wn as the Good Companions of the Don. He had been (p. 260)
condemned to death, if the government could lay hands on him, which,
on account of the sparsity of the population, was exceedingly
doubtful. Strogonof discussed with him a raid into Sibir, and the
Cossack consented, provided his pardon could be secured. Strogonof
went to Moscow and submitted his scheme to Ivan who gave his approval.
Upon his return to the Urals, Strogonof found that he had 850 men,
Russians, Cossacks, Tartars, and German and Polish prisoners of war,
all hardy adventurers. They marched east terrifying the natives with
their firelocks, and levying tribute, that is, taking whatever was
worth the trouble. They defeated the khan, and took his capital,
Sibir, on the Irtish. Yermak then visited Moscow, where he was the
hero of the day. Had he not struck at the very heart of the mysterious
continent whence so much trouble and disgrace had come upon Russia?
And had he not exacted tribute from the very people who not very long
ago held Russia under tribute.

Yermak was therefore praised and entertained and graciously told to go
ahead, Ivan had neither men nor money to spare, but he was quite
willing that these adventurers should despoil the Asiatics, instead of
holding up Russian travelers and traders. Ivan gave him a suit of
armor as a token of good will. After Yermak's return to Siberia, he
was surprised by the natives and drowned by the weight of his armor as
he was trying to escape by swimming the Irtish. (1584.) Other Cossacks
had heard of his success and followed his example. In 1587, Tobolsk
was founded on the Irtish, ten miles below Sibir.

There was little or no communication between Siberia and Moscow, (p. 261)
owing to the distance separating them, and the successors of Ivan had
ample trouble on their hands. It was, therefore, left to the Cossacks
to make such explorations and conquests as they could. In 1619, Tomsk
was founded. Farther and farther did the Cossacks advance among the
isolated tribes. In 1632, a log fort was built where Yakoutsk now
stands, and six years later they gazed upon the broad waters of the
Pacific and planted the czar's flag on the shore of the Sea of
Okhotsk.

It was a congenial occupation for the Cossack, to roam where he
pleased and to take what suited his fancy, and he did not lack either
the skill or the courage needed by the explorer. In 1639, a party of
Cossacks under Max Perfirief, discovered the Upper Am