At that time one of his friends, Fedir Lyutai, a former Registered Cossack, was elected Kosh Otaman. Khmelnytsky arrived to Zaporizhia sometime on December 11, 1647 (by some other sources January 15, 1648), where he was met by Lyutai on Tomakivka island. At that time on the neighboring island of Khortytsia were a Polish garrison of the Cherkasy Cossack Regiment and a unit of dragoons headed by Col. Górski. Upon the arrival of Khmelnytsky and his men the preparations for the uprising went faster. Several envoys were sent to the Don Cossacks and Bakhchysaray. However, in Crimea Tatars were skeptical of the uprising intended by the Cossacks, who were suppressed by "Ordination of 1638".