ne count puriued nis ravour plan for he liberation of the exiles. But a ephew of the chancellor having an inrigue with a woman, who was alfo in he habits of intimacy with one of Ben-owsky's people, the fecret was difclofed by her, and from the nephew commu icated to the uncle; who, highly larmed, inftantly conferred with the governor on the fubje&t. The count, However, moft admirably extricated imfelf from the charge, and procured in apology from the chancellor, who anifhed his nephew as author of the alumny. But the young man, coninced of the truth of what he had intinated, repeated his charges, in a letter co the chancellor, and adduced two men as capable of proving his affertions. This occafioned a fresh alarm on the part of the count, but having luckily ecured the good-will of the two witeffes, he was once more difiniffed as nnocent by the governor, to the great mortification of the chancellor. ooner had this impending ftorm fub. ided, than another began, in confequence of the affallination of Levantiew; the chancellor, and the hettman, took a journey to collect the particulars; and they were fortunate enough to fecure the perfon who gave our hero the letter at Kamenin, directed to the governor. This was a ftroke which defied all the cunning of the count; but, receiving news from Mif, Nilow, by means of agreed on fignals, of the state of affairs, he refused to attend the governor, at his request. On this the hettman undertook to prevail on him to comply; but our hero pleading illness as an excufe, the hettman threw off the mafk, and in-, fifted on his attending the governor; at the fame time ordering his Coffacks to fall on. The count, however, gave the fignal for his attendants, who dif

No

armed the Coffacks and made them and

topped at my door, they called out to me to open it by order of the emprefs. I jocularly anfwered that he lied, for that the empress being at Petersburgh, would not honour fuch a raícal as him with her orders; but told him, that if he thought proper to behave with civility, we might perhaps tranfact our affairs in an amicable manner. Upon this he faid, that the governor had informed him that it was agreed I should follow him, and confequently that he was ready to comply with my wishes in every respect.” I then propofed that he fhould enter alone to drink a giafs with me, and afterwards take charge of fome papers that were neceffary to be prefented to the gover nor. He confented, and I accordingly admitted him, shutting the door after him, at which inftant he beheld four piftols prefented to his breast, and was threatened with inftant death if he fhould dare to utter a single word. After conducting him into my chamber, I questioned him concerning every particular 1 was defirous of knowing, and when his depofition was finished, I ordered him to call the foldiers one by one, each by name, to come in and drink a glafs, which he was forced to comply with. In this manner I became mafter of the detachment, which I caufed to be bound, and depofited safely in the cellar.

"At nine in the evening I received notice that a detachment had been obferved on their way towards the ravine. I therefore took the detachment of Mr. Wynbladth with me, and called out to them not to attempt to pass. They anfwered by feveral musket shot; in return for which I ordered my party to fire on those who were foremoft, and after three had fallen, the detachment re mained motionlefs, and lay clofe with

trefs, no doubt with the intention of requesting affistance. For this reafon I fent out a perfon upon difcovery, but nothing was perceived till about eleven o'clock, when I received information that a body of troops were advancing towards our rear, and that from the noife there was reafon to believe they had cannon with them. I gave orders to Mr. Wynbladth to obferve the detachment at the ravine, and after caufing the divifion of the center to join me, I myself advanced towards the enemy's troops. Before we met, I faw Mr. Stephanow, who, though fcarcely able to walk, came armed, and had only time to tell me that he came to conquer or die with me. This refolution fecured him my efteem; for though the poor man could fcarcely fupport himfelf, he nevertheless did every thing in his power to encourage the associates.

When we came within the distance of fifty paces, the commanding officer of the detachment called out to us to furrender ourselves prifoners, otherwife he would not spare us. I replied that it was neceffary we fhould know the conditions, and he in return afked what conditions I wished to propofe. Our conference led us within fifteen paces of them, at which distance we began our fire, and our adverfaries were so difheartened at our first discharge, that they left their cannon and fled haftily towards the wood. The officer was highly to blame in this refpect, for if he had retired towards the fortrefs, we could never have forced it. His mifconduct inspired me with hope. No more than a fhort quarter of an hour was required to collect my people. I availed myself of their artillery to fire on the detachment placed behind the ravine; and my fire, though in the air, prevented any of them from venturing to rife; fo that I had perfect liberty to approach the fort. The centinel feeing us come with cannon, took us for the detachment, and, after challenging us, afked if we had brought the prifoners, to which I caufed one of my people to 'anfwer in the affirmative. The man then worked like a fury to lower the drawbridge; which done, we entered with fpirit, and finding only twelve men of the guard, they were quickly difpatched. While a party of my af

