKTZKI DISCOVERED. REMARKABLE VOYAGE OF SIMOEN DESHNIEW. HE PASSES FROM THE ICY SEA TO BEHRING'S STRAITS. SUFFERS SHIPWRECK. — ESTABLISHES A TRADE ON THE COAST. FATE OF HIS COMPANIONS. CONQUEST OF KAMTSCHATKA.- TARAS STADUCHIN. -EXPEDITION OF POPOW AGAINST THE TSHUKTZKI. HE RECEIVES INTELLIGENCE RESPECTING AMERICA.

RUSSIA in the beginning of the sixteenth century was little better than an inland kingdom; the small extent of sea-coast which it had upon the north offering at that time no means of intercourse with foreign nations. The arrival of Richard Chancelor at Archangel was looked upon in Russia as a wonderful event; and the commercial privileges accorded by the czar to the English seaman were intended as a reward for his having discovered a communication between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The solution of the question respecting a north-east passage would have been of the greatest importance to Russia, if that empire had been in a condition to carry on foreign commerce; but the Russian empire, at present so powerful, was too feeble two centuries ago to support or feel an interest in ma

ritime expeditions. Even in the beginning of the seventeenth century, nothing was known of the northern coast of Siberia beyond the river Yenisei. The country

was unquestionably often traversed by private hunters and adventurers; but their local information was never drawn together or concentrated in such a way as to serve materially the interests of geography.

In a country where population is thin and society ill organised, conquest is sure to follow discovery. The Russians seem to have had the same advantage over the wild tribes or nations dwelling to the east of them, which the Spaniards possessed over the natives of America. In 1558, the czar of Muscovy assumed the title of lord of Siberia; but this name did not then embrace so wide an extent of dominion as at present. The first Russian conquerors were private hunters and merchants, who usually reduced to subjection the feeble tribes with whom they traded for furs. As justice can hardly exist where there is no equality, the Russian adventurers never dreamed of right in their dealings with the Siberian savages; their principles of action were uniformly as selfish as they were cruel. The Promyshleni, as these adventurers were called, are styled in a national proverb the harbingers of the Cossacks.

About the middle of the sixteenth century, a merchant of Archangel, named Anika Strogonoff, carried on a trade of barter with the inhabitants of the remote parts of Siberia, who brought every year to the above-mentioned town large quantities of the choicest furs: on their return they were accompanied by Russian agents, who traded with the natives. This traffic was carried on for several years, during which Strogonoff amassed a considerable fortune. The czar, perceiving the advantage that might accrue to the empire from extending this commerce, determined on enlarging the communication already opened with Siberia. He accordingly sent troops into that country, by the routes which had hitherto been followed by the Russian merchants. These troops do not seem to have penetrated farther than the western branch of the

river Oby; and the chief result of the expedition was the extorting from some Tatar tribes an annual tribute of sables. Strogonoff in the mean time obtained from the czar large grants of land, on which he founded colonies; and one of these, not long afterwards, afforded refuge to the celebrated adventurer to whom Russia owes the subjection of Siberia.

The czar Ivan Basilievitz extended his dominions to the Caspian Sea, and established a commercial intercourse with Persia and Bucharia. His merchants, however, were frequently pillaged by the predatory tribes inhabiting the banks of the Don and the Volga. Troops were accordingly sent against these robbers, who were attacked and routed; part of them were slain, the rest escaped by flight. Among the latter were a corps of 6000 Cossacks under the command of Yermac Timovief. This daring adventurer, driven from his usual haunts, retired with his followers to Oral, one of the Russian settlements recently planted by Strogonoff; and being hospitably entertained by the merchants, he behaved himself with a moderation which could hardly have been expected from his previous habits.

