198 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



querors of Siberia were fully as bold and persevering as the companions of 

 Cortez and Pizarro, they also equalled them in avarice and cruelty. Under their 

 iron yoke whole nations, such as the Schelagi, Aniujili, and Omoki, melted away ; 

 others, as the Woguls, Jukahires, Koriaks, and Italmenes, were reduced to a 

 scanty remnant. 



The history of the subjugation of the Italmenes, or natives of Kamchatka, 

 as described by Steller, may suffice to show how the Cossacks made and how 

 they abused their conquests. 



When Atlassoff, with only sixteen men, came to the river of Kamchatka, 

 the Italmene chieftain inquired, through a Koriak interpreter, what they want- 

 ed, and whence they came ; and received for answer that the powerful sove- 

 reign, to whom the whole land belonged, had sent them to levy the tribute which 

 they owed him as his subjects. The chieftain was naturally astonished at this 

 information, and offering the strangers a present of costly furs, he requested 

 them to leave the country, and not to repeat their visit. But the Cossacks 

 thought proper to remain, and built a small wooden fort, Verchnei Ostrog, 

 whence they fell on the neighboring villages, robbing or destroying all they 

 could lay hands upon. Exasperated by these acts, the Italmenes resolved to 

 attack the fort ; but as the wary Cossacks had kept up a friendly intercourse 

 with some of them, and had moreover ingratiated themselves with the women, 

 the plans of their enemies were always revealed to them in proper time, and 

 led to a still greater tyranny. At length the savages appeared before the os- 

 trog in such overwhelming numbers that the Cossacks began to lose courage ; 



VILLAGE ON THE AMOOR. 



