every one of those Elements Whatever the reason of it is we could never get from 'em the least knowledge of any of their Mysteries We have endeavour'd several times to engage a Brackman that travell'd with us out of Persia into Tartary but he put us off still till we came to Astrakan where he told us he should find his Books without the help of which he ingeniously confess'd he could not answer us These are the most considerable Nations which conveniency of Trade has brought to settle themselves in Astrakan the first City of Tartary where we arriv'd the 20th of Iune two Months after our departure from Irivan We lodg'd in the Forreigner's Caravan-sera where we met with some or other of all Nations in the World among whom we learnt that some of 'em had made several Journeys to Pekin 'T was no small comfort to us to see that without going any further we might be thoroughly instructed in what till then notwithstanding all our diligence we could only gain a confus'd and obscure glimmering This man was a Merchant of Bokara who having travel'd four times from one City to the other was able to afford us a more certain Light He told us then that the Road of the Yousbecs to China was neither so difficult nor so tedious as most people believ'd that there were indeed some Deserts to pass but that people suffer no more there then they do in Persia or Turky where notwithstanding the great number of Towns and Villages upon the Road the Caravans never mind the Habitations they meet withal provided their store of provisions holds out That the same care was taken for the security of that Journey as was taken in other Countrys of the East where he had been that the Caravans should be always numerous and well guarded and that there were to be found as many Refreshments by the way as in other places That we should meet in several places with the Hordes another sort of Tartars who were so far from doing any injury to Travellers that they took delight to relieve and furnish 'em with Provisions Lastly that money not being in use among those wandring people there was less danger of being robb'd then in the Territories of the Grand Signior where the Arabians were no hindrance in regard that men would venture to trade notwithstanding their fears of being rifl'd by those Vagabonds As for the distance added he farther I cannot exactly tell ye how far it is between Bokara and Pekin nor the number of Towns or Villages through which people usually pass I can only assure ye that we got in two months to the Borders of China whether you take the South-East Road through the Cities of Samarkand Kaboal Kachemir and Barantola or go directly East through the middle of the Moguls who though Idolaters are subject to the King of the Yousbec's that are Mahometans The first City of China which you meet with in taking the first Road is call'd Soczi where is the best Rubarb in the world From Soczi you must travel a month before you can reach Pekin but if you take the second Road the first City you meet with in China is call'd Kokutan built by the Chineses on this side the great Wall and strongly fortifi'd to stop the incursions of the Calmuc's and thence you have but fifteen days journey to Pekin But to whichsoever of these two Cities you happen to come you will be oblig'd to stay some time to manage your Business with the Governor so as to be permitted to pass any farther or otherwise you will hardly get leave to enter the Kingdom But since the Emperor of China has set open his Sea-Ports there is not so much difficulty to get admittance But they who are desirous to take more secure measures apply themselves to some Taiso or Prince of those Tartars that lie in the Road and request him to send an Embassador to Pekin under some pretence or other which he presently will do upon the allurement of some little Present And under the protection of this Deputy it is that the Merchants who pretend to be all of his Train enter freely into China and trade with all the security imaginable This was that which we learnt from this same Tartar upon whose Relation we had the more reason to rely because it perfectly agreed with all the Relations which were afterwards communicated to us both at Astrakan and Mosco A certain Monk of good repute among the Muscovites with whom we got acquainted at Astrakan some days after our arrival uvderstanding our design to travel into Tartary shew'd us a very curious Journal written by three Merchants who had travell'd from Astrakan to Pekin keeping the Road from Bocara to Samarkand in all which Journey they had not spent above a hundred and eleven days and the Cities there mention'd were exactly the same which I have already nam'd So that if we give but never so little credit to the Sentiments of all persons that I have consulted and who could get no advantage by cheating me we must of necessity acknowledge that we have been a long time in an Error as to the certain distance from hence to China And this is that of which the Jesuits have warn'd us within this little while to have a care of One among the rest a Learned Person and well vers'd in Astronomical Observations perceiving by the favour of Iupiter's Satellites that all the Ancient Geographers plac'd China more to the East by about six hundred Leagues then really it is in regard that counting the first Meridian from the Island of Fez they have plac'd Pekin in the hundred and sixty fifth degree of Longitude whereas it ought to be only in the hunder'd thirty second According to this Calculation which is somewhat corrected in the Great Planispheareâ—n â—n the Observatory of France it is easy to deâ—ermine within a few Leagues at least the real distance between Bocara which is now the Capital City of the Yousbec's and Pekin which is the Metropolis of China For supposing as it is certain that the first of these two Cities lie in the fourscore and twelfth Degree of Longitude and the other in the hundred thirty second and that both the one and the other lying very near the forti'th Degree of Northern Latitude as the most exact Geographers agree we must first of all conclude that the difference of Longitude between the one and the other is no more than forty Degrees Secondly That to go to both the one and the other you travel almost all along in the same Parallel Now in regard that every Degree of the Equator of the Earth consists of twenty Leagues and every League of three thousand Geometrical Paces it follows that every Degree of the forti'th Parallel containing no more then fifteen Leagues and nine hundred fifty nine Geometrical the distance from Bocara to Pekin in a strait line could be no more then about six hunder'd and thirteen
for the little care the Muscovites take whither Priests or Monks of the salvation of those wretched Idolaters who are setl'd in great numbers in the very Center of Muscovy and whom it would be an easy thing to bring over to the knowledge of the true God We came thither the Evening before the Festival of St. Nicholas which the Muscovites solemnize ten days after us with as much zealous observation as either Christmas or Easter Now in regard all the people of the House which was appointed for us to lodge in seem'd to us to be in a manner out of their Wits it was easy for us to judge that the condition they were in was the effect of the Liquor which they had drank a little too much to excess So that when we saw 'em come to themselves we could not forbear to rebuke 'em for their intemperance But they believing they had a priviledge to abandon themselves as they did to that ill Custom for which we blam'd 'em told us they knew us to be Strangers and therefore did not consider perhaps that they had been keeping the Festival of the great Protector of Muscovy to whom they never found that the Muscovites pay'd ever any other Worship then that which we seem'd to disapprove tho it appear'd that we were Christians as well as they How much it were to be wish'd that that blind Nation had as much docility to suffer themselves to be convinc'd of the truth of the Gospel as they have a proneness to conform themselves to the corrupt Manners of Schismaticks and how commendable it would be in the latter if they were as zealous to make known to those Infidels the Grandeur of the true God as they are to infuse into 'em under the pretence of Religion their impious and scandalous Maxims But the Muscovites look upon Religion to be no other then as a means to shoare up their Politique Government as they have always done and would never permit their Politicks to give way to the Interests of Religion We flatter'd our selves that we should meet at Mâ—skow with all encouragement and support and we were so fully perswaded that the Christian Religion which is there professâ—d would level all the Difficulties which had till then oppos'd our Designs that we thought our selves beholding to all the dangers we had undergone for bringing us among a people by whom we thought we should be soon assisted in the service of that God whose sacred word we were going to preach to the Barbarians Full of these thoughts we came to the Capital City of Muscovy the spacious largeness and extraordinary magnificence of which when you behold it at a distance is one of the most beautiful sights that ever I beheld in my life Presently we repair'd to the Jesuit's House which the Czar had setl'd about a year or two before in consideration of the German Officers who possess the chiefest Employments in the Czar's Army and whom those Princes cannot be without as not having Subjects of their own that are capable of Military Discipline or to command the Soldiers of which they stand in need The Civilities and Entertainment full of Tenderness and Friendship which we receiv'd from the Fathers which cultivated that new Mission were such that nothing of addition could make 'em more compleat and by their cordial reception of us they gave us sufficiently to understand that the Charity of Jesus Christ makes no distinction between the Parthian and the Scythian but that it embraces with the same affection all those that are united to it in the same Mind and Spirit Now in regard they had already understood by Letters which we had written to 'em the Motives of our intended Journey they gave us notice very prudently that the first step we were to make in order to the good success of our Designs was to pay our Respects to Prince Gallichin who was then Prime Minister of State and to let him see according to custom the Passport which the Governor of Astrakan had given us How unwilling soever we were to appear in our Forreign Habit before that great Chancellor of the Empire we follow'd their advice however and that Minister who was a Person of great ability and apprehension instead of taking any exception seem'd extreamly well pleas'd to see us in that condition For when he understood the reason that oblig'd us to disguise our selves and the design we had to travel into China he testifi'd a great kindness for us and assur'd us of all the Service that could be expected from him However not to excuse us from observing all the Formalities from which no Stranger whatever he be is exempted unless he bear some publick Character he order'd us forthwith to repair to the Chancery there to pass the usual Examination and punctually to answer the Officers of the Chamber whose business it is to take in Writing the Depositions of all new-comers Therefore as near as it was to Night and as much need as we had of rest it behov'd us to obey the Prime Minister's Orders And no sooner were we enter'd the enclosure of the Court of Justice where our examination was to be taken but we found our selves surrounded by three or four Registers who after they had caus'd us to sit down after the same manner as if we had been really criminal tir'd us to that degree with so many ridiculous Questions and so extravagantly from the purpose for four hours together that we were afraid lest they would have convicted us of some Crime of which however we knew not our selves to be guilty However it were after they had fill'd several sides of Paper with the Answers which they extorted from us they gave us leave to retire about Eleven a Clock at Night to the Father's House who were more troubl'd for us then we were for our selves being assur'd by the Testimony of our own Consciences that we had no other Design upon Muscovy then to open our selves a way to get as soon as we could into China Which being the only reason of our going to Moscow the next day we went to seek out our Chinese Merchants to be instructed by them in the different Roads which led to that great Empire how long time it would take us up of the nature of the people that lay in our way and with what safety we might travel over all that vast extent of Country and in a word to be inform'd of every thing that would forward or obstruct our Designs But those pretended Chineses which we had much ado to discover in that great City where there are no less then six or seven hunder'd thousand Inhabitants were of those sort of Tartars that possess the most Eastern part of that spacious Country which is call'd Kitay which was always thought till now to have been a particular Kingdom and whieh borders upon China to the North-west But in regard the Muscovites have made considerable Discoveries on that side and for that they have built several Cities for the security of the Collonies which they send thither from time to
