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COXES TRAVELS IN RUSSIAs 799
religion, and afterwards fupported himfelf by begging alms in the town of Dubranka.
From thence he repaired to the colonies in Little Ruffia, and continued among the fec-
taries, who are there eftablifhed in great numbers ; but apprehenfive of difcovery, he
went to the principal fettlement of the Coflacs of the river Yaik *, and perfuaded feveral
to accompany him to Kuban. Being arrefted at Malekofka for treafonable converfation,
he was fent tor trial to Cafan; where the indolence of the goveror, and the delays in
bringing him to juttice, gave him an opportunity of efcaping with a prieft, who privately
furnifhed him with money for’intoxicating the centinels. He then went down the Vol-
ga, and up the river Irgtiis into the defert; and not long afterwards appeared under the
character of Peter, at the head of numerous infurgents. The peculiar circumftances
which ferved to favour his enterprize were derived from the religious prejudices of the
Ruffian diffenters, and the mutiny of the Coffacs of the Yaik.
The Ruffian diffenters, called by the eftablifhed church Rofelniki or feparatifts, dif.
tinguifh themfelves by the name of Starcver/hi,.or old believers. Thefe feCtaries have
been frequently perfecuted, particularly under Peter I. who compelled them to pay
double taxes, and wear a badge of diftinGtion. Perfecution, however, only tended to
increafe their numbers ; and they are {till numerous in Siberia, and among the Coffacs
in the government of Orenburgh, where the rebellion of Pugatchef firft broke out.
They confider the fervice of the eftablifhed church as profane and facrilegious ; they
have their own prieits and ceremonies ; and Pugatchef artfully availed himfelf of their
religious opinions, which he profeffed to efpoufe and proteé.
The mutiny of a large body of Coffacs operated no lefs in favour of Pugatchef. The
Coffacs of the Yaik, defcended from thofe of the Don, are a valiant race, enthufialts
for the antient ritual, and prizing their beards almoit equal to their lives; they are rich
from their confiderable fifheries of {turgeons ; they have alfo acquired a fpirit of inde.
pendence by being fituated in a defert between the Calmucs and the Kirghefe, who are
continually at variance with each other, and often with the Coflacs themfelves. During
the war with the Turks in 1771, fome recruits were required of thefe Coflacs for a corps
of huflars ; their beards were ordered to be fhaven; and as they oppofed this infringe-
ment of their liberties, Major-General Traubenberg, a Livonian officer, who was fent at
the head of a few foldiers to Yaitfk to quell the tumult, imprudently commanded the
recruits to be publicly fhaven in the midit of the town. The inhabitants, irritated by
this wanton infult, rofe in arms, wounded feveral officers, maflacred the general and the
chief of the Coflacs, and broke into open rebellion. In {pring, General Freyman forced
Yaitfk, captured feveral ringleaders of the mutiny, and garrifoned part of his troops in
the town. Many of the rebels made their efcape, and retiring into the defert, chiefly
reforted to the marfhy grounds about the lake Kamyfh-Samara, where they derived a
fubfiftence from fifhing, and fhooting wild boars, and were fupplied by their relations
with bread and provifions. By thefe means this defperate troop fupported themfelves
during the fpace of two years, until Pugatchef made his appearance among them.
On his efcape from prifon, Pugatchef went fecretly to Yaitfk about the middle of
Auguft, 1773; where he gained over a number of followers among the people, who
were enraged againft the garrifon, and had fhewn a {trong difpofition to revolt, when a
report was circulated that a new Emperor was coming amongft them ; a report proba-
bly occafioned by the firft appearance of Pugatchef in thefe parts. Obtaining, at Yaittk,
intelligence of the late mutiny, he followed the deferters; and having, in Oétober,
* In order to extinguifh all remembrance of this rebellion, the river Yaik is now called Ural, Yaitik,
Uralfk, and the Coflacs of the Yaik, the Uralian Coflacs.
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