Note 3 — Chapter XXXIX · THE HISTORY OF THE AMUR.

It was dated 20th November, 1686, and ran in part thus: “The officers to whom I have entrusted the supervision of the sable hunt, have frequently complained of the injury which the people of Siberia do to our hunters on the Amur. My subjects have never provoked yours, nor done them any injury; yet the people at Albazin, armed with cannon, guns, and other firearms, have frequently attacked my people, who had no firearms, and were peaceably hunting.

“They also roved about the Lower Amur, and troubled and injured the small town of Genquen and other places. As soon as I heard of this I ordered my officers to take up arms, and act as occasion might require. They accordingly made prisoners some of the Russians who were roving about the Lower Amur; no one was put to death, but all were provided with food.

“When our people arrived before Albazin, and called upon it to surrender, Alexei and others, without deigning a reply, treated us in a hostile manner, and fired off muskets and cannon. We therefore took possession of Albazin by force; but even then we did not put any one to death. We liberated our prisoners, but more than 40 Russians, of their own free choice, preferred remaining amongst my people. The others were exhorted earnestly to return to their own side of the frontier, where they might hunt at pleasure. My officers, however, had scarcely left, when 460 Russians returned, rebuilt Albazin, killed our hunters, and laid waste their fields; thus compelling my officers to have recourse to arms again.

“Albazin consequently was beleagured a second time; but orders were nevertheless given to spare the prisoners and restore them to their own country. Since then, Venyukoff and others have arrived at Peking to announce the approach of an ambassador, and to propose a friendly conference to settle the boundary question, and induce the Chinese to raise the siege of Albazin. On this a courier was sent at once to Albazin to put a stop to further hostilities.”