Nevertheless,
they yielded the victory to the Russians toward the end of the day,
awaiting a new battle, and without losing either courage or hope. The
blind Kutchum left the fortifications in order to camp upon the
Tchuvache mountain. Mahmetkul was intrusted with the guard of the
intrenchments, and the Cossacks, who the same evening captured the
little town of Atik-Murza, dared not take repose for fear of an attack.
Already the troops of Iermak were visibly diminished. Some Cossacks had
been killed and many wounded, and amid constant fatigues a great number
of them had no strength nor valor left. The leaders profited by this
night of unrest to hold a council on the course to take, and in this
consultation the voice of the weaklings was heard.
"We have satiated our vengeance," they said. "It is time to turn back.
New combats will be dangerous for us, since very soon we shall be unable
to conquer any more for lack of fighters."
"Brothers," answered the leaders, "there is left only one road for us,
and that is the one in the front of us. The rivers are already covered
with ice. In turning our backs, we shall perish amid the snows. And if
we were fortunate enough to get home to Russia, we should arrive there
with the tarnish of perjury, for we have pledged ourselves to conquer
Kutchum or to blot out our faults by a generous death.
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