"His Cossacks," says the annalist of Tobolsk, "led a
chaste life, on the march as well as during their stay in the capital of
Siberia. Their battles were followed by prayer." But they were not yet
at the end of their dangers.
Some time passed without news of Kutchum, and the Cossack leaders, with
no inquietude, gave themselves up to the pleasures of the chase in the
neighborhood of the town. But Kutchum had drawn near, in spite of his
wound, Mahmetkul had already remounted his horse, and on December 5th he
unexpectedly fell on twenty Russians fishing in the Lake of Abalak, and
massacred them all. As soon as Iermak heard of this surprise, he rushed
in pursuit of the enemy, overtook them near Abalak, at the place where
the borough town of Chamehin now stands, attacked and dispersed them.
Then, having removed the bodies of his companions-in-arms, he buried
them, with military honors, on the cope of Sauskan, near Isker, in the
old cemetery of the Khans. The intensity of the cold, the dangerous
snowstorms, the short winter days of these northern countries, did not
permit him to think of new enterprises of any importance before the
return of spring. While waiting, the peaceful submission of two princes
of the Vogulitches, Ichberdei and Suklem, served soon to expand the
possessions of the Cossacks.
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