their defence in 25 days they Travell'd from thence to Gtrideli the Merchants keeping Arm'd upon the tops of the Hills and the Carriages in Valleys to prevent Thieves that are accustom'd from the tops of those Hills to stone the Travellers However they were assail'd and many wounded by those Robbers After 20 days more they came to Cabul where they stay'd eight months At this place there happen'd into their Company the Sister of Mahomet Can King of Cascar by whose Country they were to pass toward Cathay She was call'd Agehane Age being an Honourable Title annex'd to her Name as a Pilgrim to Mecca from whence she was then but newly return'd and being in some want borrow'd 600 Ducats in Merchandize of Goez which she afterwards repaid in Merchandize more proper for Cathay That is to say in a kind of Marble by some call'd Iasper by the Chineses Tuscé which is of two sorts the one taken out of the bottom of the River Cotan by such as Dive for it as they do for Pearls being like to great Flints The other meaner and drawn out of the Mountain call'd Consangui Cascio The Solitariness of the Place distant from Catan 20 days Travel and the hardness of the Stone which they mollifie with Fires over the place make it very dear And the Merchants that purchase this Priviledge of the King carry along with 'em a Years Provision for their Labourers From Cabul they went to Ciarcar where the Mogull's Patents by virtue of which they hitherto had been Tribute-free were neglected by the unruly Borderers from thence to Parua the last Town in subjection to the Mogull After five days stay they pass'd in 20 days over exceeding high Mountains to the City of Aingharan and in 15 days more to Calcia where the People resemble the Hollanders After a Journey of ten days more they came to Gialalabath where the Bramins exact Custom granted 'em by King Bruarate Fifteen days after they got to Talhan where by Civil Broils they were stay'd for a Month the Calcians being in Rebellion From thence they Travel'd to Cheman under Abdulahan King of Samarhan Burgavia Bacharate and other Confining Kingdoms where the Catlians rob'd 'em of a great part of their goods After 8 days troublesom Travel they came to Badascian where they were fleec'd a second time neither were they free at Ciarciumar which was their next Resting Place from whence in ten days they arriv'd at Serpanel a Desart place and 20 days after to Sarcil a Country full of Villages In two days Journey from thence they reach'd Ciecialith a Mountain all cover'd with Snow where in six days Travel many of the Company perish'd with cold From thence they attain'd to Tanghetar in the Kingdom of Cascar and in 15 days after to Iaconich which Journey was likewise so tiresom that Goez lost six Horses From thence he went to Hiarchan the Royal City of Cascar in November 1603. a Mart Famous for Concourse of Merchants and variety of Merchandize He Presented the King with a Watch a Looking-Glass and other European Presents and thereby obtain'd his Letters Patents for furtherance of his Journey From thence he went with the Caravan Basha who purchases his place of the King at a dear rate about the midst of November 1604. to Iolci Hancialix Alceghet Hagabateth Egriar Marcetelec Thalec Horma Thoantac Mingrieda Capetalcol Zelan Sarc Guebedal Cambasci Aconsersec Ciacot-Acsu in 15 days a very tedious way over Stones and Sands In this Journey they pass'd the Desart of Carcathay Thence â—hey Travel'd to Oitograch Gazo Casciani Dellai Saregabedal Ugan and Cucia And â—ftr a Months stay there in 25 days more â—o Cialix Govern'd by the King of Cascar's â—ase Son with whom at first he had some difference about Religion which was paâ—ify'd with a Gift And in a Disputation with the Mahumetan Doctors before him â—he Vice-Roy sided with Goez affirming â—hat the Christians were the true Muzzelmen and that their Ancestours profess'd that Law a thing worthy to be observ'd Here â—e met with some Merchants in their return from Cathay who gave him an account of Ricci and some other Jesuits at Pequin and â—ere it was that he learnt first of all that China was Cathay At his departure from Cialix the Governour gave him Letters of Pass and inscrib'd him a Christian according to his desire at which a Mahumetan Priest very much wonder'd assirming that theirs with the Region shifted also their Religion In 20 days they came to Pucian then to Turphan a Fortify'd City thence to Aramuth and so to Camul the last City of the Kingdom of Ciales In nine days we came from Camul to the Northern Walls of China where they stay'd 25 days expecting the Vice-Roy's Answer for their admission at a place call'd Ciaicuon And then being entred the Walls they came in one days Journey to the City Socieu All the space between Cialis and the Borders of China is subject to the inroads of the Tartars which is the reason that Merchants Travel in the day time in great fear looking out ever and anon to see whether the Coasts be clear and Travelling in the Night with great silence and Secresie They found several Saracens slain in the High way The Countrey People they seldom kill but Rob them of their Cattel As for Corn and Rice they hold it food for Beasts and not for Men and feed upon Flesh living a hundred years The Saracens in these parts are effeminate and might easily be subdu'd by the Chineses if they would attempt it On the West parts of China stands a Wall rais'd on purpose to exclude the Tartars and two fortify'd Cities with strong Garrisons having their Peculiar Vice-Roy and other Magistrates Canceu the Capital of the Province Scensi and Soceu which is divided into two parts of which the one is Inhabited by Saracens who Trade there for Merchandize the other by the Chineses whom the Saracens there call Cathayans Every Night the Saracens are enclos'd in their own City in other things like the Chineses subject to the same Laws and Magistrates Neither may any Foreigner return to his own Country who has liv'd there Nine Years Every sixth Year Seventy two Commissioners come according to an Ancient Custom to pay a kind of Tribute to the King This the pretence but the intent is to enrich themselves with Merchandize as being maintain'd under that pretence during their stay at the King's Charge Into Soceu Goez came at the end of the Year 1605. and there met with other Saracens returning from Pequin who inform'd him of the Jesuits there residing adding withal that the King did not Sell but pour'd without measure a daily allowance of Money into their hands Which I mention the rather to shew that a Man must be sparing of Credit to Saracen Travellers and Merchants But Goez could not in a long time certifie these his Fellows of his Arrival as being ignorant of the Chinese Names and it was some Months Journey from Soceu
little Hill but we were immediately surrounded with a Troop of Armenians some with Slings some with great Clubs who perceiving by the Confidence wherewith we advanc'd toward 'em that we were not the Men they lookt for receiv'd us curteously On the other side we finding they were impatient to know who we were told 'em that we were Franks Persons in Religious Orders and Missionaries that were going into Tartary and thence into China with an intention to Preach the Gospel Thus when they understood the Motive which induc'd us to undertake so perillous a Journey they heap'd Civilities upon us Some took our Horses to take care of 'em others brought us Refreshments and in a word there was not any one that did not strive to signalize himself by some Office of Charity toward us They inform'd us of the Alarum that had been giv'n and what had constrained 'em to intrench themselves in the place where we found ' em They told us that certain Gentlemen of Georgia had revolted from the Kan of Tifflis about fifteen days before and not finding themselves strong enough to withstand the Force which he had sent to reduce 'em they were constrain'd to quit their Houses and fly the Country till the Storm was over and that because the greatest part of 'em wanted mony to keep 'em they were fain to fall upon the Frontier Villages where they ravag'd and plunder'd without controul Therefore said they being justly afraid of being assaulted by these merciless Free-booters and losing those little goods we have we muster'd together in this place which we defend with such pitiful Weapons as these We gave 'em the best consolation we could during the small time we staid among 'em and after we had visited some of their Sick to whom we apply'd such Remedies as we thought most proper to give 'em ease we continu'd our Journey toward Gangea where we arriv'd the next day in the Afternoon Gangea is one of the best Cities of Persia seated in a pleasant Plain about five and twenty or thirty Leagues long The great number of Rivers which meet there and of which the Inhabitants make use to water their Gardens that take up a good part of the City contribute not a little to render the Soil round about it most delightful and fertile We arriv'd there in the middle of the Spring at what time never was any prospect more grateful to my Eyes then to see a multitude of Houses seated among an infinite number of Groves and Thickets of lovely Trees laden with Leaves and Flowers which a most beautiful blooming Green render'd yet more charming to the sight So that the Persians call this enchanting Corner by no other Name then that of the Garden of the Empire The Bazars or Market-Places which are in the middle of the City are the fairest and most magnificent of all that ever I beheld in the East For besides their extraordinary extent they are very well vaulted and there is a particular Quarter assign'd for every sort of Merchandize And because the City of Gangea is most advantagiously seated for Trade there is a vast Croud of Foreigners that always resort to it At the same that we arriv'd there an overflowing Zeal for Religion had occasion'd a hideous hurly-burly in the City For the Mollah's having declaim'd against the three False Prophets mention'd in the forgoing Book provok'd the Turks to that degree that they betook themselves to their Arms tho they were but a small Number to revenge themselves for the Affront done their most Holy Saints They invested some of the Mosquees and were about to have sacrific'd to their Resentment the People there assembl'd to say their Prayers iâ— the Governor who had timely notice of what pass'd had not put a stop to those hot-brain'd Zealots Three days after our Arrival at Gangea we departed with a small Caravan consisting all of Christian Merchants whom Traffick and Business hasten'd to Scamaki and in their Company cross'd the lovely Plains that extend themselves almost from one City to the other The first day of our Journey we pass'd the Kur which rises in Georgia and after it has water'd several Plains convey'd plenty to several Cities and enrich'd the Country with a world of Sturgeon that are caught in it at length discharges it self into the Caspian Sea At the passing of this River it was that our Georgian Habit did us good Service For in regard the Turks take great delight to signalize their hatred against the Monks whenever they meet with an opportunity more especially where they know it is in their power to be favourable or rigorous as they please themselves they never observe any measure in Justice with those whom they look upon as the declar'd Enemies of their Religion And generally they fall upon their Purses rather then their Persons being perswaded as they are out of their prodigious Avarice that they cannot do a man greater Injury tâ—en by taking from him what they esteem and prefer themselves beyond their own Lives But in regard they took us for other then we were they us'd us more favourable then we durst hope for We were not so fortunate the next day in meeting with a Persian Chapar which is the Name they give to the Persian Couriers as Oulac is to those of Turky In both Empires these sort of People are extreamly formidable to Travellers For in regard the State makes no regular Provision of Horses for 'em they have a priviledg to dismount upon the Road any Person whose Horse pleases 'em better then their own Now tho we were sufficiently inform'd of this inconvenient Custom we could not be so cautious but that we were surpriz'd by one of these Couriers which the Kam of Schiamaki had dispatch'd away about urgent Affairs He came powd'ring upon us in a Valley where we had stopp'd to bait our Horses and took the best of 'em with which he was just going to ride away In this same remediless Condition we took the usual course which the unfortunate take in such unlucky Accidents as these and slipt a piece of Money into the hands of this same troublesome Messenger Upon which he presently grew sweet upon us and having readily found out a specious pretence to let us alone he rode away to seek some new Adventure in another place At length after all these little tryals of Patience which a Traveller cannot avoid when he engages himself in long Journies we arriv'd at Schamaki very glad to understand we were so near the Caspian Sea and where in a little time we understood we should meet with several Muscovitish Vessels that were preparing to set sail for Astrakan Schamaki which was formerly one of the most considerable and best peopl'd Cities of all Persia is much decay'd from what it was some years ago when it was in a far more flourishing Condition then now For a furious Earthquake that happen'd about twelve years since laid it almost utterly in
City stands is very gravelly and low the Summer heats are not to be endured in that place insomuch that the people are oblig'd to bathe several times a day In the parts about it the Soil bears all sorts of Fruits and in great abundance nor does their deliciousness give way to their plenty More especially their Melons are remarkable for their most exquisite taste and it is as rare a thing to meet with a bad or a wallowish Melon there as it is unusual to â—ind a good one in France Those which are call'd Karpous or Water-Melons tho common enough are most sought after The Rind is of a lively green colour but the Pulp of a beautiful Rose-colour and full of juice which cools as much as it quenches drowth and of which you may eat your fill without any fear of surfeiting They have also a sort of Grape of which they make Wine but sower and no way pleasing to the taste All this while no private person dares touch a Grape or any other Fruit until the Governor of Astrakaâ— has made choice of the best of every thing for the Czar's Table Besides the Inhabitants of this City who for the greatest part are Muscovites several other Nations are intermix'd among 'em drawn thither by the conveniency of Trade and the sweetness of the Climate 〈◊〉 Armenians possess one of the Suburbs entirely to themselves and the Nogais Tartars another which altogether resembles a City being sortifi'd with a Wooden-Rampart and having a Governour who commands there under the Orders of the Chief Governor of Astrakan Within that Enclosure stands a Mosquee but the Houses are for the greatest part made of Bulrushes of which there may be about two thousand Now in regard it is the Muscovites interest to use 'em kindly by reason of the good Service they do 'em in their Wars therefore they treat 'em rather as their Confederates then their Vassels To which purpose they are allow'd to share with 'em in the convenience of the Market that in the Morning is kept in their Quarter which is call'd Yourt and with the Muscovites in the Evening in the great Market place in the middle of Astrakan Much more when they stand in need of Arms and Artillery to defend themselves against any Enemiy that comes to assault 'em