fociates mounted to clear the cafemates, I caufed the drawbridge to be raised, and placed a guard. Thefe precautions being taken, as I heard a firing in the court, and saw that my comrades were fastening the petard to force the inner gates, I ventured to pass through a window which I found open. Madame Nilow and her children, at fight of me, implored my protection to fave their father and husband. I immediately haftened to his apartment, and begged him to go to his children's room to preferve his life; but he answered that he would first take mine, and inftantly fired a piftol, which wounded me: I was defirous, nevertheless, of preserving him, and continued to reprefent that all refiftance would be ufelefs, for which reafon I intreated him to retire. His wife and children threw themselves on their knees, but nothing would avail : he flew upon me, feized me by the throat, and left me no other alternative than either to give up my own life, or run my fword through his body. At this inftant the petard exploded and burft the outer gate. The fecond was open, and I faw Mr. Panow enter at the head of a party. He entreated the governor to let me go, but not being able to prevail on him, he fet me at liberty by splitting his fkull.

"No words can defcribe the unhappy fcene this event produced: Madame Nilow fell at my feet, her daughters fainted, and the firmness of my mind was fcarcely equal to the shock. I was ready to fink to the ground, when Mr. Panow feeing me in this fituation, obliged me to quit the apartment, and affured me that he would take care of Madame Nilow and her family. He begged I would haften to a party of my affociates, who were ftill fighting with the foldiers. I went out into the court, where I faw a new fpectacle; it was covered with dead and wounded, fome of whom informed me that our companions were bufied in forcing a fubterraneous place, in which feveral foldiers had taken refuge. I made hafte to fave the lives of these unfortunate men, and having met with Mr. Wynbladth and Cruftiew, with four other affociates, quickened my fteps towards the baftion under which the cafemate was, when all at once we heard a mufket fhot, and the

cry

ery of enemies. These fhot were fol lowed by regular difcharges, which convinced us that they could not proceed from the fire of our people, who were difperfed in various places. We therefore returned to our centinel, who kept conftantly calling out, The enemy! When we came to him, and mounted the banquet of the palifade, we faw a large party of Coffacks making preparations for an attack. In confequence of this, I detached Mr. Wynbladth to collect all the affociates, leaving only a guard of four men to watch over the foldiers in the cafemate; and in the mean time I was forced to fuftain a brifk attack. It was a fortunate circumftance, however, that the ladders which the Coffacks had brought were too fort, and the obfcurity of the night did not permit our enemies to ob ferve the weakest places of the fort. Their continual fire affifted us to direct our murdering pieces at them, which flew fourteen men in ten minutes, while no one on our fide had received a wound. On the arrival of Mr. Wynbladth with twenty-two affociates, we mounted two three pounders on the platform: two rounds from these were fufficient to disperse our military oppo

ments.

"After their retreat, as we had reafon to fear a fecond attempt, we bufied ourselves in mounting and charging all the cannon of the place, and afterwards cleared the courtt-yard and cafemates of the dead. The affociates obeyed my orders with the greatest zeal and activity; so that at three in the morning every thing was in perfect order.

"The centinel of the baftion having heard a fecond noife on the city fide, I went up myself and faw feveral lighted torches in motion, which determined me to fend out fome perfons to make difcoveries.

"After their departure I fent to re. queft permiffion to fee Madame Nilow, which being granted, I waited upon her and found her on her bed. I threw myfelf at her feet to beg her pardon for having been the involuntary caufe of the death of her husband, and intreated her to confider my behaviour towards him, when I was defirous of preferving his life at the risk of my own. Her grief, extreme as it was, did not urge

her to make any reproaches: the only afked for her children, and begged that the guard Mr. Panow had fet over her felf and them might be withdrawn But when I informed her that the guard was defigned merely for her preferya,. tion, he confented that it might main. With refpect to her children I was ignorant where they had been fecured; but a fervant informed us that Mr.Panow had conducted them into the hall.

