Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-03-24
SIBERIA.

VI Nhristlahlty, was to rul
.ne aes'lhies OF Northern Asia. wa
decided by homeless robber. Tn,
trade between Russia and Bokb.,
was SO frequently and extensivel,
piundered by the Cossacks that Tv.,
oaslloyltch, after his conquest of Ku
ran and Astrakhan, determined ;,
put down these brigand hordes an,
despatched numerous force ub;ot
defeated and dispersed the bandit,;
Among the fugitives was Yarm,l
limovlef, the leader of a we'll organ.
ized band. With 5000 followers he
iied towards the North and soueb,
refuge on the banks of the Kan,
where the family of Strogonoff had ,
factory for barter with the Sibsr;.ns
Strogonoff, who owed Kutcbpn
Khan, the Siberian Chief, a erudge
Tor several attacks on his infant set.
Elements, willingly assisted Yarmak
with arms and supplies in the winter
OF 1877, for an incursion on tho 81;
oerlan territory. Yarmak set ont in
the summer of 1873, but failed
through ignorance of the country and
returned to his old quarters in the en-.
SUNG spring. In June, 1879, Var.
max started anew with an army re.
ouced 70 o,oO0 men, but we'll vict.
ualed, and under Russian coIors
blessed by the church and decorated
with images of Saints. 1t took him
until the close of 1880 to reach Tchin-
gi' oy which time by hard fighting in
repeated skirmishes with the Tartars.
fatigue and sickness, his 5000 had
dwindled down to 1000. Nevertbe-
less they boldly advanced against
kutchun Khan and after series of
victories came down upon an encamp.
ment OF their great enemy, near the
center of his dominions, at the Juno
ton of the lrtisk and SoIo. Undls-
mayed either by the loss of their CON-
rades or by the array of the thou
sands that waited to receive them.
the Cossacks began and ended this
one contest more between Europe
and Asia, with spirit worthy of a
Themlstocles. After a desperate
struggle the Tartars were routed with
fearful carnage, while Kutchum Khan
himself with difficulty escaped. From
the field of battle Yarmak dispatched
part of his still more seriously demol-
lshed forces to storm the fortress of
Slhor, the residence of the vanquish-
ed potentate, but Kutchum Khan had
fled and Iarmak was crowned sover-
eign of the Solol and the Irtisk. The
Tartars focked from all quarters to
offer their adhesion and pay required
tribute to the intrepid conqusror.
Iarmak now sent off a faithful Cos
sack to Moscow with presents of most
valuable furs. The presents were
most graciousl y received and his am
bassador returned with money, arms,
and an assurance of assistance, to-
gether with the present for Yarmak
of an old fur coat that the Emperor
himself had worn.
Meanwhile Yarmak not only main
tanned his conquestS, but even ex-
tended them; he not ouly baffled all
kutchum Khan's attempts to recov-
er his crown, but even penetrated in
to the valley of the Oboe. Some 500
Russians arrived to assist him and he
made excursions on all sides. In re-
turning from one of these expeditions
he had encamped in the evening on
a small island, formed by the branch
es of the Irtisk. The night was dark
and rainy, and the troops who were
fatigued with long march relied too
much for safety on the state of the
weather and the strength of their po-
sition. Apprised by his scouts OF the
circumstances, Kutchum Khan silent
ly forded the river with a chosen
band, coming SO unexpectedly on his
sleeping victims as to practice the
use of their arms. The Russians, to
the number of three hundred, were
cut to pieces almost without resls-
tance, and only one man escaped to
carry the news of the catastrophe to
the garrison of Slbri. Even in this
hour of confusion and massacre Var
mak's intrepidity never forsook him.
After many acts of heroism he cut his
way through the enemy to the waters
edge, and he would most probably
have escaped If he had not, while at
tempting to get into boat, fallen
into the river and sunk instantly to
the bottom, the weight of his armor
him from swimming. Thus