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Updated: May 21, 2025
Michael Strogoff and the mujik soon arrived in the mercantile quarter of the lower town. The surrounding earthwork had been destroyed in many places, and there were the breaches through which the marauders who followed the armies of Feofar-Khan had penetrated.
"Has Feofar-Khan entered Tomsk?" "He has." "Do you know if his men have entered Kolyvan?" "No; for Kolyvan does not yet burn." "Thanks, friend. Can I aid you and yours?" "No." "Good-by." "Farewell." And Michael, having presented five and twenty roubles to the unfortunate woman, who had not even strength to thank him, put spurs to his horse once more.
They were talking of the expected arrival of a corps of Muscovite troops, not at Omsk, but at Tomsk a corps intended to recapture that town from the Tartars of Feofar-Khan. Michael Strogoff lent an attentive ear, but took no part in the conversation. Suddenly a cry made him tremble, a cry which penetrated to the depths of his soul, and these two words rushed into his ear: "My son!"
In fact, the triumph of the vanquisher could not be complete without the public humiliation of the vanquished. This was why several hundreds of prisoners were brought under the soldiers' whips. They were destined to march past Feofar-Khan and his allies before being crammed with their companions into the prisons in the town. In the first ranks of these prisoners figured Michael Strogoff.
It had been decided that a military fete should mark the inauguration of the Tartar headquarters in this important city. Feofar-Khan already occupied the fortress, but the bulk of his army bivouacked under its walls, waiting until the time came for them to make a solemn entry. Ivan Ogareff left the Emir at Tomsk, where both had arrived the evening before, and returned to the camp at Zabediero.
HOWEVER disastrous these measures might be to private interests, they were, under the circumstances, perfectly justifiable. "All Russian subjects are forbidden to leave the province;" if Ivan Ogareff was still in the province, this would at any rate prevent him, unless with the greatest difficulty, from rejoining Feofar-Khan, and becoming a very formidable lieutenant to the Tartar chief.
The liquid naphtha having rapidly burnt to the surface of the water, the flames did not go beyond the houses on the shore, and left the other quarters of the town uninjured. Before daybreak the troops of Feofar-Khan had retreated into their camp, leaving a large number of dead on and below the ramparts. Among the dead was the gypsy Sangarre, who had vainly endeavored to join Ivan Ogareff.
"You know also that it informs me of the movements of the troops which have combined to stop the invasion?" "Yes, your Highness, but the movements have failed." "What do you mean?" "I mean that Ichim, Omsk, Tomsk, to speak only of the more important towns of the two Siberias, have been successively occupied by the soldiers of Feofar-Khan." "But there has been fighting?
Russia had already been several times at war with its chiefs, who, for their own interests, had supported the independence of the Kirghiz against the Muscovite dominion. The present chief, Feofar-Khan, followed in the steps of his predecessors.
Healthy and vigorous, they suffered less than so many others, and could better endure the hardships to which they were exposed. By their advice, and the assistance they rendered, they were of the greatest possible use to their suffering and despairing fellow-captives. Was this state of things to last? Would Feofar-Khan, satisfied with his first success, wait some time before marching on Irkutsk?
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