173                         CONQUEST   OF   SIBERIA,
nifhed; »®* does any trace of the leaft fuhfequent com-
munication with Siberia appear ia the Ruffian hiftory
before the feign eŁ Ivan. Vaffilievitch IL At that period.
Siberia again became &n\ obje<5l of attention, by means *
of one Anika Strogpnoff,, a Ruffian merchant, who hacli
eftablilhed fome fait-works at Solvytfhegpdfkaia* a town*
in the government of Archwigell
Amkastrogo-     This perfon carried1'on a trade of barter with ttie in—
uorf trades                                  J                       -                           >             .      f
 habitants of the North-Weffern parts of Siberia,, who;
brought every year to the abovementioned town large:
quantities of the choiceft furs.     XJpzm their return to»
their country, Strogonoff was accmftomed. t© fend with,
them fome Ruffian merchants*   who croffied the moun-
tains, and traded with the natives.   By ttiefe means a eon?-
iiderable number of veiy valuable furs were procured at
an eafy rate, in exchange for toys and other commodities
of trifling value*
This traffic was continued for feveral" years, without
ar*y interruption; during which Strogqnoff rapidly
lamafled a very confiderable fortune *• At length the
Tzar Ivan Vaffilievitch II. forefeeing the advantages
which would accrue to his fubjeŁts, from eftablifhing a
more gener^ and regular xcnnmerce with thefe, people,
* S. R# G. VI p. ^20—223.    Fif. Sib. Gef. p. 182.
determined