Hmelnitski did not hurry, for he calculated that the
farther young Pototski went into the Wilderness, the farther
he went from the two hetmans, the more easily could he be
conquered. Meanwhile new fugitives from Chigirin, Povo-
lochi, and all the shore towns of the Ukraine gave daily
increase to the Zaporojian power, bringing also news from
the opposite camp. From them Hmelnitski learned that
the old hetman had sent his son with only two thousand
cavalry by land and six thousand Cossacks, with one thou-
sand German infantry in boats by the Dnieper. Both these
divisions were ordered to maintain communication with
each other, but the order was violated from the first day;
for the boats, borne on by the current of the Dnieper, went
considerably in advance of the hussars going along the
shore, whose march was greatly delayed by the crossings at
all the rivers falling into the Dnieper.

Hmelnitski, wishing that the distance between them
should be increased still more, did not hurry. On the third
day of his march he disposed his camp around Komysha
Water, and rested.

At that time the scouts of Tugai Bey brought informants,
-two dragoons who just beyond Chigirin had escaped from
the camp of Pototski. Hurrying on day and night, they had
succeeded in getting considerably in advance of their camp.
They were brought immediately to Hmelnitski.

Their account confirmed what was already known to
Hmelnitski concerning the forces of young Stephen Po-
totski; but they brought him intelligence, besides, that the
leaders of the Cossacks sailing down in the boats with the
German infantry were old Barabash and Krechovski.

When he heard the last name, Hmelnitski sprang up.
"Krechovski? the commander of the registered Pereyaslav
Cossacks?"

"The same, serene hetman!" answered the dragoons.
Hmelnitski turned to the colonels surrounding him.
"Forward!" commanded he, with thundering voice.

Less than an hour later the tabor was moving on, though
the sun was already setting and the night did not promise
to be clear. Certain terrible reddish clouds rolled along on
the western side of the heavens, like dragons or leviathans,

The tabor turned to the left, toward the bank of the
Dnieper. The host marched quietly, without songs, without
noise of drums or trumpets, and as quickly as the grass per-