"When I went out to vifit the pofts, I received advice that the town was entirely abandoned by the men; that the hettman, delivered from his imprifonment by a party of men, had armed all the Coffacks, and had retired to the heights at half a league diftant from the fort, where he declared he would starve us out; and that his troops did not amount to lefs than feven or eight hundred men.

"I declared my refolution, none of the affociates having given any opinion, to fend a detachment of twenty-two or twenty four affociates into the town to drive all, the women and children into the church; that as foon as they fhould be there fecured, all the furniture of wood and other combuftible matters which could be found, fhould be piled round the church; and when every thing fhould be thus difpofed, which was very poffible to be done before daybreak, notice fhould be given to the women to prepare themfelves for death, at the fame time that they should be informed that the determination of their hufbands to oppofe us by force had left us no other expedient than to facrifice their families. And lastly, that after this declaration it should be proposed to the women to fend three of their num ber, with twelve young girls, to their parents, to require them to lay down their arms,

"The company agreed to this propofal, and Mr. Panow undertook to carry it into execution. But he obferved that it was neceffary in his opi nion to convey the body of the governor into the fame church, with the intention of more effectually intimidating the women, After his departure I gave the neceffary orders, and the body of this unfortunate chief, whofe life had been ever dear to me, was inftantly carried to the place of deftination.

(The

"The continual hurry of action had made me forget my wound; but I was defirous of taking advantage of this moment of tranquillity, and accordingly fent for Mr. Lapin, who declared that the confequences might be dangerous, because I had fuffered the blood to coagulate. In fact the froit had congealed a large quantity, and, in order to thaw it, I was obliged to ap proach the fire, which gave me the mott excruciating pain.”

At his return, Mr. Panow related "that he had fhut up more than a thousand women, girls and infants, who had all unanimously requested leave to fend fome one of their number to their husbands, whom they promised to bring back to our feet.

"The day beginning to appear, I thought proper to haften this expedition, and determined to fend one of my affociates with the woman, beating a drum as the fign of a parley, at the fame time that he thould carry a proper fummons to the following effect."

"We demand that, one hour after the reception of this meffage, you thall fet at liberty the four affociates you made prifoners at the time the hettman was fet at liberty; and that afterwards you mhall lay down your arms, and prefent yourfelves unarmed at the fort, in order that we may take hostages froin amongst you, which may be neceifary to prevent fuch incidents as may hereafter occafion new hoftilities.

"That, on your refufal to comply with thefe propofals, we will fet fire to the church in which your wives and children are confined. It fhall be their tomb; their cries will convince you of the accomplishment of our refolution.

"We fend the prefent to you at nine o'clock precisely; haften to affemble, and carry into execution fuch refolutions as you may judge most suitable to your prefent fituation. Our refolution fhall be carried into effect at ten precifely.

"After having caufed the prefent writing to be figned by the chiefs of our affociation, I fent Sibeaw towards the Coffacks, with four women and twelve children.

"After the departure of our mef fenger, the affociates bufied themselves in amalling the wood of chairs, tables,

&c. and different utenfils round the church. About eight o'clock, Madame Nilow afked to fpeak with me; but when he heard that I could not rife to pay my refpects to her, the came herfelf, with her youngest daughter. The fatigue I had endured throughout the night, and the effufion of blood which had altered my countenance, made her to forget her own grief. She ran towards me, and her first words, which expreffed her fears for my fituation, afforded no finall confolation to my mind. This worthy lady, after fhewing a proper fenfe of the loss of her hufband, told me, that, though propriety forbad her feeing me, the could not avoid declaring, at that moment, that he acknowledged my innocence in all that had paffed; and that she had with wonder beheld my forbearance, at the time when wounded by her husband, and in the most imminent danger of my life, I did not ufe my arms against him, For this caufe, the faid, I was juftified in her opinion; but that, as it would be impoffible for her to make the public adopt the fame fentiments, he had refolved to retire immediately after the funeral of her husband; for the per formance of which the requested my permillion and fupport. She continued her difcourfe by telling me, that, with regard to her daughter, as fhe faw her firmly attached to my perfon, and could not expofe her to the refentinent of her fifters and her family, he confented to put her into my hands, provided I would promife to establish her in the manner I had affured her, by marriage. In this fituation, urged by the neceffity of calmning the mind of an unhappy mother, whofe virtue and firmness of foul I have every reafon to admire, I promifed all the required. She then embraced her daughter, advised her always to preferve the fame attachment to me, and wifhed her every happiness and at last haftily rifing, the paffionately exclaimed, You are the cause of the lofs of her father, become her husband, and be a father to her!

