them in their choice of a new home.
Though generally fearless and fatalistic in a higher degree, they
could not entirely overlook the dangers of the Steppe, and many of them
preferred to encounter the hard work of the forest region.

These differences in the character and population of the two regions
determined the character of the colonisation. Though the colonisation
of the northern regions was not effected entirely without bloodshed, it
was, on the whole, of a peaceful kind, and consequently received little
attention from the contemporary chroniclers. The colonisation of the
Steppe, on the contrary, required the help of the Cossacks, and forms,
as I have already shown, one of the bloodiest pages of European history.

Thus, we see, the process of expansion towards the north, east, and
south may be described as a spontaneous movement of the agricultural
population. It must, however, be admitted that this is an imperfect
and one-sided representation of the phenomenon. Though the initiative
unquestionably came from the people, the Government played an important
part in the movement.

In early times when Russia was merely a conglomeration of independent
principalities, the Princes were under the moral and political
obligation of protecting their subjects, and this obligation coincided
admirably with their natural desire to extend their dominions. When the
Grand Princes of Muscovy, in the fifteenth century, united the numerous
principalities and proclaimed themselves Tsars, they accepted this
obligation for the whole country, and conceived much grander schemes of
territorial aggrandisement. Towards the north and northeast no strenuous
efforts were required. The Republic of Novgorod easily gained possession
of Northern Russia as far as the Ural Mountains, and Siberia was
conquered by a small band of Cossacks without the authorisation of
Muscovy, so that the Tsars had merely to annex the already conquered
territory. In the southern region the part played by the Government
was very different. The agricultural population had to be constantly
protected along a frontier of enormous length, lying open at all points
to the incursions of nomadic tribes. To prevent raids it was necessary
to keep up a military cordon, and this means did not always ensure
protection to those living near the frontier. The nomads often came in
formidable hordes, which could be successfully resisted only by large
armies, and sometimes the armies were