raised against Russia, against the country which the exiles have
not lost all hope of again seeing--and which they will see again. No, a
Russian would never unite with a Tartar, to weaken, were it only for an
hour, the Muscovite power!"

The Czar was right in trusting to the patriotism of those whom his
policy kept, for a time, at a distance. Clemency, which was the
foundation of his justice, when he could himself direct its effects,
the modifications he had adopted with regard to applications for the
formerly terrible ukases, warranted the belief that he was not mistaken.
But even without this powerful element of success in regard to the
Tartar rebellion, circumstances were not the less very serious; for it
was to be feared that a large part of the Kirghiz population would join
the rebels.

The Kirghiz are divided into three hordes, the greater, the lesser,
and the middle, and number nearly four hundred thousand "tents," or two
million souls. Of the different tribes some are independent and others
recognize either the sovereignty of Russia or that of the Khans of
Khiva, Khokhand, and Bokhara, the most formidable chiefs of Turkestan.
The middle horde, the richest, is also the largest, and its encampments
occupy all the space between the rivers Sara Sou, Irtish, and the Upper
Ishim, Lake Saisang and Lake Aksakal. The greater horde, occupying the
countries situated to the east of the middle one, extends as far as the
governments of Omsk and Tobolsk. Therefore, if the Kirghiz population
should rise, it would be the rebellion of Asiatic Russia, and the first
thing would be the separation of Siberia, to the east of the Yenisei.

It is true that these Kirghiz, mere novices in the art of war, are
rather nocturnal thieves and plunderers of caravans than regular
soldiers. As M. Levchine says, "a firm front or a square of good
infantry could repel ten times the number of Kirghiz; and a single
cannon might destroy a frightful number."

That may be; but to do this it is necessary for the square of good
infantry to reach the rebellious country, and the cannon to leave the
arsenals of the Russian provinces, perhaps two or three thousand versts
distant. Now, except by the direct route from Ekaterenburg to Irkutsk,
the often marshy steppes are not easily practicable, and some weeks must
certainly pass before the Russian troops could reach the Tartar hordes.

Omsk is the center of that military organization of Western Siberia
whic