UISTOKICAL SKETCH. 3 



cetera. In the steps of the traders followed the inoiind men or excavators of barrows (kur- 

 gans) for the precious objects contained in them. Under the inflneuce of searches for riches 

 the Siberian pioneers became transformed Into vagabonds and nomad adventurers, S(» that 

 the Government had afterwards to make great efforts to bind them to the land. 



A short history of the conquest of Siberia may be marked by the following facts. 

 The first raids upon the Yugra, a Finnish tribe, one inhabiting the present government of 

 Tobolsk, were already made in the twelfth century by enterprising traders from Novgorod, 

 whom the Yugra attracted by their valuable peltry. These raids, be it observed, had no 

 character of conquest but always ended with the taking of ransom in the form of costly 

 furs. More definite relations of the Russians to the Siberian peoples began only with the 

 sixteenth century, namely, with the time when Russia, after destroying the Tartar kingdoms 

 of Kazan and Astrakhan, took possession of the whole extensive basin of the river Volga, 

 whose branches brought pioneers of Russian colonization into the deptlis of the Urals, with its 

 abundant mineral wealth. Passing over the easily traversed Ural chain, these pioneers were 

 bound to come into conflict with Tartar tribes, inhabiting or wandering over the region 

 across the Urals, and under the powerful hand and protection of Ivan the Terrible began 

 gradually to subject them, at first to their influence, and then to their sovereignty. 



In the year 1555 ambassadors came to the Tsar from Y^ediger and other Siberian 

 princelings, oppressed by their southern co-tribesmen, praying to be accepted as his subjects, 

 agreeing to the imposition of a tribute on condition that he should send them some of his 

 people. The Tsar assented, but such allegiance was very unstable as Y'ediger hoped that the 

 protection and help of the Tsar would restrain his enemies from attacking his possessions, 

 but these expectations were not realized. Xot receiving the desired protection and help, ami 

 as hard pressed as before by his hostile neighbours, he began to pay his tribute irregularly, 

 and on the accession to the Khanate, of Kuchum this tribute ceased altogether, and the 

 Russians who came for it were not infrequently killed. The firm allegiance of Trausuralia 

 only came about in consequence of the movement of the Russian population undertaken with 

 industrial and commercial objects towards the north-east. 



A great importance in the history of this movement attaches to the family of the 

 Stroganovs. The Russian princes possessing vast tracts of unsettled lands, very willingly assigned 

 them temporarily to enterprising and rich people on the condition that they should settle them 

 and cultivate the land, the said pioneers being afforded every possible privilege, such as 

 freedom from taxes, trade unfettered by duties, and the right of administering justice to the 

 settlers. The Stroganovs with their great wealth appear as the chief settlers of the great north- 

 eastern tracts. In the reign of Ivan the IV, these rich manufacturers and traders penetrated 

 into the depths of the river region of the Kama, and in 155S petitioned the Tsar to grant 

 them land along the Kama to the Chussovaya on condition that they should build a town 

 there, develop industry, raise troops and defend the region from the attacks of wild hordes. 

 It was difficult for the Government to (h^fend the Kama region with its owft forces, on account 

 of its remoteness, and at the same time it was constantly being subjected to attacks and 

 forcible devastations on the part of tln' Cisural and Traiisural tribes. Therefore, the propo- 

 sition made by the Strogonovs seemed very advantageous: their prayer was granted, all 



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