they furnish 'em and assist 'em likewise to repel the Assailants It is not many years since the Calmuc-Tartars put 'em to a great deal of trouble and that they came duly every Winter by the Favour of the Ice to assault even in their very Trenches But since those Tartars experienc'd the fury of Fire-Arms which they know not as yet how to handle they have not adventur'd to molest ' em And indeed it is to the protection of the Muscovites that the Nogais-Tartars are beholding for the Repose and Tranquillity which they enjoy while their Enemies scar'd with the Thunder of the Cannons and Musquets let 'em sit quiet But tho the Hostilities between the Nogais and Calmuc-Tartars are absolutely at an end the latter which are a wandring sort of people forbear not still to adventure every Winter into those vast Plains between Astrakan and the Caspian-Sea where by reason those Champian Countrys are not so much cover'd with Snow because they lie more to the South and nearer the Sea they meet with Food for their Cattel the preservation of which as being all their Substance and Riches engages 'em to make those Inroads Which Annual Visits of above a hunder'd thousand men at a time though they be no way pleasing to the Muscovites however they are forc'd to suffer 'em and not only so but to humble themselves to that degree as to make 'em Presents duely every year to hinder their Incursions which they have reason always to be afraid of from such as are not restrain'd by the Laws of Orderly Government and Civil Society And these Presents thus continu'd out of fear being at length look'd upon by the Tartars as an indispensible Obligation are demanded with so much haughtiness and commanding fiercenss that the Muscovites must expect nothing but the utmost extremities of War should they once refuse ' em I was then at Astrakan when this prodigious multitude of Vagabonds was going to take up their Winter Quarters At what time the Governor was no sooner inform'd of their approach but he sent one of his Officers to assure their Chief-tain that he would send 'em their usual quantity of Provision with all the speed that could be In a word Some days after he sent away several Waggons laden with Bread Karpou's Srong-Water and Tobacco which is the Present or rather Tribute which serves to keep a good correspondence between both Nations Not but that the Muscovites are able if they pleas'd to shake off this kind of Yoke which they impose upon themselves but because the Calmuc's as well as the Nogais are ready to lend 'em men upon all occasions when they want 'em they are willing to purchase their friendship tho at the expence of their Reputation and in some measure of their Liberty For this reason it is also that they caress 'em when they come to Astrakan and that they are not sorry nor disturbld to see 'em for as formidable as they are to the Muscovites nevertheless the latter never scruple to drive a Trade with 'em either because of the great quantity of Furs which they bring or the vast number of Horses which they sell both profitable Merchandizes to the people of the Country But they who without all question contribute most to the flourishing condition of this City are the Indians or Banians Idolaters as well as the Calmucs whose Daughters they marry because they cannot ally themselves neither with Christians nor with the Mahometans of the Country these People being very industrious and holding correspondence in almost all the Ports of the Caspian-Sea there are few sorts of Merchandize that do not pass through their hands So that they have likewise their Quarter in one of the Suburbs of the City by themselves where they enjoy the exercise of their false Religion with all manner of freedom They hold the Transmigration of Souls which will not suffer 'em to feed upon any thing that has life whether Fish Flesh or Foul and they have such a respect for Cows that if they know of any one that is to be kill'd for supply of the Market they will purchase it at a dear rate and redeem it from the Slaughter-House Every Family breeds-up one with the same indulgence as they do their Children no Creature can be more industriously comb'd more carefully fed more cleanly lodg'd nor better look'd after when they are sick Another piece of Superstition they have never to eat but in private and before they touch the Victuals that is set before 'em they throw some small part of it separately into the Fire the Air the Water and upon the Earth as an acknowledgment of some Divinity conceal'd in
declaring for us as openly as perhaps he would have done at another time The first was by a private Man who having flung himself into his Sledge as he was going to the Palace of the Czars threw himself upon him and seiz'd him by the Beard to stab him While he was drawing his Dagger which stuck in his Girdle as the Muscovites commonly wear them the Princes Servants who follow'd the Sledge ran up to him and stopt him just as he was about sticking it into his Breast And yet this Wretch was not in the least daunted but on the contrary seem'd more inraged having miss'd his Blow than he was before and without regarding the consequences of his pernicious design he made many vain efforts to put it in execution but finding that it was in vain since he was overpower'd he alarm'd that Prince as much by his insolent seditious discourse as he had frighten'd him by his Resolution in attacking him Infamous Tyrant said he to him with an Air both Fierce and Terrible since I have been so unfortunate as to fail in this attempt to deliver my Country from the most horrid Monster that ever was bred in it by making thee a Sacrifice know that some happier hand than mine will be found and that among upwards of three hundred Citizens who pitty the People that is daily oppress'd by thee some will take better measures than I have done He was not permitted to go on but was immediately dragg'd to Prison where he was Executed to avoid making too much noise after having been forc'd by the Rack to declare the number and quality of his Accomplices This Out-rage was follow'd by another which made an end of convincing this first Minister of the extraordinary danger to which he was daily expos'd by his great Elevation Some days before his departure for the Army a cover'd Coffin was found at his Palace Gate with a Note in it containing these words Gallichin unless the Campaign thou art going to open prove more successful than the former thou canst not avoid this Those Menaces which prov'd as so many fatal Presages of the misfortunes that he fell him afterwards oblig'd him to stand continually upon his Guard and to avoid doing any thing that might displease the Boyars in the least who underhand set those Instruments at Work which press'd him so close after his return from Krimea that finally they caus'd him to be banish'd into Siberia where to this hour he leads a languishing shameful life The unfortunate Success of our Enterprise may partly be imputed to those violent proceedings since they hinder'd the Prince who had been favourable to us all along from opposing the decision of the Council against us the which appear'd very unreasonable even to such among the Muscovites who knew the Motives of our Journey However we were oblig'd to submit to the Orders we had receiv'd and to take new measures not only to go back to Poland but also to follow Count Syri into Persia from whom we daily receiv'd fresh assurances of his sincere Resolution to be our Conductor to the Place we were bound for in spight of all the efforts of the Muscovites to the contrary Having no longer any hopes of re-establishing our affairs in Muscovy we turn'd all our thoughts on our return Yet we were oblig'd to tarry a fortnight longer at Muscow for fear of exposing our selves to the Injuries we dreaded by the way the very Polish Envoy whom we were to accompany looking upon it as the safest way to secure himself It was about the time the Muscovites keep their Carnaval which may be stil'd the time of the most excessive Debauches and of the most enormous Crimes The use of Flesh is not allow'd of at that time they only use Butter wherewith they commit horrid excesses and having melted it drink it as if it were a most delicious Liquour Neither are they sparing of Brandy and other Liquours of that kind Insomuch that all Muscovy at that time is a wretched Empire expos'd to all manner of Vices Violences Persidiousness and Treasons are committed in it Licentiously and woe to those Strangers who appear abroad at that time without being very well guarded The disorders were yet much greater formerly and Murders more common than they are at present however I was inform'd that the first Night of those brutish Rejoycings to the end of which we were oblig'd to tarry above forty Persons were kill'd in the City of Moscow only and that the People who out of a strange Impious Superstition draw good or ill Omens for that year according to the number of those that are Murder'd at that time seem'd dissatisfied with the inconsiderableness of that small number which was nothing in comparison of the preceeding years At that very time the yougest of the Czars who was about eighteen years of Age Marry'd the Daughter of a private Officer of the Army his Marriage was proclaim'd to all the City by the sound of the great Bell which is one of the finest in the World It contains about 20 Foot Diameter 40 in height and at this very time a Cubit in thickness altho' they have been oblig'd to take away 40000 pound of Metal from it to make it sound As it is extreamly Massy the only way to sound it is to strike upon it with a Hammer which is seldome done but on Twelfth-day which is the greatest day of the year among the Muscovites or when the Prince Marries The Marriage of the Czars is seldom published until it be perform'd by reason of the danger that would attend the discovering of it sooner For whereas it is an establish'd Custom among them never to make any Alliance with a Foreign Crown they are oblig'd to chuse a Wife in their own Dominions among the Daughters of their Subjects But as the Person they make choice of is expos'd to the Envy of the others the vexation they receive by that preference inflaming them to a desire of vengeance on their Rivals as well as on the Prince by whom they are refus'd they are necessitated to take the Precautions I have mention'd to avoid those misfortunes that are but too frequent The young Prince within a few days after his Marriage was seiz'd with the Falling-Sickness a Distemper that is Hereditary to all his Family It was look'd upon at first as an effect of the Jealousie of the several Families that had been excluded from the Honour to which they aspir'd but this accident not being attended with any other ill Consequences they continu'd the rejoycings that are common on those occasions The Polish Envoy finding Muscovy restor'd to its former Tranquility set forward for Poland we accompany'd him to the confines of Lethuania from whence we proceeded to Warsaw where we met a Protector Heaven had rais'd us to recompence all our pass'd Sufferings who by his Credit open'd a way for us as far as Constantinople where he caus'd us to be Conducted with as much
supply the room of those who after they had gloriously ran their Race were no longer in a condition through their great Age or other Infirmities to cultivate this flourishing Mission or to increase their number proportionably to the New Converts who are multiply'd to that degree that one Pastor is forc'd to take upon him the care of several Churches One of the most Zealous Missionaries of China now grown old under the Burthen of Evangelick Fatigues declar'd to me some years ago after a most sensible manner the conditions of those Missions in a Letter wherein he invited me to go along and bear my share with him in those extraordinary Imployments which he was no longer able alone to take upon him I am all alone said he in a Province which is above a hundred and thirty Leagues in extent with four or five Churches under my care every one of which had formerly a Father belonging to it so that I am forc'd to travel a great part of the year not having any one to whom to make my Confession at the point of Death by reason of the great distance that separates us And not only my self but a great many other Missionaries are reduc'd to the same condition But notwithstanding the great care that is taken to send from time to time new recruits of Evangelic Labourers to uphold and propagate the Faith in this vast Kingdom what with Pirates Shipwracks and Diseases what with other inconveniences of a tedious and tiresome Navigation still many more are destroy'd and miscarry then safely arrive in the Country I have been told by Father Couplet an Illustrious Missionary whom all Paris beheld with so much satisfaction after his return from China where he had resided above thirty years That he had made it his business to make an exact computation of the number of Jesuits who had set forward out of several parts of Europe in order to undertake the Mission he had quitted and that he had found that of six hunder'd who had taken Shipping for China since our Company were permitted entrance into that Kingdom not above a hunder'd safely arrived there all the rest being sacrific'd by the way either by Sickness or Shipwrack Therefore to avoid for the future the loss of so many Missionaries of which the Indies and Kingdoms farther remote will be a long time sensible a Resolution has been taken some few years since to find out a Passage into China by Land Nor was it a difficult thing to meet with people who were willing to contribute toward so great a Design Among others who presented themselves in order to this new attempt I my self was made choice of and I have had the consolation to make it my business these five years together To this purpose it was that I travell'd all over Turky Persia Armenia the Southern Tartary Muscovie both Prussia's and Moldavia that I took Shipping several times in different Seas of Europe and Asia and that I expos'd my self though with a great deal of pleasure and delight to all those Dangers which I knew were not to be avoided by those who undertook such laborious and toilsome Voyages Before my departure from Paris I went to Montmartre to the end I might collect together some Sparkles of that Sacred Fire which St. Ignatius and St. Francis Xavier left even after their Death as Reliques still sufficient to inflame the Hearts of their Spiritual Children After which in company with Father Couplet I went to Lion