9^^ . E. Y s B R AN T s I D E Travels Book III 
About an hundred Years ago, this City and the whole 
Province of Siberia became fubjefl: to the Czar, by the 
following Accident. Jeremak Vimefeiewitz, a very fa-^ 
mous Robber in the Reign of Czar Ham Waftlewiiz^ 
having plundered thefe and all the adjacent Countries, 
had greatly injured the Subjeds of his Czarilh Majefty ; 
when he was purfued, he and his Companions fled up 
the River Kama^ and from thence into the River luza- 
waja^ which falls into the Kama, where lie the Lands of 
Siroginoff, famous for his vaft Eftate and Iron Works, 
which take up the greateft Part of the Shoar, and ftretch 
to the Length of feventy German Miles. It was this 
rich Man’s Grandfather that he applied himfelf to for 
Protedion, and begged his Intereft in obtaining his 
Czarijh Majefty’s Pardon, offering at the fame Time by 
Way of Attonement, to reduce the whole Province of 
Siberia to be fubjed to the Czar. Purfuant to which he 
alfo obtained from the abovementionediS'/r^j^^i^A', Affiftance 
of Barks, Arms, and neceffary Workmen ; and thus 
provided and accompanied with his Fellow Robbers in 
light Barks, he paffed up the River Serehrenjkoy, which 
runs by the North-eaft Part of the Werchaturian Hills, 
and falls into the luzawaja-, thence he conveyed his 
Equipage by Land to the River Vagin, on which he 
failed into t\\t' Vura, took the Fort of Vumeen SituuQ 
thereon, razed it to the Ground, and advanced up the 
River Vohol to Tobolska, where then refided a Tartarian 
Prince, aged about twelve Years, whofe Name was Al- 
tanai Kutzjumowitz, whole Defcendant is flill honoured 
with the Title of the Siberian Czarewitz. This City 
he likewife attacked and took with fmall Lofs, after 
which he carried the Prince Prifoner to Mofcow, 
and put the conquered City into a better Pofture of 
Defence. 
After this Succefs he proceeded dov/n the River Je- 
itfch but was fet upon in the Night by a Party of 
Vartars, not far from Vobohki, who cut off a great ma- 
ny of his Men, and he himfelf endeavouring to flep 
from one Bark into another, leaped fhort, and by Rea- 
fon of his heavy Armour, funk to the Bottom *, his Bo- 
dy was carried away by the Force of the Scream and 
never found. In the mean while Stroginojf \\i<^ obtained 
the Czar’s Pardon for Jeremak, and feveral hundred MuJ- 
covite Officers and Soldiers came and garrifoned the Pla- 
ces which he had taken ; and from this Jundture the 
Czar’s Sovereignty over Siberia is to be dated. 
The Tartars chat live round Toboljka, for feveral Miles, 
are all Mahometans, 1 being fomewhat curious to fee 
their religious Worffiip, the kFaiwode went with me, and 
by Virtue of his Authority, gave me an Opportunity 
whichf they will not allow another Perfon. Their Mecf- 
chets, called by other Authors Mofques, or Churches, 
had large Windows round them, all which were fee 
open : The Floor was covered with Tapiftry, befides 
which there was no other Ornament. All Perfons at 
their Entrance leave their Shoes or Slippers at the Door, 
and fet themfelves down in Rows, with their Legs under 
them : The Chief-prieft fat there in a white Callico Ha- 
bit, and a white Tnrkijh Turbant on his Head, Then I 
obferved one behind the People cry with a hoarfe loud 
Voice, and after he had faid fomething to them, they 
all fell on their Knees ; then the Prieft uttered fome 
Words, and afterwards cried out, Alla, Alla, Mahomet, 
which the whole Affembly roared out after him three 
Times fucceiTively, proftrating themfelves on theGround : 
This done, the Prieft looked into both his Hands, as 
though he defigned to read fomething there, and repeat- 
ed Alla, Alla, Mahomet : Then he looked flrft over his 
right Shoulder, then over his left, which all the People 
did after him, and fo their ffiort Devotion was ended. 
The Mufti or Chief Prieft is an Arabian, whom they 
iughly reverence \ and they very much efteem any Per- 
fon that can either read or write the Arabick Language. 
This Prieft invited us to his Houfe, which was near the 
Metfcbit, treated us with a Diffi of Tea. There 
are alfo in this Calmackian Country great Numbers of 
Tartars that are ufed for Slaves ; as alfo fome long 
impfifoned Calmackian Princes , all which are the Con- 
fequences of V?ars, which one Tribe of thefe barbarous 
Nations have carried on againft another, and this in 
a defert Country, more tiian wide enough for them 
all. 
