by opening up the new region. Permission having been obtained
from the government, in 1579 Yermak set forth with his followers for the
unknown country.

So great were the impediments which the pathless swamps and forest
offered, together with the severity of the climate and hostility of the
natives, that his force was reduced by death, sickness, and desertion to
the number of five hundred when he lined up his men before the large
army of the powerful Kutchum Khan. Like Cortez and Pizarro, Yermak had
unbounded confidence in his ability to cope with his enemies, who were
rudely armed with bows and arrows, regardless of their numbers; for his
own men were supplied with matchlocks, and with these--in the language
of the natives--they could manufacture thunder and lightning.

A terrible battle ensued, and for some time success seemed evenly
balanced. At length the fierce attacks of the Cossacks forced the
barbarous hordes to give way and the retreat became a stampede. Kutchum
Khan's camp and all its treasures fell into the hands of the conquerors.
Yermak at once sent part of his force to occupy the Tartar capital,
which was found to be evacuated, so great was the terror inspired by the
Russians.

The success achieved by the handful of Cossacks led several neighboring
tribes to offer voluntarily an annual tribute of sable skins. When
Yermak had collected several thousand of these skins, he sent a special
envoy to Moscow to present them along with the conquered country to the
czar. So greatly pleased was Ivan with the offerings that he forgave
Yermak for his past ill deeds and made him governor and
commander-in-chief of all the countries which he might conquer. Then,
knowing that it would be difficult for the Cossacks to hold the
conquered territory very long with their diminished numbers, the czar
forthwith sent reinforcements.

Soon after the arrival of the additional troops, Yermak audaciously
started out to make further conquests. One dark and rainy night he
encamped with his force on a small island in the Irtish River. Relying
on the terror which his name had inspired, and the stormy weather, he
deemed it unnecessary to post sentinels. Wearied with their long march,
soon all of the Russians were buried in slumber.

But Kutchum, smarting under his humiliating defeat, had spies constantly
watching his foes, intending, if possible, to take them by surprise.
When the spies reported to him the lack of vigilance on the par