attack and to proceed against Kuchum with a view to overthrowing him. Then it was that Yermak appeared upon the scene and enacted the rôle which has caused his name to live in the history of Siberia. But the personality of Yermak is shrouded in myths, and it is not improbable that the exploits of several individuals may have been merged into one heroic national character. Besides the Yermak personality in the conquest of Sibir, a certain Anika Stroganof is also intimately associated with him. Stroganof was alt merchant in the province of Archangel in the north of Russia. He had for some years carried on a trade with some of the Ugrian Finns who came across the Urals to exchange valuable furs for salt. During the khanship of Ediger he had even sent over some servants of his to do barter trade with the Siberian Tartars at Sibir, and to exchange valuable furs for trifling articles of commerce. By this means Stroganof amassed considerable wealth, and the Tsar, Ivan the Terrible, anxious to encourage the relations of Moscow with Sibir, in order to compass the latter's downfall, offered to Stroganof large tracts of land in Eastern Russia on the Kama River, from whence he might open up closer relations with the khanate. While Stroganof was busy at these projects, Yermak appears. According to some stories, Yermak was a brigand, who was continually plundering the trade routes of South-East Russia which Ivan had been trying to open with Bokhara and Persia. One story relates how, on being caught on the Volga and being sent to Moscow for punishment, he begged Ivan to pardon him, if he went forth and reduced the Siberian khanate. Another story is that Ivan's soldiers
