the flower of his troops : but all thefe detachments were:
driven back with confiderable Iofs ;• and worfted in many
fucceflive fkirmifhes. Yermac continued his march
without internaiiTion, bearing down all refiftance until-
he reached: the center of his adverfary’s dominions-.
Thefe fuccefFes however were dearly bought f- for hi?
army was now reduced to five hundred men. Kutchmrr
Chan was encamped* at no great diftance upon the
banks of the Irtilh, with a very fuperior force, and determined
to give him battle. Yermac, who was not to
be daunted by the inequality of numbers* prepared for
the engagement with a confidence which never forfook
him ; his troops were equally impatient for action, and
knew no medium between conqueft and death. The
event of the combat correfponded with this magnanimity.
Defeats After an obftinate and well fought battle, victory declared
Kutchum - •
chan. ij| favour of Yermac: the Tartars-were entirely routed, 1581. J 7
and the carnage was fo- general, that Kutchum Chan
himfelf efcaped with difficulty.
This defeat proved decifive : Kutchum Chan was de-
ferted by his fubjects ; and Yermac, who knew how to
improve as well as gain a victory, marched without
* The place where the Tartar army lay encamped was called Tfchu-
vatch : it is a neck o f land walhed by the Irtilh, near the fpot where
the Tobob falls into that river. Fif. Sib. Gef. I. p. 203.
delay
delay to Sibir, the refidence of the Tartar princes. He
was well aware, that the only method to fecure his con-
queft was to get pofleffion of that important fortrefs.
He expected therefore to have found in that place a
confiderable garrifon, determined to facrifice their lives
in its defence. But the news of the late defeat had
diffufed univerfal .confternation, and Sibir was entirely
deferted. A body of troops whom he fent before him,
to reduce the fortrefs, found it quite deferted : he himfelf
foon after made his triumphant entry, and feated seats i.imfcif
himfelf upon the throne without the leaft oppofition. ^h°r°“ '
Here he fixed his refidence, and received the allegiance
of the neighbouring people, who poured in from
all quarters upon the news of this unexpected revolution.
The Tartars were fo ftruc-k with his gallant intrepidity
and brilliant exploits, that they fubmitted to
his authority without hefitation, and acquiefced in the
payment of the ufual tribute.
Thus this enterprifing Cofiac was fuddenly exalted
from the flation of a chief of banditti to the rank of
a fovereign prince. It does not appear from liiftory
whether it were at firft his defign to conquer Siberia,
or folely to amafs a confiderable booty. The latter
indeed feems the more probable conje&ure. The rapid
tide of fuccefs with which he was carried on,
and the entire defeat of Kutchum Chan, afterwards
expanded his views, and opened a larger feene to his
. B b 2 ambition.