[ ^n ] 



C H A p. II. 



Commencement of hojlilities between the Ruffians and 

 Chinefe — Difputes concerning the limits of the two-.- 

 empires — 'treaty of Nerjhinsk- — Embajfies from the- court ■ 

 of Ruffia to Pekin — 'treaty of Kiachta — EJlabUfJmient 

 of the commerce between, the two nations. 



'TPO WARDS the middle of the feventeenth century, - 

 the Ruffians were rapidly extending themfelves.- 

 Eaftward through that important territory, which lies. 

 on each fide of the. river *"Amoor. They foon reduced ?!'^=°'^="'''^°- 



•' iitics between- 



feveral independent Tungufian hordes ; and built a chain 'i'.d SmX . 

 of fmall fortrefles along the banks of the above-men- 

 tioned river, of which the principal were Albafin, and 

 Kamarflvoi Oftrog. Not long afterwards, the Chinefe 

 under t Camhi conceived a limilar delign of fubduing 



the 



* Amoor is the name given by the Ruffians to this river ; it is called 

 Sakalin-Ula by the Manfhurs, and was formerly denominated Karamu- 

 ran, or the Black River, by the Mongols. S. R. G. II. p. 293. 



■\ Camhi was the fecond emperor of the Manfhur race, who made 

 themfelves matters of China in 1 624. 



The ManlKurs were originally an obfcure tribe of the Tungufian Tar- 

 tars, whofe territories lay South of the Amoor, and bordered upon the- 

 kingdom of Corea, and the province of Leaotong. They began to emerge, 



froin 



