 Even though the Zaysan region was recognized by both parties as part of the Qing Empire, it had been annually used by fishing expeditions sent by the Siberian Cossack Host.These summer expeditions started in 1803, and in 1822-25 their range was expanded through the entire Lake Zaysan and to the mouth of the Black Irtysh.Through the mid-19th century, the Qing presence on the upper Irtysh was mostly limited to the annual visit of the Qing "amban" from Chuguchak to one of the Cossacks' fishing stations ("Batavski Piket").