DON COSSACKS. 
3/6 
CHAP. 
XIII. 
l 
began its march towards the East in the six- 
teenth century. A troop of between six and 
seven thousand, under the conduct of their 
Ataman, Jermak, penetrated into Permia, and 
made the discovery of the country to which 
we commonly apply the appellation of Siberia. 
Their adventures, and those of their Chief, 
might lay the foundation of a very interesting 
romance ; but we may despair of seeing it con- 
stitute a portion of history. They had gained 
the heights of the Ural Alps, when the appear- 
ance of vast deserts, tenanted by an unknown 
and savage people, somewhat intimidated the 
enterprising rovers. Jermak , full of zeal, ha- 
rangues his little army. They descend the 
mountains ; defeat and drive before them a 
host of Tahtars; pursue their conquests even 
to the Tobol, the Irtysch, and the Ob ; and termi- 
nate their surprising march by the subjugation 
of all the tribes dwelling between the Ural and 
Altaic Chain. Unable, from the losses they had 
sustained, and the obstacles they had yet to 
surmount, to maintain possession of such exten- 
sive territory, they were compelled to humble 
themselves before the Russians. In 1581, Jermak 
made the cession of his conquests, by formal 
capitulation, to the Tsar Joan, who, in consi- 
deration of the important services he had 
rendered to the empire, not only pardoned him, 
