b o o k midft o f the town. This w a n t o n infult irritated the itrhabi-
v.
<— , - tants to fo great a degree, that they rofe in arms, wounded
many o f the officers, maifacred the general and the chief
o f the Coffacs, and broke into open rebellion. This
event happened at the latter end o f 1771. In the following
fpring general Freyman forced Yaitfk, captured feveral ringleaders
o f the mutiny, and garrifoned part o f his troops in
the town. Many o f the rebels made their efcape, and, retiring
into the defert, chiefly reforted to the marffiy grounds
which lie about the lake Kamyfh-Samara, where they derived
a fubfiftance from filhing and (hooting wild boars, and
were fupplied occafionally by their relations with bread and
proviiions. By thefe means this defparate troop fupported
themfelves during the fpace o f two years, until Pugatchef
made his appearance amongft them.
That impoftor, upon his efcape from prifon, went fecretly
to Yaitk about the middle o f Auguft, 17 7 3 , where he
' gained over a number o f followers among the people who
were enraged againft the garrifon, and who in the fpring
had ffiown a ftrong difpofition to revolt when a report was
circulated that a new emperor was coming amongft: them ;
a report probably oceafioned by the firft appearance o f Pugatchef
in thefe parts. Having at Yaitfk obtained intelligence
o f the late mutiny, and o f the defertion o f the Coffacs,
he went in purfnit of them ; and having, in the month o f
October, found a large body of them employed in fifhing, he
informed them that he was the emperor Peter III.; that he
had made his efcape from prifon, where perfons were fub-
orned to affaffinate him y that the rumour o f his death was
only a fidtion invented by the court; and that he now threw
himfelf under their protection. It is not true that he bore
the fmalleft refemblance to- Peter III. j but he founded his
5 hopeshopes
of gaining belief on the diftance- from the capital, on
the ignorance o f the people, on their aCtual infurredtion, '—
and, above all, on their attachment to their religious prejudices
which he efpoufed and protected. Few argumenfs-
indeed were neceffary to win over thefe Coffacs, already in a-
ftate of open rebellion ; accordingly they all unanimouffy
faluted him emperor, and offered to facrifice their lives-in
his defence. With thefe, and other bodies o f Coffacs, whom
he found equally inclined to follow his ftandard, he made"
his firft expedition to the new Poliih colonies lately efta-
blifhed upon the river Irghis, where he gave no proof o f
his fubfequent barbarity, defpoiling the inhabitants o f no^
thing but arms and horfes. He then prefented himfelf before
Yaitfk, and having ineffectually fummoned thegovernor,
in the name o f Peter III. to furrender, he gave orders for an
immediate affault: being repnlfed,-however, by the.courage
and intrepidity of the garrifon, and finding little hopes o f
taking it by ftorm, he blockaded the place with a view o f
reducing it by famine; but his attempt was fruitrated by
the incredible perfeverance o f the garrifon, who refufed to
capitulate, although they were fo far ftreightened for want
o f proviiions, as not only to eat their horfes, but even to feed-
upon leather. This obftinate refiftance protracted the fiege
until Yaitik could be relieved by a body o f Ruffian troops,
Pugatchef, though baffled in this enterprize, was more
fuccefsful in his future operations : he led his followers
againft the Coffac colonies o f Ilets; affaulted and carried,
without oppofition, the two fortreffes of Bafyrnaya and Ofer-
naya; attacked Tatifcheva, where he met with fomewhat
greater refiftance; but as the fortifications were only o f wood,.
he let fire to them, and forced the place. A body o f troops
fent againft him from Orenburg, under colonel Bulof, partiythroughc