where I was forc'd to quit him and continue my Journey to Marseilles where I was to take Shipping There it was that God was pleas'd to give me a tast of some parts of that Comfort before I left France which formerly St. Bernard felt when he forsook the World One of my Brethren already a Priest spurr'd on like my self with a desire of devoting him to the conversion of Infidels overtook me at Marseilles before my departure in order to let me know his Resolution to share with me in the Toil and Labour which I was about to undertake Now in regard he had for some time before prepar'd himself in pursuance of a zealous and godly Life for this Employment I thought it high time to procure him the happiness which he had all along so passionately desir'd which was that we might be both together more strictly united in the Bonds of Grace then we had been till that time by the Ties of Nature To which purpose meeting in this Port with the convenience of a Vessel of St. Malo's bound for Cività Vecchia we embark'd and after a prosperous and quick Passage landing safely we continu'd our Journey to Rome Father Charles de Novelle who was then General of the Jesuits was readily induc'd to grant us the favour which we requested of him For he admitted my Brother into the Society and after several particular marks of a Goodness really paternal he gave his Blessing to both of us And no sooner had we receiv'd it but we hasten'd to Leghorn to embark our selves in a Vessel that was bound for the East in company with a Man of War called the Thundring Iupiter the Captain of which had been diguin'd by the King some years before for engaging alone four Pirates of Tripoli for three days together and putting 'em to flight Our stay in this City was longer then we expected However we lay not idle For in regard we were oblig'd to spend our Christmas there till the lading of both Ships that lay bound for Cyprus were ready the Officers and Seamen lying a Shipboard in the Road found us business enough during that Holy Season For we confess'd 'em and gave 'em almost all the Communion and because they were not permitted to go ashore we made a kind of a Floating-Church of the biggest of the two Vessels where all the people being assembl'd found wherewithal to satisfie their Devotion in such Exercises of Piety as we took care to settle among ' em Some days after they gave us notice that they were ready to weigh Anchor and that therefore we must hasten to take our Places in expectation of a fair Wind which serv'd the same day that we embark'd which was the 13th of Ianuary in the year 1685. insomuch that the next day we lost sight of the Islands of Capraia Elba and Sardenia Of all the Accidents that cross'd us in our Voyage none discomposs'd us so much as a most dreadful Tempest which toss'd us most severely within sight of the Coast of Candy after we had been some days before as extreamly and inconveniently becalm'd This happen'd upon the 21st of Ianuary being St. Agnes's Day that a Greek Wind rising about Midnight after the going down of the Moon the extraordinary redness of which was a dreadful presage to us found us a world of employment and exercis'd the Skill of all the Seamen for four and twenty hours together and in regard the Storm grew fiercer and fiercer still as
the Plain of Antioch which is one of the most pleasant and most fertile that are to be seen in the World It is about five or six Leagues in extent intercut with an infinite number of Rivolets abounding in Pasturage and cover'd with Cattel which are there brought to be fatted all the year long The same day we pass'd the Orontes a small Stream the Water of which is very muddy and inclining to a ruddy colour and considerable for nothing else but the Name That Night we lodg'd in one of the Villages of the Curdes from whom that Nation now grown so numerous is said to have been originally deriv'd Here our People were forc'd to keep a good Guard all Night long for fear of being surpriz'd by the Country People that only subsist by Thieving and Robbery Our next days Journey was tiresom anough by reason of the rugged and stony ways no less tedious to the Horses then the Men. We beheld as we past along the stately Ruins of those Ancient Monasteries where formerly so many devout Persons led an Angelick Life They also shew'd us at a distance the famous Pillar where Simon the Stilite for forty years together perform'd that rigorous Penance which astonish'd all the Religious Persons round about At length after we had travell'd quite through this small Country with those extraordinary Sentiments of Devotion which the sight of all those Sacred Monuments inspire into the most insensible we arriv'd betimes at Anjar which is a large Burrough where our Caravan Bachi receiv'd us into a House of his own and where he treated us with a little Rice boil'd in Oyl and some Fruits of the Country the time of Lent not permitting him to be so liberal to the French as he was wont to be at other times At last upon Sunday the 11th of March we arriv'd at Aleppo where we were receiv'd by the Jesuits with those Demonstrations of Friendship as made us forget all our past Hardships After some few days repose the Superior of the Missions of Syria giving me to understand the great want of Labourers almost in all the Eastern Parts through the loss of several excellent Missionaries understood so well how to engage me in all his Affairs that notwithstanding my extraordinary Inclinations to have hasten'd into Persia in order to my Grand Journey intended for China which I had had in my thoughts for so many years I could not refuse to go for some Months into Curdistan from whence Father Roche had ply'd him with importunate Letters to let him know how impossible it was for him to abide there any longer without a Companion to ease him of the great Burthen that lay upon his Shoulders every day This sacrificing of my self cost me in truth somewhat dear as also for that I was constrain'd to separate from my Brother who was design'd for the same reason to another Mission tho we had flatter'd our selves that we should one day both together taste the sweet Comforts of manuring those Fields where both of us were in hopes to reap the same Harvest But when a Man has once devoted himself to God to what purpose is it afterwards to be sparing of himself So that I prepar'd to be gone with a numerous Caravan that was mustering together and within a short time was ready to depart for Betlis the Capital City of Curdistan Among the rest that made up this Caravan there was an Armenian Merchant who profess'd himself a Roman Catholick and who under that Notion seem'd to be much a Friend of the Jesuits Now in regard that then I understood not any of the Eastern Languages I thought I could not do better then to put my self into the Hands of this Person out of a Confidence that his Religion and his Love for our Society would oblige him to take care of me in this the first of all my Travels It was in the time of a Lent which the Armenians observe with so much rigour that they make it a great scruple of Conscience to feed upon Lettice Fish and Oyl or to drink Wine Therefore I thought my self engag'd to comply with the weakness of those people who believe the whole Essence of Religion to consist in these Exteriour Observations and to deprive my self as they did of all those Refreshments of Nature which the Catholick Church allows her Children For this purpose after I had only made my Provision of Biscuit Dates and some other dry'd Fruits together with a little Coffee for a Journey of above two hundred and fifty Leagues I left Aleppo disguiz'd like an Armenian for my greater security and went with my Conductor the 24 th of March to the General Rendevouz of the Caravan It was a Thursday in the Evening which the Turks made choice of on purpose to set forward out of a Superstitious Fancy very usual among the Eastern People who believe that if they begin a Journey upon a Friday Morning it will infallibly draw upon 'em a great number of Misfortunes during the whole course of their Travels though in my Opinion the misfortune of passing a whole Night so incommodiously as we were constrain'd to spend the first Night is one of the greatest Hardships that a man can well endure There was no great fear of not waking betimes in the Morning in regard 't was impossible for any body to sleep by reason of the horrible noise and hurry which cannot be at first avoided till every body is well setled in his Geares But at length the Caravan composs'd of about 200 persons being ready by break of day we all together quitted the Cavern where we lay and after we had cross'd in good order several Desart Plains of Syria where we had a view of the still famous City of Edessa which the Turks call Orpha we arriv'd at the Banks of Euphrates which we cross'd over in a large Flatbottom'd-Boat over against a little City by our Modern Geographers usually call'd by the Name of Birè where this River so much celebrated in Sacred History may be about three hundred Paces broad There although too late I found it to be true what a person perfectly acquainted with the East had told me That upon the Competitorship of several Guides that usually present themselves 't is better to make choice of a Turk then a Christian of the Country the latter neither having Authority to defend you nor courage to oppose himself against the cruel Impositions that are demanded of ye nor that Fidelity which is always observable in the other especially when he has sworn upon his head to conduct you safely In a word The Armenian to whose care I was recommended before my departure from Aleppo began to make me sensible at our passing the Euphrates that he was not the Person he was taken to be but that he minded much more his own Interest then my Preservation or Convenience For in regard the Ferrying Places over Rivers are the most critical Places in all
Consolation than the Affliction of my past Miseries had dejected me But that which contributed more then all the rest to make me look upon all my Sufferings as nothing was my meeting in those Parts with Father Barnaby a Jesuit then which nothing could be more acceptable to me as being the Person with whom I had long and passionately desir'd to conser to the end I might take such certain Measures from his Lips for the accomplishment of my undertaking which he approv'd no less then my self and had been one of those who had giv'n me the first Draught of Now in regard the Fathers in whose House we lodg'd would not discover us to one another to the end we might take the more delight in our enterview we met several times and talk'd together at the same time without knowing each other tho' we had formerly liv'd both together in the same College whether our Countenances were really alter'd after a long Separation or whether it were that the Fashion of our Habits which we were oblig'd to change and in which we had never seen each other made us appear quite different from what we were formerly Nevertheless by the force of long Consideration and attentive Examination we began to recal each other so well to mind that we became convinâ—'d of our former Acquaintance And then it was that we both abandon'd our selves to those pleasing Transports of Joy that upon the like Occasions seize the Souls of two Persons whom the Love of Jesus Christ has strictly united together After we had somewhat recover'd our selves from the Astonishment of such a happy surprizal and had given each other a mutual Account of our past Adventures I put him insensibly upon the design which he had formerly propos'd of opening a new way into China through Grand-Tartary and other Countries of Asia which are so little known in Europe Now in regard the had been extreamly zealous to know after what manner his design had been entertain'd in France and whether it had been approv'd by our Superiours he could not refrain from Tears when I put into his hands the Orders which I had been entrusted to deliver him and told him my mind withal in these words At length dear Father said I Heaven has heard your Prayers You are the Person whom Heaven has ordain'd for that great Undertaking of which you laid the design and here is the Person made choice of to be the faithful Companion of your Labours More then happy if you and I can but discover this important Passage or else lay down our Lives in obedience to the Call of God which inspires us both with the same desires for the Advancement of his Glory No sooner did he understand these joyful Tidings but he imparted to me all the prospects of his Consideration upon such an important design and made me so deeply sensible of the great Advantages which might be expected from it for the Establishment of Religion that he oblig'd me forthwith to take a Resolution never to abandon the Execution of this Enterprize whatever Accidents should intervene to cross it as being then persuaded as I am still that Resolution and Constancy would assure us of infallible Success From that happy moment we desir'd nothing more then to see our selves in a Condition to begin so pious a Work But in regard the Affairs of the Missions of Armenia call'd him to Aleppo and that the appointment of Heaven commanded me to Betlis we could do nothing further then agree together during our short stay at Diarbeker upon the ways and means which it behov'd us to make use of the Execution of our Design so soon as might be All things thus agreed he rejoyn'd his Caravan and I mine both well inclin'd on our parts to leave nothing omitted that might contribute to the accomplishment of our Vows Thus while he travell'd towards Euphrates I took the Road for Armenia after I had pass'd the Tiger the first time over a fair Stone-Bridge about a quarter of a League fron the City of Diarbeker But I was not so fortunate the second time that I was to cross it in a Wind-boat which the People on the other side of the River got ready in a moment so soon as they saw the Caravan appear This Machine which the People of the Country make use of not only to Ferry over the Tiger but also to-go by Water from place to place between Diarbeker to Bassora where this River falls into the Sea is no other then a fastning together of several Goatskins blown up and join'd together on the four Sides with as many long Perches ty'd very close together and afterwards cover'd over with several Branches of Trees that are carefully laid athwart When our Boat was ready it was carry'd a good way above that place where we staid for it on the opposite Shoar after which the Waterman lanching and getting into it the Stream which is very Rapid whirld it down the River and the strength of the Pilots Oars brought it just to our Feet The Baggage was soon carry'd over and then the Travellers got into the Boat with every one his Horse's Bridle in his hand the Horse being unsaddl'd for the more easy convenience of Swimming I follow'd the Crowd because I would not be one of the last but my being so hasty cost me dear For not being inform'd of the Precautions which it behov'd me to observe in standing upon those sort of Boats I unfortunately set my Foot upon one of the Borrachio's or Leathern Goat-skin Baggs which was not cover'd not knowing that by pressing it in that manner I should cause it to sink Upon which one of the Boat-men perceiving the false step I had made without any more to do took me by force and flung me back upon the Bank of the River where he fulfill'd his Revenge of my Inadvertency which certainly was no Crime but God reserv'd another Tryal for me at this Passage which was much more harsh and severe then that which I had suffer'd already For the Tiger which the excessive Rains that year had extreamly swell'd not being to be contain'd within its proper Channel makes a second by the Inundation which tho not so deep as the true Channel is very broad however and no less rapid then the real one Now every body being got a Horse-back to foard it in the place that was shew'd us I follow'd the File of those that were got before But before I was got to the middle my Horse that was weak and weary in striving to resist the impetuosity of the Torrent that began to be too strong for him threw me into the Water and the Stream which I was not able to resist carry'd me a great way along with it which had it not done I had immediately been trod to pieces in under the Horses feet that follow'd behind Immediately the People of the Caravan observing what had befallen me threw themselves pell-mell into the River Turks