She departed, and her daughter informed me that he had been tormented by the reproaches of her fifters, who openly accufed her of having been in the plot, though the would have gladly confented to the lofs of her own

life to have preferved that of her father. At these words the burst into tears, but continued her difcourfe by obferving, that, in the prefent fituation, no other refource offered itself to her but to follow me: but, in order that the public might not reproach her mother for having confented to her departure with me, the requested that I would caufe her to be carried off. I promifed to proceed accordingly; after which the likewife retired, withing me fuccefs in the conduct of my enterprize.

"Ata quarter after nine, having received no answer from the Coffacks, I ordered four fires to be lighted, at the distance of three fathoms from each angle of the church. At half an hour after nine, I received intelligence that a number of handkerchiefs were feen faftened to piquets on the mountain, with which fignals were made. At three quarters after nine, about fifty men were feen running with all their force towards the fortief's, but without arms, which led me to think that the Coffacks had determined to furrender. At eleven minutes after ten, two Coffacks appeared before me, almoft breathlefs, who told me that they had been difpatched to inform me that my first propofition was accepted, and that, in the course of half an hour, the whole troop would prefent themselves un armed; for which reafon they begged me to proceed no further until they could arrive.

"A moment afterwards Sibeaw likewife arrived, and declared that on the first reading of his letter, they had determined to march ftrait to the church to deliver their families, but on being informed by the women that the combuftible matters were piled together, and the fire at hand, fo that their refolution would only haften the destruction of fo many innocent creatures, they entered into a debate, which could end only in the imprisonment of the hettman, whom they were bringing to me. At a quarter palt eleven, the troops at Taft arrived, and as I had given my orders to Mr. Panow, he caufed thofe to enter into the fort whom I had determined on as hoftages, and sent the others to the church to bring their wives into the town. At the fame time he took the precaution to fend a detachment to

the mountain, for the purpofe of guarding the arms until they fhould be removed into the fort. Every thing being thus in a ftate of tranquillity, I caufed the cafemate to be opened, out of which came forty-two foldiers and the chancellor, whom I fent to accompany the hettman. The number of our hoftages amounted to fifty-two perfons, all principal men of the place, whofe lives were to anfwer for the behaviour of the people."

66 to

Having packed up the archives of the Chancery, buried the governor, and made the proper arrangements for failing, "I began," fays the count, enjoy fome calmness, when at ten o'clock Mifs Aphanafia came to me. She at firft ufed every effort to conceal her forrow and tears, but they at laft overcame her attempts, and, as he was oppreffed by extreme grief, I had not much difficulty in obtaining a knowledge of what afflicted her. The information fhe had received, gave me great uncasiness at firft; but at laft the infpired me with that respect which a noble confidence produces in all the affairs of life. This amiable young lady put a letter into my hands, and fimply faid, I know ali, forgive the firft emotions of grief; I am prepared, and you have no future weakness to fear. Surprized at the refolute tone with which the pronounced thefe words, I opened the letter: it was written by Stephanow, who informed Mifs Aphanafia, that after having been deceived and betrayed by me, the owed the most eminent vengeance to herfelf and family; to effect which he offered his fervices.

He informed her that [ was married, and confequently incapable of placing her in any estimable rank of life. He reprefented, that after this information, as the could never become my wife, she could not without difhonour follow my party: and he finifhed his letter by declaring, that he would efface her fhame by my blood, for which purpofe he waited only the re-establishment of his health, in order to offer her his hand.

"This Jetter, at any other time, would have infpired me with pity for an unhappy man, who was rushing hastily to his deftruction; but at that moment it affected me ftrongly. For I had propofed to defer my confeffion