_ 8. After I had provided myfelf with Barks, SoC 
diers for Convoy, and other Neceffaries, I fet forwards 
in the Name of God, on the zed of July from the 
City of Tobolski, falling down the River Irtis ; paffino- 
Tartarian and Ofackian Villages, and the Towns DetrZ 
onskoy, Jamin, iAc. all on the South- fide, where Pen- 
nonka, a fmall River, falls into the Irtis. On the 28th 
of the^fame Month we arrived fafe ^i.Satnarosky-Jam, 
where I took in freffi Rowers, and ordered the Mails 
to be ereCted in our largeft Veffels, in order to fail up 
the River Oby, if the Wind proved favourable ; for the 
Irtis difeharges icfelf into the Oby, not far from this 
Town of Samar oskoy-J am. 
The River Irtis appears to be a white light Water ? 
it rifes from tne Hills in the Kalmackian Country ; its 
Courfe is from the South to the North- Eaft j and it 
paffeth down through the two Lakes of Kabako and 
Saifan.^ Its whole South-Eaft Shore, from Beginning to 
End, is all high Hills, on vffiich grow fome Cedars^iff 
perfed here and there. The North-Weft Shoar is low 
Paftiire Ground, and on this Side are a prodigious 
Number of great Black Bears, Wolves, and Red^^and 
Grey Foxes, Not far from Samar oskoy-J am is a Rivu- 
let, called Kafunka, which runs into the Oby, and upon 
its Banks affords the beft Grey Squirrils in all Siberia, 
(except only the W^ood of Heetkoy W'ollock^ which are 
called from the River, Kafunka': 
Here I am to relate what the Inhabitants told me aa 
a Truth : That laft Year, in Harveft-time, early in the 
Morning, an extraordinary large Bear broke into one 
of the Cow-Houfes in this Town, feized a Cow, held 
her fall by the Shoulder with his two fore Feet, and 
carried her off, going on his hinder Feet only. Upon 
the Lowing of the Cow, the Owner and feveral of the 
Neighbours came out, faw it, and all run at the Bear 
with Fire-Arms and Clubs; notwichftanding which, he 
would not part with his Prey till they fired and killed 
the Cow. 
Moft of the Inhabitants here are Ruffian Jemskicks, 
who are in the Pay of his Czarijh Majefty, for which 
they fupply the Waywodes that are ordered this AVay, 
and all other Perfons who travel on the Czar’s Affiiirs 
in Siberia, with free Carriages and Men to work ; and 
are obliged to carry them by Water in Summer, and 
over the Ice in Winter, as far as Surgut, ficuate on the 
Oby, at a very reafonable Price. Thefe People keep 
great Numbers of Dogs, which they make ule of to 
travel with in Winter, for it is utterly impoffible to pafs 
this Country with Horfe-Sleads, by Reafon that Ibme- 
times the Snow on the Oby is above a large fathom deep^ 
fo that no Horfe could travel. 
Thefe Dogs are yoaked two to each Narta or Slead, 
which is for that Purpofe made very light and thin ; and 
carry from two to three hundred German Weight. 
The Slead nor the Dogs are not hurt by the Snow, but 
both run very fwifdy over, leaving a Trace only 
of the Depth of a Finger’s Breadth. Some of thefe 
Dogs know beforehand, whether there is like to be any 
Work for them, as we were vainly told ; and if they 
are likely to be employed,^ they herd together in Crouds^ 
and howl in a diftnal Manner, whence their Matters 
draw their Prefages. If when they are on the Way, 
they are inclined to hunt, the Matter takes his Gun on 
his Shoulder, and purs on his long Aiding Shoes, with 
which ‘ he goes over the Ice, takes his Dogs with him, 
and fteps a little Way into the Wood, turns up all Man- 
ner of wild Game, perhaps a fine black Fox ; and then 
they divide what is taken fairly, for the Skins of the 
Game- are the Matters, and the Fleffi belongs to 
his Dogs. Thus they make a very profitable 
Ufe of thefe draught Dogs ; which are middle fized, 
fharp Nofed, with long eredled Ears, and carry their 
Tails crooked ; fome of which are very like Wolves 
or Foxes, infomuch that as they lie afleep in the Woods, 
they are fomecimes by Miftake fhot lor one of thofe 
two Species : To countenance which, it is alfo affirmed, 
as a Thing certain, chat thefe Dogs mix their Strain, by 
a proa'yfGuous Copulation with that of Wolves and 
Foxes s 