and Christians and coming in time to my aid drew me out of the Water which however was not the last nor the greatest Danger which I escap'â— upon this occasion as you will find by the sequel When all the Caravan were got over to the other side of the River we descry'd a Camp of Curds to the number of Five or six thousand Men. Now in regard these wandring People are as formidable as the Arabs and for that they are no way inferior to 'em in the Art of Robbing we made it our business to get away as soon as we could out of their sight to prevent their falling upon us with a Party too numerous for us to resist Thereupon as wet as I was and as much reason as I had to shift me my Conductor conâ—â—rain'd me to follow the Caravan who to secure themselves from those Robbers that would have shew'd 'em no Mercy were forc'd to ride six whole hours together to gain a little Village where they were certain of being secure There was no way but to yield to necessity and venture all at such a pinch as this considering that whatsoever Course I took I was equally expos'd to most terrible Events And indeed 't was impossible that any man should suffer more all the while that we were travelling to our Stage the violent Shiverings the cruel Soundings wherewith I was seiz'd all the way in the coldest Season of the year made such violent onsets upon me that I never thought my self able to have held out against so many Hardships and Distresses at one time But in the Evening being arriv'd at the place where we were to stop for that Night only I was carry'd by good Fortune to the House of a Christian who became so mov'd with my deplorable Condition that he omitted nothing of whatever he could think of requisite to restore me to a little strength And God gave such a Blessing to his Charity that after I had rested for some hours upon a Bed I found my self the next Morning strong anough to continue my Journey Hardly had we travell'd two Leagues but we found our selves engag'd in the Mountains of Armenia where the Snow lay as high as a Pikes length Now in regard those Mountains which we crost are not altogether contiguous they leave at the bottom a narrow passage through which we rode for some time by the side of a River that runs in the Vally which separates the two Hills As I rode along I observ'd one thing very singular tho it happens every year as the People of the Country assur'd me The Snow which the heat of the Sun began at that time to melt and whose heat the Reverberation of his Beams very much augmented coming once to be dissolv'd falls down with such a headlong impetuosity that besides that the Rapidness of the Flood ranverses all the Houses which it meets with it forms a kind of a Mound in the midst of the River into which it discharges it self which stops the Course of the Water for some time so that when the Water comes to undermine that congeal'd Mass it opens a Passage through it and makes an Arch which serves instead of a solid Bridge to bear Travellers and Beasts of Burthen and so remains so long as the Cold and Frost continues We were above eight days before we could get clear of this dreadful mountainous Labyrinth where the ways were somtimes so fill'd up with Snow that our Horses fell down under us every step they took so that we had employment enough to lift 'em up and load 'em again insomuch thaâ— sometimes we could not go above a Leagnâ— a day and that for the most part a foot leading our Horses by the Bridle But that which render'd our March mosâ— toilsome to me was the steepness and rugâ—gedness of the Mountains over which we were forc'd to scramble there being neither Path nor Footstep to be seen and some that we were constrain'd to clamber were above a quarter of a League high After all which Toils and Fatigues at length we arriv'd at Betlis upon Easter-Monday the 22â— of April a Month after our departure from Aleppo Father Roche who had notice some days before of my arrival by some Horsemen that made more speed then the restâ— met me at the Caravan-sera or Inn belonging to the City at the same time that I alighted and carri'd me forthwith to thâ— House where he lay Where while I continu'd my only business was to study thâ— Turkish Language unless it were some domestick Business which I took upon me to thâ— end my Companion might have the more time to entertain his Neophites or new Converts whose extraordinary Zeal ravish'd me to that degree that it was onâ— of my most pressing Encouragements to fiâ—â— my self the soonest I could to the end I might be in a condition to taste the Pleasures of a Missionary when he has the happiness to recover a lost Sheep into the Flock of the Church While I was labouring with all diligence to procure this felicity to my self we receiv'd Orders from Aleppo to quit this Mission and to go and settle another at Erzerum where there were very probable hopes of making greater progress then at Betlis and with less danger of being turn'd out of our Employments then in the Post where we were whence we were constrain'd many times to part from one another to satisfie the Bacha of Wan who was desirous to have some one of the Jesuits near him in the place of his Residence which was twenty Leagues from Betlis to attend him as his Physician For this Reason it was that Father Barnaby went to Aleppo there to lay before the Superior General of the Missions the Inconveniences of such frequent Separations which besides that they disturb'd the whole Order of our Ministerial Functions were disadvantagious to the Christians of the Country among whom there was more to be gain'd then among the Turks who lie under a moral impossibility of being converted But this order how reasonable soever it appear'd did not a little perplex us by reason of the difficulty and danger in the execution of it For we were extreamly belov'd over all the City the Emir who was Chief Commander had a great value for us and look'd upon us as people that were very serviceable to him so that we could not hope that he would ever consent to our departure Therefore we thought it not our best way to ask leave to be gone but rather privately to withdraw without imparting our Design to any living Soul But notwithstanding all the secret Measures we took to conceal our Departure the Christians had notice of it and presently applying themselves to the Emir to the end they might the better engage him to detain us told him all they could to our advantage and more indeed then they knew For after they had laid before him the Charity of the Missionaries in respect of their Sick People their Ability in all
and which above all things put us upon resolving to settle there is the vast concourse of all Nations that trade in Asia more especially of the Armenians who have a particular kindness for this City which was formerly the Seat of their Kings insomuch that to this day there are to be seen the Ruins of the Palace where they kept their Court with some beautiful Remains of the Patriarchal Church which they had built in honour of St. Iohn I understood by Father Barnaby who was got thitheâ— some days before us the willing dispositions which he had found in the City as well of the Turks as Christians to befriend our settlement among 'em while both strove to honour him with the Marks of their Esteem and Affection And it may seem a wonder perhaps that the Person whom God has made use of to lay the Foundations of this important Mission was once an unfortunate Renegat who seems to have been guided to Erzerum only to prepare the Hearts and Minds of the People by prepossessing 'em as he did in our favour This Person who had been taken very young upon the Sea afterwards turn'd Mabumetan had not so far renounc'd the Christian Religion but that he had preserv'd sufficient Idea's of it to make him understand the falseness of that which either Interest or Force had constrain'd him to profess So that when he understood who we were he made no scruple to discover the Motives that had drawn us into Armenia He gave us several Visits and made it appear by the serious Discourses which he had with us concerning the Affairs of Religion that he was not so thoroughly convinc'd of that which he prosess'd and that a little thing would make him embrace again the true Religion which he had forsaken But in regard his time was not come it seems as if Providence only made use of him to authorize our Functions among a People by whom he was as much esteem'd for his particular merit as he was respected for his Quality and Degree And in regard his Employment gave him free and easie access into all Houses he rais'd our Reputation so high by those things which he publish'd every where to our advantage that we were look'd upon by all the Inhabitants as extraordinary persons The Armenians more especially were so sensible of our Zeal to prefer them before all other Nations of the East that after they had met together to congratulate the happiness which we had procur'd 'em and to testifie their sincere acknowledgment of so great a favour they caus'd our Names to be enregister'd as also the Year and Day of our arrival in the City to preserve the memory of of it to perpetuity in the publick Registers of the Church Such happy beginnings were afterwards attended with so many Blessings that we were easily induc'd to acknowledge thaâ— God was pleas'd with the Post which we had chos'n for there followed a great number of eminent Conversions whole Families abjur'd their Schisms and their Errors and a general Reformation of Manners appear'd in all those who were recover'd into the State of Grace In a word their Piety and Zeal distinguish'd 'em so for above others that were not so docible that the difference of their Lives and Conversations that was to be observ'd in the verâ— dawnings of their Conversion among 'em seem'd a sensible proof to several of the traâ—â— of our Religion So that I had the pleasure during a stay of Six Months that 〈◊〉 made at Erzerum to see that growing Church encreasing with so much success that I thought we had no reason to envy the Primitive Ages of Christianity But iâ— was not so much the number of the Faithful that compos'd it which render'd it considerable as the Zeal with which it appear'd to be enliven'd Their frequent coming to the Sacrament their assiduity in Prayer the Modesty the strict union that reign'd among 'em a certain Air of Sanctity that diffus'd it self thoough all their Actions were the rising grounds that gave us an easy and delightful Prospect of our good success So that I should have esteem'd my self happy to have enjoy'd all my life time these savory Fruits of the Apostleship of Heaven that had call'd me long before together with Father Barnaby to cultivate the Lands of Tartary o'regrown with Weeds and Thistles had not they oblig'd us to renounce that Consolation by engaging us to enlarge our Conquests and extend the limits of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Upon this consideration it was that my Companion after we had left our Mission in so good a plight parted from me for some time with a design to go to Irivan where his presence was necessary not only to confirm the settlement there made some years before but also to take certain measures with the Indians and Yousbecks which usually resort thither in order to the carrying on of our intended Enterprize Besides it requir'd four whole Months to regulate all things rightly and to give me leasure to perfect my self in the Turkish Tongue which I had begun to learn with good success No sooner was I in a condition by my self to labour in the salvation of Souls but I receiv'd order to follow him But some few days before my departure a little before Midnight we were surpris'd with an Earthquake so furious that there was hardly any body among us who did not believe himself utterly lost I wak'd of a suddain at what time the Beams and Girders of my Chamber were all in motion and I was afraid more then once that the Walls that seem'd to stoop forward would have buried me under their Ruins But there happen'd no ill consequences of this disorder The Earthquake ceas'd in half a quarter of an hour though it continu'd with a much more moderate shaking for eight days together precisely at the same hour that it began the first time In regard these sorts of Accidents are very usual in Armenia by reason of the prodigious number of Mountains with which that Province is cover'd the People of the Country have no other way to shelter and secure themselves from the dreadful consequences which they fear but to leave the Cities and abide in the Fields under Tents till every thing be quiet Yet sometimes they are surpris'd notwithstanding all the care they can take For in regard that the Earth many times cleaves and opens with the violence of the shogs of the Earthquake Matter sometimes whole Villages are swallow'd-up in those parts where the motion is most sensibly perceiv'd as they told me it befel a Village about seven or eight Leagues from the City One time I met with a Mathematician that was somewhat intoxicated with Copernicus's Philosophy who was of opinion that all these Violent Motions extreamly favour'd the Opinion of that Philosopher who perhaps would not have fail'd himself to have made use of the same proof to have supported his Opinion granting that these motions were regularly
