C O ISr Q^U E 5 T O F S I B E R r A. ig^ 



Having thus made all previous arrangements, he 

 thought himfelf in a condition to force his way* into 

 Siberia. Accordingly, in the month of June, 1579, he 

 fet out upon this fecond expedition. His followers His fecond 

 amounted to five thouland men ; adventarers mured to 

 hardfliips, and regardlels of danger : they placed im- 

 plicit confidence in their leader, and feemed to be all 

 animated- with one and the fame fpirit. He continued 

 his route partly by land, and partly by water : the 

 navigation however of the rivers was fo tedious, and 

 the roads fo rugged and difficult, that eigliteen months 

 elapfed before he reached Tchingi, a fniall town upon Arrives upon 



, . *■ tlie Banks of 



the banks of the Tura -U thcXura. 



Here he muftered his troops, and found his army con- 

 fiderably reduced : part had been exhaufted by fatigue, 

 part carried off by licknefs, and part cut off in fkir- 

 miihes with the Tartars. The whole remaining num- 

 ber amounted to about iifteen hundred effedive men ; 

 and yet with this handful of troops Yermac did not 

 helitate a moment in advancing againft Kutchum Chan. 

 That prince was already in a poiture of defence ; and 

 refolved to guard his crown to the laft extremity. Hav- 

 ing colle6lcd his forces, he difpatched feveral flying 

 parties againft Yermac, himfelf remaining behind with 



* S. R. G. VI. p. 243—248—262, 



B b the 



