CHAPTER XXII.

PRINCE VISHNYEVETSKI knew of the defeat at Korsun
before Skshetuski had been found sitting on the ruins of
Rozlogi, since Polyanovski, one of his hussar officers, had
brought news of it to Segotin. Previous to that the prince
had been in Priluka, and from there had sent Boguslav
Mashkevich with a letter to the hetmans, inquiring when
they would order him to march with all his forces. But
as Pan Mashkevich did not return for a long time with
the answer of the hetmans, the prince moved on toward
Pereyaslav, sending orders on every side to the detachments
that the regiments which were scattered here and there in
the Trans-Dnieper should assemble as quickly as possible at
Lubni.

But news came that some Cossack regiments disposed
in outposts along the borders next the Tartars had dis-
persed or joined the insurrection. Thus the prince saw his
forces suddenly decreased, and was grieved not a little; for
he did not expect that those men whom he had led so often
to victory could ever desert him. However, upon meeting
with Pan Polyanovski and receiving news of the unexampled
catastrophe, he concealed it from the army and went on
toward the Dnieper, thinking to march at random into the
midst of the storm and uprising, and either revenge the de-
feat, wipe away the disgrace of the armies, or shed his own
blood. He judged that there must be some, and perhaps
large, portions of the army of the Crown left after the de-
feat. These, if joined to his division of six thousand,
might measure themselves with Hmelnitski with hope of
victory.

Halting at Pereyaslav, he ordered Pan Volodyovski and
Pan Kushel to send their dragoons in every direction,--to
Cherkasi, Mantovo, Sekirnaya, Buchach, Staiki, Trakhti-
miroff, and Rjischeff, -- to collect all the boats and craft
which they could find anywhere. Then the army was to
cross from the left side to Rjischeff.

The messengers heard of the defeat from fugitives whom
they met here and there; but at all the above-mentioned
places they could not find a single boat, since, as already