convenient places in his Hoy at a reasonable Rate But the same day that we had sent our luggage aboard and were embark'd our selves one of the Governor's Officers brought us an Order to come ashoar again with an express Prohibition on to all the Vessels in the Harbour not to receive us aboard upon pain of his indignation This put us into a strange consternation however there was no remedy but Obedience and return we must to our old Post till Heav'n should be pleas'd to take our Cause in hand Well during the time that we were thus compell'd to stay a second time at Astracan the objects of our sight and whatever struck our ears was all doleful and afflicting For not to speak of the dreadful Tempests which more then once we thought would have utterly overturn'd the whole City or at least have stifl'd the Inhabitants with a dismal Mist of thick and scorching Dust which driven on by a violent Wind had envelopp'd all the City the frightful reports of Mortality and Pestilence alarum'd us every day and a terrible Bleeding at the Nose had like to have depriv'd me of my Companion no hopes of recovering our Liberty by the means of the Polish Ambassodor's returning out of Persia whom the Governor detain'd in a desart Island under pretence of putting a stop to the contagion All these misfortunes abated our courage and cast us down in such a manner that life it self began to be a burthen to us But God who suffer'd us to fall into this Abyss recover'd us out of it by a means the more extraordinary by how much it seem'd altogether opposite to our designs They who have the least knowledge of the Religion of the Greek Church which the Muscovites profess well enough understand that the Priests and Monks who are the chief support of it are utter Enemies of the Church of Rome and of all that are united to it Nay the excess of their hatred is such that if any person happens to become a Convert to their Faith that was a Catholick before their Doctors Baptize him a second time before they admit him into their Communion out of an Opinion that that same second Baptism defaces the Character of Catholick which was â—â—printed in his Soul However notwithstanding this mortal aversion we found two powerful Protectors who made it a point of Honour to obtain of the Vayvode that Liberty which he had ravish'd from us The first was the Archbishop or Metropolitan as he is call'd of the City where we were detain'd We had paid him frequent Visits and he had always receiv'd us with great demonstrations of Friendship and Esteem and when he officiated in publick always invited us to the Ceremony The second was the Superiour of the principal Monastery of the Monks of St. Basil in Astracan to whom we had been in some measure serviceable among other things in expelling a Worm out of his Body of an Ell and a half long by means of the Emetick Powder To these two Persons in the midst of our extremity not knowing what courses to take we unburthen'd our hearts not withour some tears which the excess of our grief drew from us And that language which much better express'd the Sorrow of our Souls then ill-pronounc'd Sclavonian wrought all the full effect we could desire in the minds of our two Mediators For away they went forthwith to the Governour and so strenuously laid before him the injustice of his Proceedings of which they also threaten'd to inform the Court that he who was afraid of hampering himself in Court-molestation not only recall'd his Prohibitions but gave positive Orders to the Masters of the Vessels to receive us when and where we pleas'd our selves Having paid our acknowledgment to our Benefactors we were altogether for leaving a City that had caus'd us so much trouble and meeting luckily with a close Bark ready to depart for Saratof we hir'd a couple of places in it and the Ninth of Octob. was fix'd for the day of our departure But before I go on with the Relation of our Voyage I cannot forbear to give an account of a Tragical Accident that happen'd before our eyes in the Caravansera where we lay and where certain Foreign Banians had hir'd Apartments One of 'em who had formerly had a Quarrel in India with one of his Countrey-men who Travell'd out of Persia into Tartary with us invited him to Dinner and entertain'd him very handsomely together with some others of his Friends Dinner being ended they sell to a Game at Chess which is a Game very common in the East and no less in fashion in Muscovy While the Gamesters were intent upon their Play the Person whom we spoke of having laid up in his breast a secret Animosity against the new comer who sate next him and who thought there had been a perfect Reconciliation between 'em drew his Dagger unperceiv'd and after he had Stabb'd it Five or Six times into his Body never left him till he saw his Bowels drop out of the deep Wounds he had made All that were present equally surpriz'd and consternated at such a strange peice of Savage Treachery rose from the Table hastily to seize upon him but the Malefactor no way discompos'd fixing upon the most daring that Attempted to lay hands upon him Stabb'd him Three times with his Dagger into the Reines and laid him sprawling upon the floor with the first that was slain The rest mistrusting their inability to guard ' emselves from the same misfortune fled out of the Chamber and cry'd out Murther Upon which the whole Quarter was in an Uproar understanding from those Persons that were all in dismay the Massacre that had been committed The rest of the City also being inform'd of it throng'd together over-against the Apartment where the Murtherer stood his ground They endeavour'd also to get up to him surround and apprehend him but he in a furious Posture with his Dagger in his hand so scar'd the Officers of Justice that there was not one among 'em that durst adventure to lay hold of him However they found a way to force a window through which some Soldiers enter'd into the Chamber where the poor Wounded Creatures lay ready to expire for want Assistance Upon which the undaunted Indian understanding by the noise which they made in barrocading up the doors which they had seiz'd that there was no way for him to escape advanc'd to the threshold of the door that open'd into his Apartment and putting himself into a Posture to hold out the Siege as long as he could understood by the reproaches of his own Friends that he had not been so lucky in his Revenge as he thought since there was some hopes of life in the two Victims of his Resentment Thereupon more mad that he fail'd in his Attempt then anxious for the rigorous punishment that attended him he did that which I should hardly have believ'd had I not been a witness of it my self No
the skin that makâ—s it so highly esteem'd but when any body comes to buy one the owner will not let it go but upon condition the Purchaser shall fill it with as many Crowns as it will hold Though ir is a long while that this Trade has been settl'd in Muscovy 't was none of their faults that it was not formerly as great as it iâ— now For before the discovery of these Sable-Martins they were contented all over the Kingdom with common Furrs and unless it were the Ermin-Furr which only Persons of Quality made use of they knew no other sort But since the discovery of these Creatures so much sought after which fell by chance rather then cunning into their hands they have made appear such an eager thirst to satisfie their Avarice at the expence of those whom they have found profusely fond of this sort of Ornament that they have made no scruple to engage ' emselves in those forlorn Countries in hopes to find wherewithal to enrich ' emselves By the means of all these their irregular Incursions it was that they laid open several New Roads which led 'em insensibly into China Now in regard that those who have happen'd to hit upon the way to the Borders of the Country have every one taken Roads quite different the one from the other so they have been able to inform us which are those that are most certainly to be depended on for security and shortness And here we shall give an account of what the Relations which are kept in the Chancery of Moskow more particularly instruct us The first Road that carries a Traveller by Land into China is that through India and the Mogul's Country which the great number of Robbers and the vast Deserts that are to be cross'd over render very dangerous and almost impracticable We are beholding to the Jesuits for the knowledge of it whom those dangers have no way discourag'd The Tartars of Astrakan and Bokara have sometimes taken this Road but then they have been very careful to joyn with a numerous Caravan The second is that which the Merchants of Bocara take who Travel through the Cities of Samarkan Kaboul Kachemire and Tourafan and several other Cities of the Yousbecs from whence they go to Barantola which the Residence of Dalaâ—-Lama renders the most considerable of all the Cities of the Greater Tartary But this Road is not a little difficult by reason of the Sands that are to be cross'd and because of the Calmoues that infest the Roads But the Muscovites make choice of this way without any scruple And they have been often known to fall down from Tobolsk to Bocara through Cazan on purpose to Travel this Journey with the Yousbecks notwithstanding the easiness of going to China by the River Ohi. The third is frequented by the Yousbeck Tartars by the Trading Calmucs and the Muscovites also From Tobolsk you ride along by the Lakes that yield great quantities of Salt near Irticks and Kama after which you Travel for some time by Water upon the first of these two Rivers as far as a City call'd Sinkamè where you continue your Journey by Land through the Territories of the Kalmouc's and Moguls as far as Kokutan which is not above Eight or Ten days Journey from the Famous Wall which separates China from Great Tartary Neither is this Road without some difficulties as want of Water and molestation of the Calmoues unless well provided to make a stout resistance However the Taiso Ajonka who is the Kan or chief Captain of the Horde of Tartars who have no fix'd Habitations but live after the manner of the Ancient Scythians might if he pleas'd secure this way and make it safe for Travellers which sometimes he will vouchsafe to do for the sake of some little Presents And from Kokutan you may enter into China through many Gates of this great Wall The fourth supposes that you pass through Tobolsk and go by Water upon the Obi and the Szelinga as far as the City of Szelingui from whence you Travel by Land through the Countrey of the Monguls From this last-mention'd City it will require Eight weeks time to reach the place where the Kan of Bechroesaim and the Coutoussta-Lama reside From whom by the Intermediation of some few Civilities you may obtain Guides and Carriages and a good Convoy to carry you to China This Road the Muscovites have held ever since the war between them and the Chineses near the River Yamour and it is the safest and most commodious way of all the rest Only you must make provision of Water and Wood in some places And though you may sometimes meet upon the Road with Robbers they are neither so Cruel nor so numerous as in other parts The fifth is that which the Envoy of Muscovy Spartarius made choice of for China and then you must pass through Siberia to get to the City of Nero-Zinki upon the River Szilkâ— after that you go to Dâ—uri not far from the Kiver Naiunai from whence you continue your Road to Cheria that lies upon the entrance into China The distance is equal from Nerc Zinski to Dauri and from Dauri to Cheria If you will believe this Relation of which I have thus far given a faithful Copy this Road is as safe as it is short for that from Nerc Zinski to the River Argus that falls into the Yamour you shall meet all along with the Yachutchiki or Martin-Hunters After which you pass through the Territories of certain Monguls who are terribly afraid of the Muscovites But it is not probable there is now so much security as formerly in passing through those Monguls for that Travellers at this time either take a little higher through Albazin and fetch a compass to get from thence into China or a little lower passing from Szelingui through the Territories of Beckroesaim The sixth is also through Nerczinski and the Mongul from whence you Travel on to the Lake Dalai or you may go from Nerczinki to the Lake in one Week There you meet with the Emperor of China's Subjects who have manur'd all the Lands that lye about the Lake from which you may go in three Weeks to China upon Wagons drawn with Oxen. Out of this Lake Dalai it is that the River Argus a very fair River takes its rise It is Navigable all along and carries you by Water to the River Yamour into which it falls Near the River Argus are several Mines of Silver and Lead and there it is that a considerable Tayso whose Name is Sebdenkan resides who is bound to find Convoys for the Musoovites that Travel for China three times a year and to secure the Road that they may Travel it in so much the shorter time To all these Relations we ought to join one more which affords us a very ample knowledge of all the People that inhabit the Countries joining upon China which was imparted to us by a person of good Reputation who had it
