He was afterwards sent on board the galleys, and for a short time had to do the work of a galley slave; but as soon as the vessels were at sea he was released, his uniform was removed, and he was courteously treated.  What ultimately became of him was never clearly ascertained, but it is certain that on more than one occasion he succeeded in confounding his opponents, and by his startling revelations of the past led many who would fain have disputed his identity to express their doubts as to the justice of his punishment.  The probability is that he was a rogue, but he was a clever one.  Rumour says he died in a Spanish fortress in 1606.

JEMELJAN PUGATSCHEFF—­THE FICTITIOUS PETER III.

The reign of Catherine II. fills one of the darkest pages of Russian history.  This lustful and ambitious empress waded to the throne through her husband’s blood—­bloodshed was necessary to establish her rule; infamous cruelties characterised her whole reign, and no princess ever succeeded in making herself more heartily detested by her subjects than the vicious daughter of Anhalt Zerbst.  Plot after plot was concocted to oust her from her high estate; and impostor after impostor appeared claiming the imperial purple; but the empress held her own easily, and suppressed each successive rebellion without difficulty, until Pugatscheff appeared at the head of the Cossacks, and threatened to hurl her from her throne, and dismember the empire.

Jemeljan Pugatscheff Was the son of Jemailoff Pugatscheff, a Cossack of the Don, and was born near Simonskaga.  His father was killed on the field of battle, and left him to the care of an indifferent mother, who deserted him and sought the embraces of a second husband.  An uncle, pitying the lad’s desolation, carried him to Poland, where he picked up the French, Italian, German, and Polish languages, and distinguished himself by his aptitude for learning.  After a time he returned to Russia, and took up his abode among the Cossacks of the Ukraine, who, attracted alike by his bodily vigour and his mental accomplishments, elected him one of their chiefs.  He was not, however, contented with the comparative quiet of Cossack life, and longed for some greater excitement than was afforded by an occasional raid against the neighbouring tribes.  Accordingly, taking advantage of the law promulgated by Peter III.,—­that any Russian might leave the country and enter the service of any power not at war with the empire,—­he entered the army of the King of Prussia.  On the conclusion of peace he obtained a command in the Russian army, and served for a considerable time.  At last his regiment was relieved, and Pugatscheff was allowed to return home.  On his return he found the Cossacks of the Ukraine gravely dissatisfied with the government and the empire.  The viciousness of the court had been reported to them; they were oppressed both by the clergy and the judges, and they only wanted