After Karr’s defeat he had an open road to Moscow, where his appearance was awaited by 100,000 serfs burning to shake off the yoke of the aristocracy, and form a new Russian empire.  Forty million helots awaited their liberator the rebel leader.  Then, of a sudden, he away from him the common-sense he had possessed until now-for the sake of a pair of beautiful eyes!

After the victory of Bugulminszka a large number of envoyes from the leaders of the Baskirs appeared before him, and brought him, together with their allegiance, a pretty girl to be his wife.

The name of the maiden was Ulijanka, and she stole the heart of Pugasceff from the Czarina.  At that time the adventurer believed so fully in his star that he did not behave with his usual severity.  Ulijanka became his favorite, and the adventurous chief appointed Salavatke, her father, to be the ruling Prince of Baskirk.  Then he commenced to surround himself with Counts and Princes.  Out of the booty of plundered castles he clothed himself in magnificent Court costumes, and loaded his companions with decorations taken from the heroic Russian officers.  He nominated them Generals, Colonels, Counts, and Princes.  The Cossack, Csika, his first soldier, was appointed Generalissimus, and to him he entrusted half his army.  He also issued roubles with his portrait under the name of Czar Peter III., and sent out a circular note with the words, “Redevivus et ultor.”  As he had no silver mines, he struck the roubles out of copper, of which there was plenty about.  This good example was also followed by the Russians, who issued roubles to the amount of millions and millions, and made payments with them generously.  Pugasceff now turned the romance of the insurrection into the parody of a reign.  Instead of advancing against the unprotected cities of the Russian Empire, he attacked the defended strongholds, and, in the place of pursuing the fairy picture of his dreams which had led him thus far, he laid himself down in the mud by the side of a common woman!

Generalissimus Csika was instructed to occupy the Fort Ufa, with the troops who were entrusted to his care.  The time was January, 1774, and it was so terribly cold that nothing like it had been recorded in Russian chronicles.  The trees of the forest split with a noise as though a battle were proceeding, and the wild fowl fell to the ground along the roads.

To carry on a siege under such circumstances was impossible.  The hardened earth would not permit the digging of trenches, and it was impossible to camp on the frozen ground.