190 CON Q_U E S T O F S I B E R I A. 



mark of diilinftion that could be conferred upon a fubjeot. 

 To thefe was added a fum of inoiiey, and .a piomife of 

 fpeedy and efFedlual ajdiftance. 



Meanwhile Yermac, notwithftanding the inferior num- 

 ber of his troops, did nor remain inactive within the 

 fortrefs of Sibir. He defeated all attempts of Kutchum 

 Chan to recover his crown ; and took his principal ge- 

 neral prifoner. He made occafional inroads into the ad- 

 jacent provinces, and extended his conquefts up to the 

 Iburce of the river Taftcla on one lide, and on the other 

 as far as the diftrid: which lies upon the river Obv above 

 its j unilion with the Irdlli. 



bforclmenfof ^^^ length tlic promifed fuccours arrived at Sibir. They 

 troops." confifted of five hundred Ruffians, under the command 

 of prince Bolkoiky, who was appointed wayvode or go- 

 vernor of Siberia. Strengthened by this reinforcement, 

 Yermac continued his excurlions on all fides with his 

 ufual acclivity ; and gained feveral bloody vicflories over 

 different princes, who were imprudent enough to afTert 

 their independence. 



' In one of thefe expeditions he laid fiege to Kvillara, 



a fmall fortrefs upon the banks of the Irtifli, which ftill 

 belonged to Kutchum Chan : but he found it fo bravely 

 defended by that monarch, that all his efforts to carry it 

 by ftorm proved ineffedual. Upon his return to Sibir 



he 



