CON Q^U E S T O F S I B E R I A. iSy 



of calling in foreign affiftancc, or of relinquiihing his 

 dominion. Under thefe circunrxftances he had recourfe 

 to the Tzar of Mufcovy ; and made a tender of his new 

 acquifitions to that monarch, upon condition of receiving 

 immediate and elfedlual fupport. The judicious manner 

 in which he conducted this meafure, fliews him no lefs 

 ahle in the arts of negotiation than of war. 



One of his moft confidential followers was difpatched 

 to Mofcow at the head of fifty CofTacs. He had 

 orders to repi'efent to the court the progrcfs which 

 the Ruflian troops, under the command of Yermac, had 

 made in Siberia' : he was artfully to add, that an extenfive Cedes i.is 



Conquefl; to 



empire was conquered in the name of the Tzar; that Jj^^^^^^ °' 

 the natives were reduced to fwear allegiance to that 

 monarch, and confented to pay an annual tribute. 

 This reprefentatlon was accompanied with a prefent of 

 the choicefl and moft valuable furs ^'. The embafTador 

 was received at Mofcow with the ftrongeft marks of fatis- 

 fadtion : a public thankfgiving was celebrated in the ca- 

 thedral ; the Tzar acknowledged and extolled the good i^sa, 

 fervices of Yermac ; he granted him a pardon for all 

 former offences ; and, as a teflimony of his favour, dif- 

 tributed prefents for him and his followers. Amongft 

 thofe which were fent to Yermac was a fur robe, which 

 the Tzar himfelf had worn, and which was the greateft 



* S. R. G. VI. p. 304. 

 q mark 