pay him a certain Tribute or else he would be continually Harrassing their Countries 'T is also reported that he is very Magnificent that he goes always clad in White and never eats but serv'd in Gold Plate We saw at Moscow a French Officer who had been in the Tent of this same Kan when he lay at Astrakan at the Head of a Hundred Thousand Tartars to demand his Tribute who confirm'd all that has been said concerning his Magnificence only that he never saw him make use of either Gold or Silver Plate The Calmoucs have no Cities nor fix'd Habitations but only live in Tents made of Felts which are very neat and very commodious nor is there any Nation so nimble at Camping and Decamping in an instant as they there being no Nation so much accustom'd to it in regard they never stay long in a place and are always making Incursions They are all Idolaters as well as the Mongulls and all the rest of the Nations of Great Tartary as far as the Indians and every one of these Pagan Nations acknowledge for the Head of their Religion the Dalaè-Lama or Lamalamalow except those of Bokara and Samarkand who make Profession of Mahometism This Impostor has his Residence in the Kingdom of Sanshut which extends from the Mongulls the Calmoucs and Turquestan between China and Persia to the Indies The Capital of his Territories is the City of Barantola where there is a Temporal Prince also call'd Deva but the Dalaè lives in a Fortress call'd Beatalaè that stands very near the same City 'T is not to be imagin'd how he is in a manner worshipp'd over all Tartary They send from all parts to desire his Benediction and when he goes into China he is receiv'd with more then ordinary Honours The Jesuit Adam Schall us'd all his endeavours to disswade the Emperor from going to meet him or to pay him any respect But the Emperor as much convinc'd as he was that the Dalaè was an Impostor durst not follow the Jesuit's Counsel but after he had heap'd upon him all imaginable Honours and Favours sent him back loaden with Magnificent Presents The Tartars are fully perswaded that the Dalaè never dies but that he renews like the Moon To make this out so soon as the Dalaè lyes at the point of Death they that are about him make diligent search for a Lama the likest to him that possibly they can find and so soon as the Head of their False Religion is dead they set him up in his Room and carefully conceal the deceas'd Body which they affirm to be renew'd in his Successor M. Tavernier reports the same thing of the King of Thebes but there is some probability that he was misinform'd he not having been upon the place as the Muscovites who make this Relation were and who drive a very considerable Trade with the Tartars from whom they learnt moreover that this Dalaè is never suffer'd to be seen by any body unless they are willing to pay him all the Honours which they give him themselves prostrating themselves before him and adoring him as a God This Relation adds that the Chineses call the Tartars Totai because they have not the Letter R in their Language Nor do I know why we call 'em Tartars seeing that in Poland Muscovy and even in Tartary it self they abridge the Name and call 'em only Tatar It appears by what I have said of the Kingdom of Tanchut that the Dalaè-lama is without all contradiction that same Famous Preste-Iean concerning whom Historians have written so variously In a word since that Title and whatever many Authors have said of him can be attributed to no Person more justly then to this Dalaè-lama 't is more natural to acknowledge him in this Country of Asia where he has always been then to seek him out in Habyssinia where he never was 'T is also an understanding Observation of F. Kirker who in his Polite Piece touching the Particulars of China after he has describ'd the Manners and Customs of the different people that encompass that wide Empire demonstrates the Ingenuity of the Portugueses in the search which they have made after this so extraordinary Prince and so well known in the world under the Name of Preste-Iean of whom they publish'd so many particular things To clear this part of History which is altogether perplex'd and at the same time to undeceive those who may have suffer'd themselves to be prepossess'd by all those fabulous Tales that have been utter'd abroad as real Truths they are to understand that while the Portugueses were in search of the East-Indies Iohn the Second sent one of his Subjects by Name Peter de Coulan to discover 'em by Land and particularly charg'd him to inform himself where that same Preste-Iohn so much talk'd of in Europe reign'd yet not knowing in what part of the World his Empire lay The design of Iohn the Second was to have made an alliance with him perswaded as he was and according as he had heard it reported that he was a potent Prince and profess'd the Christian Religion In obedience to his Princes Orders Peter de Coulan pass'd into Asia and penetrated a great way into India where he learnt many things of great importance and curiosity But notwithstand all his diligence he could not hear of Preste-Iohn nor meet with any body that could tell any Tidings of him only coming to Caire in his return homeward he heard that in Ethiopia beyond Egypt there reign'd a Rich and Potent Prince Who every time he shew'd himself in publick had a Cross carry'd before him and that he was a declar'd Protector of the Christians Now in regard these Marks agreed with the Character that had been given him to discover the Prince he was in search of there needed no more to perswade that Traveller into a belief of what he most of all things in the world desir'd to know So that he made no farther doubt but that Preste-Iohn was that same Monarch of the Abyssins and he believ'd it so truly that he wrote his Discovery into Portugal without any farther Examination Nor were they more scrupulous at Lisbonne where the news was receiv'd with a great deal of joy and applause Upon which they who sail'd into Africa the following years prepossess'd with this Opinion contributed not a little to confirm it by their Relations so that as false as it was the Mistake was soon spread all over Europe Now though this same stupid Error was refuted by several learned persons and tho the falshood of it might be easily discover'd by what Damian de Goez Nicolas Godigno and Baltazar Tellez have written of it as being perfectly inform'd of every thing that concern'd Ethiopia where they had been long resident yet I cannot forbear to observe with F. Kirker that the Latin Chronology of the Kings of Habyssinia makes no mention of Preste-Iohn and therefore all the Authors of any Antiquity that have taken
whatever may be the Issue of the War we may assure our selves by what I have said That the Road from Muscovy to Chinae is no Chimera nor impracticable thing and that it would be likewise the most commodious and shortest way were there but never so little reliance upon the Muscoviâ—es who after several Journeys have made themselves such absolute Masters of all the Roads that lead thither that they take indifferently sometimes one and sometimes another according as their occasions prompt ' em I know they did not presently accomplish their design and that it cost 'em a world of Trials and Experiments before they could find out all the means to secure themselves and others in their passage but in regard they spar'd for nothing to bring about this Discovery and that they have been careful from time to time to send away Supplies of Hunters to view and take an account of Countries through which they thought new ways might be open'd they have so levell'd and remov'd all Difficulties that they make no more of going to China then of travelling to Arch-Angel or Astrakan This Reflection which some perhaps would not vouchsafe themselves the leisure perhaps to make when they imagin'd the way from Moscow to Peking neither safe nor easie may serve to adjust and reconcile the several Ruttiers or Cards that have been drawn these several years ago and to explain at the same time after what manner divers Ambassadors sent from one Court to another came to spend some more time then others in this Journey which some have finish'd in four or five months while it has cost others near eighteen In short The principal aim of the Muscovites in these sorts of Ambassies having always been to discover the vast extent of Land that lies between their Territories and the Empire of China 't is no wonder if they who were entrusted with this affair travelling as they did like true Adventurers rather then sedulous Ambassadors have shew'd less earnestness to arrive with speed at their journey's end then to consider the nature of the Countrey through which they travell'd and the course of the Rivers which they met with upon the Road. 'T is to be thought that 't was in this manner that the Knez Theodore Iacowitz Boicow travell'd from Tobolsk to Pekiâ— in 1653. at what time the Czar sent him his Ambassador to China For in regard he mounted up the River as he did as far as the Springs of the Irtish I know not what should make him turn out of the way so much to the right hand had he not had private Orders rather to mind looking after the Establishments all along the River then to treat with the Chineses for whom the Muscovites had little or no esteem at that time However it were the Merchants who are more for their own then the Czar's Interest perform this Journey at present so safely and in so little time that for the most part they never take up above four months in going to Peking and returning to Moscow And this we learnt about three years since from certain Merchants who set out of Peking after they had heard Mass in the Jesuits House upon St. Peter and St. Paul's day and got to Moscow much about All-holland-Tide the same year where they staid till the end of Winter to join the Caravans at Zobalsk from whence they duly set out every year After all these convincing Proofs and Demonstrations upon which I thought my self bound to insist thus particularly as I have done I make no question but the Reader will abandon all the false Idea's which he had conceiv'd touching the distance of Euâ—ope from China and suffer himself to be convinc'd that of all the ways that lead to that flourishing Empire that which the Muscovites make choice of now-a days is both the safest and the shortest But besides these Advantages which are not a little to be consider'd the convenience of carriage contributes very much to mitigate the Fatigues inseparable from these sorts of Journeys Usually you set forward from Moscow toward the end of February and in regard the Snow by that time is become more beaten and solid by reason of the great number of Sledds that pass continually to and fro at that time far more then at the beginning of the Winter Travellers in less then three Weeks get to the Capital City of Siberia tho it be eight hunder'd Wersts or three hunder'd and fifty French Leagues off There they stay some time for the thaw to take the Sudais or Vessel which carries 'em by Water in the Rivers which they meet with on this side and beyond the Obi which thaw if it happens later then usually then they continue their Journey by Land till they come to a Hâ—rde of Tartars who are call'd Ostiaki and are subject to the Muscovites There they change their manner of carriage and take a new sort of carriage much more nimble and commodious then the former which are sent back to Tobelsk For whereas the Sledds made use of by the Muscovites are always drawn by one Horse whose keeping is somewhat troublesome and chargeable to the other Sledd they only fasten a Reine Deer such as the Samoedes make use of in their Winter-Travels and to make 'em go more swift they tie a great Dog behind that scaring the poor Beast with his barking sets her a running with that speed as to draw her Burthen no less then forty Leagues a day But that which is more wonderful as to these sort of Sledds they are also driven along by the Wind sometimes over the Land cover'd with Snow sometimes over the Ice of frozen Rivers as our Vessels that sail upon the Sea For in regard the Country beyond Siberia is open and extreamly level as far as Mount Gaucasus the people who inhabit it making use of this advantage to spare their Beasts have so order'd their Sledds as either to be drawn along by the Reine-Deer or else to carry Sails when the Wind favours ' em This manner of Carriage is so much the more commodious in regard you meet with no interruption in your Travels For as in a Barque you have recourse to Oares when the Wind slack'ns or proves contrary so the Deer and the Dog labour when the Air is calm but are put into the Sledd when the Wind serves to drive it along Thus so long as the Ice continues to bear you come to the River Genessai where the Muscovites have built a City of the same Name for the convenience of Travellers and there it is that you take Boat to remount the two great Rivers Tongusi and Augara which rise out of the Lake of Baikala and which are commonly allow'd to be 500 Wersts in length and forty broad 'T is said that the Water of this Lake is extraordinary clear and that notwithstanding the depth of it you may clearly discern the colour of the Stones that lie at the bottom It is encompass'd