The restlessness of his genius, however, and the necessity of employing his retainers, made him cast his eyes about for a proper object of attack; and he at length resolved to fall upon Kutcham Khan, a powerful Tatar prince, whose principal residence was at Sibir, a small fortress on the river Irtish, not far from the present town of Tobolsk. His first attempt was unsuccessful; but in 1579 he set out upon a second expedition: his followers amounted to 5000 men, adventurers inured to hardships and regardless of danger. They had been supplied by the Russians with ammunition and firearms; but before Yermac reached his enemies, a tedious march of eighteen months had reduced his army to 1500 active men. With this handful he did not hesitate to attack Kutcham Khan, whom he routed in successive engagements; and the Tatars were so struck with the gallant intrepidity and brilliant exploits of the Cossack,

that they submitted to his authority without hesitation, and acquiesced in the payment of the usual tribute. Thus he was suddenly exalted from the station of a chief of banditti to the rank of a sovereign prince.

But Yermac soon became convinced of the precariousness of his situation; his followers were few, the Tatars were turbulent and rebellious, and it was absolutely necessary for him to relinquish his dominion or to call in foreign assistance. He chose the latter alternative, and offered his new acquisitions to the czar of Muscovy, upon condition of receiving immediate and effectual support. The application was accompanied with a present of the choicest and most valuable furs. His ambassador was received at Mcscow with the strongest marks of satisfaction. The czar extolled the services of Yermac, pardoned all his former offences, and as a testimony of his former favour sent to him a fur robe that he had worn himself, which was the greatest mark of distinction that could be bestowed upon a subject. To these were added a sum of money, and a promise of a speedy and effectual assistance. When the promised reinforcements arrived, Yermac followed up his plans of aggrandisement with increased activity, and gained many bloody victories over the neighbouring princes. But at length Kutcham Khan contrived to fall upon him in the dead of night, when his Russian auxiliaries, fatigued with a long march, negligently reposed without suspicion of danger. The Russians were cut to pieces almost without opposition; and Yermac, in his flight, perished in the river Irtish. On his death the Russians evacuated Siberia, but nevertheless he must be looked upon as the founder of their empire in that vast country. He discovered new and practicable routes through those uncultivated regions; he proved that the Tatars were an easy prey, and that a band of well-armed troops could easily master their scattered and unorganised population. Three hundred Russians were soon after sent into Siberia, who erected the fortresses of Tobolsk, Sungur, and Tara, and easily reco

vered the whole territory which had acknowledged the authority of Yermac. This success was only the forerunner of still greater acquisitions: the Russians pushed their conquests far and wide. Wherever they appeared, the Tatars were either reduced or exterminated, new towns were built, and colonies were planted on all sides. Before a century had well elapsed, that vast tract of country, now called Siberia, which stretches from the confines of Europe to the Eastern Ocean, and from the Frozen Sea to the frontiers of China, was annexed to the Russian dominions. A greater extent of territory would, perhaps, have been added towards the south, if the power of China had not interposed.

The great river Amur, which rises in the heart of Tatary, and, flowing eastward above thirty degrees in longitude, discharges itself in the sea in about 53° north latitude, was first heard of by the Russians about the year 1639. In that year a Russian or Cossack, named Kupilof, is said to have obtained a sight of the eastern sea-coast. Four years later, the Russians attempted to render tributary the Tatar nations inhabiting its banks. Wasilei Pojarkof, who commanded this expedition, departed from Jakutzk, a town lately built on the banks of the Lena, in July, 1643, with a force not exceeding 132 men. The Tatars, not suspecting hostile intentions, received the strangers with their accustomed hospitality; but on hearing their insolent demands, they ceased to supply them with provisions, and many of the Russians perished in consequence. Pojarkof nevertheless persevered in his undertaking, and followed the course of the Amur to the place where it enters the eastern sea; thence he went northward along the seacoast; and in the year 1646 returned to Jakutzk, by a route very different from that which he had pursued in going. In the report which he made of his expedition, he stated that the whole country near the Amur could certainly be reduced under the dominion of Russia, provided the government would employ 300 men for that purpose, and build three ostrogs, or forts. Hence it