with several high Mountains where the Snow lies all the Summer long as well as in the midst of Winter And doubtless this it is that constrains Travellers to spend many times seven or eight days in crossing it tho it be not above eight Leagues over For this Lake being as it naturally ought to be the general Rendezvouz of various Winds that blow through the hideous Rocks with which it is environ'd 't is to be thought that when they happen to blow from several points at the same time they must put the Vessels which they meet to a great deal of trouble and that it requires and extraordinary forefight or good luck to prevent a stop for some time After you have quitted this Lake if you please you may enter into a River call'd Schelingâ— and then going still by Water you meet about fifty Leagues from the mouth of it with a City of the same Name which the Muscovites built to facilitate the passage of their Carâ—vans or if you rather chuse to land immediately after you have cross'd the Lake then you find your self among the Monguls that lie to the South of whom you buy Mules and Dromedaries to continue your Journey to the first City of China to which you come after fifteen days travel After this manner the most part of the Muscovite Merchants travel that traffick with the Chineses By which 't is plain that all the Countries that were formerly but confusedly known under the Name of the Grand Tartary are neither so desert nor so untill'd as people to this day imagine and that the not taking the benefit that might have been taken by a narrower search has been a considerable loss those Countries being water'd with a great many fair Rivers and furnish'd with so many valuable Commodities as are daily discover'd Not to speak of Rubarb Azure-stone and Castors which are very plentiful among the Yousbecks and Monguls the Sables and Black-Foxes that are taken all along the Rivers of Obi Tongusi and Angara the Ginseng-Roots the Pearls and Badian which the River Yamour affords the Silver and Lead-Mines near Argus the Muscovites have found out more especially in the Lands that advance more to the North several other Rarities wherein they drive a considerable Trade Besides Furs of all sorts which they fetch from all Quarters and of which the sale is so great that the City of Genâ—ssia alone pays every year to the Grand Duke's Treasury fourscore thousand Roubles custom which amounts to near Sixscore thousand Crowns of French Money they have discover'd a sort of Ivory which is whiter and smother then that which comes from the Indies Not that they have any Elephants that furnish 'em with this Commodity for the Northern Countries are too cold for those sort of Creatures that naturally love heat but other Amphibious Animals which they call by the Name of Behemot which are usually found in the River Lena or upon the Shores of the Tartarian-Sea Several teeth of this Monster were shewn us at Moskow which were ten Inches long and two in Diameter at the Root Nor are the Elephants Teeth comparable to 'em either for beauty or whiteness besides that they have a peculiar property to stanch Blood being carried about a person subject to bleeding The Persians and Turks who buy 'em up put a high value upon 'em and prefer a Scimiter or a Dagger Haâ—t of this precious Ivory before a handle of Massy Gold or Silver But certainly no body better understands the price of this Ivory then they who first brought it into request considering how they venture their Lives in attacking the Creature that produces it which is as big and as dangerous as a Crocodile They were beholding for the discovery of this to the Inhabitants of a certain Island out of which if the Muscovites are to be believ'd issu'd the first Colonies that ever peopl'd America And thus much we learnt upon this subject from the Vayvode of Smolensko whose Name was Mouchim Pouckhim a person of as great a wit as a man can well meet with and perfectly acquainted with all the Countries that lie beyond the Obi as having been a long time Intendant of the Chancery of the Government of Siberia After he had ask'd us in a Discourse which we had with him in what manner we thought that America came to be first peopl'd upon the general Answer which we gave him grounded upon the common Opinion he gave us to understand that he had a Conjecture more probable then any of ours There is said he beyond the Obi a great River call'd Kawoina into which another River empties it self by the Name of Lena At the mouth of the first River that discharges it self into the Frozen-Sea stands a spacious Island very well peopl'd and which is no less considerable for hunting the Behemot an amphibious Animal whose Teeth are in great esteem The Inhabitants go frequently upon the side of the frozen Sea to hunt this Monster and because it requires great labour and assiduity they carry their Families usually along with ' em Now it many times happens that being surpriz'd by a Thaw they are carry'd away I know not whither upon huge pieces of Ice that break off one from another For my part added he I am perswaded that several of those Hunters have been carry'd upon these floating pieces of Ice to the most Northern parts of America which is not far off from that part of Asia which juts out into the Sea of Tartary And that which confirms me in this Opinion is this That the Americans who inhabit that Country which advances farthest toward that Sea have the same Physiognomy as those unfortunate Islanders whom the over-eager Thirst after Gain exposes in that manner to be Transported into a Foreign Climate We might add to what the Vaivode told us that there are also in that part of America several of those Creatures that are so common in Muscovy more especially Beavers which might have been Transported thither after the same manner And this Conjecture seem'd to me to be so much the better grounded in that it is frequently to be seen in Poland that such great pieces of Ice keep whole and entire from Warsaw till they come to fall a great way into the Baltic Sea But it would be requisite for the better confirmation and assurance of a matter of this importance to be well inform'd of the Language of those People that so nearly resemble the Islanders in Face and Body for if there were any thing of Affinity between their Languages methinks there should no farther question be made of the Conjecture We might have learnt many other Curiosities of this Vaivode who without doubt is the most Accomplish'd Person in all Muscovy but that we were afraid of awaking his jealousie by multiplicity of Interrogatories And besides we observ'd by some answers which he made us that he was fearful of creating himself trouble at Court where his extraordinary Merit
in Playing upon all sorts of Instruments and in handling an Ingraver I excited him as much as possible I could not to omit any thing in order to obtain of his Superiours the favour of which his profound humilty made him to seem unworthy altho' he was very desirous of it he did it accordingly and by reiterated Prayers and Supplications he overcame all the obstacles that oppos'd the accomplishment of his Holy Desires The Esclavonian and Russian Tongues which those two Missionaries understood perfectly together with the Turkish and Tartar which Father Barnaby and my self spoke sufficiently enabled us to cross all Siberia and all the Great Tartary to the Consines of China without wanting any foreign Interpreters which was the reason for which we engag'd Poland to enter into our design and to joyn with us in order to discover that passage with ease which in the sequel would have prov'd so much the more easie to all our Society by reason that it seem'd to secure us a Communication with the most distant Countries in the World The happy disposition I met with on the side of the Polish Fathers in Order to promote the word of God was no sooner known in France but they labour'd with all the speed imaginable to obtain us all the assistance they judgâ—d proper to facilitate more and more the execution thereof Father Barnaby who knew better than any Man what was necessary for the discovery of the new way we were going to attempt took care to provide abundance of Trinkets and a world of excellent Remedies in order to present them to those Tartarian Princes whose Protection we should stand in need of He was likewise provided with all manner of Mathematical Instruments to observe the Longitudes of the different Countries through which we were to pass in a word he was furnish'd with all things that could render our Journey of use to Religion and Sciences Being thus provided with all things besides the King's Recommendations he repair'd to Roan there to imbark with a young Jesâ—it who had only enter'd himself in the Society in order to dedicate his Life to foreign Missions In the mean time as the season of the Year was far spent it being then about the middle of November I thought fit to depart from Warsaw where I had spent the best part of the Year to go to Dantzic there to tarry for my Companions with whom I hop'd to reach Moscow before the end of Winter But God Almighty's Providence whose Judgments are unfathomable having suffer'd the Vessel in which our dear Conductor was imbark'd to miscarry put me to a new Trial aud by that Affliction the most sensible that ever I underwent dispos'd me to a great many others to which I was expos'd in the sequel Although this fatal Accident happen'd while I was at Dantzic where I had some secret presages of it I was not certainly inform'd therewith till some time after which hinder'd me from taking such speedy measures as were necessary to repair so great a Loss Notwithstanding the violence of my Affliction at the Confirmation I receiv'd of it from France Amsterdam and Hamburg I resolv'd not to droop and God Almighty inspir'd me with Courage enough to renew a design which had cost us so much Labour and which nothing but the motive of his Glory could indâ—ce me to persist in considering all the oppositions we had met in it The truth is I found my self more at a loss than ever the fatal Shipwrack of our Companions had also depriv'd us of all the assistance they brought us The ill reception the Ambassadours of Muscovy had receiv'd in France through their bad Conduct made us fearful of an ill success at the Court of Moscow where they are us'd to Sacrifice all to their resentment The seeds of the War which France has since wag'd against Germany with whom the Czars had lately made a League began already to allarm Muscovy All this I say seem'd to thwart our Project and to break all the Measures we might have taken at a more favourable time However I did not give over my hopes tho' I had but little prospect for any and I began to act with the more confidence by reason that I was then convinc'd of the vanity of Human Succours which I had been deceiv'd in in so many different occasions While I was at Dantzic poring upon our misfortune the Diet of Poland was held at Grodno which is a small City in Lithuania whither Count Syri whom I shall shortly speak of was gone to endeavour to obtain the Embassy of Persia where he had formerly been with the same Character from the King and the Assembled Republick in which he expected to meet greater advantages for Christendom than those he had been able to manage 'till then with the Cha. Whereas he had been extraordinary kind to me during my abode at Moscow where he arriv'd soon after us I thought he might prove of great use for the re-establishment of our Affairs the rather because he had always appear'd to me a great Votary to our Society and that he was very desirous to be known to our Monarch whose Vertues he publish'd every where with as much affection as if he had been the most Loyal of his Subjects or most Zealous Minister In hopes of his assistance I left Dantzic in the beginning of February and after eight hours march upon the Haff or Golf which is form'd by the Baltic-Sea which was frozen at that time I arriv'd at Koningsberg which is the Metropolis of Prussia about 24 German Miles from Dantzic Had I been less concern'd than I was for the fatal end of my Companion I should certainly have been delighted as well as all other Foreigners who are not us'd to Travel upon the Ice with the prodigious multitude of Stately Magnificent Sledges which cannot be express'd wherewith the Vistula was cover'd for notwithstanding my thoughts were wholly taken up with our misfortune I was diverted by that Spectacle which was agreeable to the beholders as pleasant to those that are in them This Machine is not unlike a Triumphal Carr drawn by one Horse that runs full speed without being hardly tired the which notwithstanding the swiftness of its Course causes no other movement than what is necessary to convince People that they do not stand still Altho' it was very necessary for me to arrive at Grodno before the breaking up of the Diet I was oblig'd to stop some days at Koningsberg to indulge the Devotion of several Catholicks whom Commerce had drawn into that City which belongs to the Duke of Brandenburg where they had not the free exercise of their Religion Having Sacrific'd to them part of the time I design'd for other uses I endeavour'd to repair it afterwards by an extraordinary diligence not to lose the occasion of recovering our Affairs which were in a desperate Condition I fortunately met at Grodno where all the Nobility
needs declare to his praise that he apply'd himself as much to maintain those of Religion and of his Prince as he did his own The Boldness he discover'd more than once at Ispahan and elsewhere in taking away from the Infidels unhappy Christians who had been so-weak as to renounce their Faith is sufficiently known to all the Missionaries that are dispers'd in Persia and I my self know how haughtily he us'd some of the Prime Officers of the Court who made him Propositions in the Cha's Name which perhaps would have shaken a Heart less possess'd with Christianity than his was This sincere Zeal for the Catholick Faith induc'd him to settle a Residence of Missionaries at Schamaki to labour towards the Conversion of the Armenians and other Schismatick Infidels which Trade drew in shoals into that City The same Zeal likewise induc'd him the last time he was sent into Persia to desire the King of Poland to Authorize his Design of procuring Settlements for Apostolick Labourers throughout the whole extent of the Cha's Empire where any â—opes should be found of labouring successfully towards the Saving of Souls of which he carry'd many along with him into the Levant who have since dispers'd themselves in all parts where they expected a proper Harvest But as sincere as his Zeal appear'd to me I should not have regarded it had it not been accompany'd by a Conduct equally regular and edifying and indeed I may affirm after having made it my business to study him with all the application imaginable that I never observ'd any thing in him but what was very honourable and worthy of a good Christian. He has done me the savour to discover his most secret Thoughts to me and to make me the depository of his Conscience for a whole Twelvemonth and that knowledge he has given me of his heart obliges me to declare that I have seen but few Persons of his Character more devoted to God or who apply'd themselves more fervently to their Salvation He confess'd himself regularly once a Month and approach'd the Holy Table as often and that always with such lively marks of Faith and with such a deluge of Tears that it would have inspir'd the most insensible with Devotion Tho Count Syri is hardly known in France I nevertheless think my self oblig'd as well out of a sincere desire to publish the Truth as out of gratitude to give this Testimony of his Vertue since that besides his having gain'd the esteem of all those that knew him by his Merit I am particularly indebted to him for considerable Obligations For besides his Generosity at Astrakan where he offer'd to pay our Ransom himself to redeem us out of the hands of the Calmoâ—es being inform'd that we had been taken by them in crossing the Volga he express'd so much Zeal afterwards for the furthering the execution of our design which the loss of Father Barnaby had quite overthrown that I cannot forbear incerting in this place the obliging Endeavours he made at my request to secure the success thereof Being convinc'd by all the favours and kindnesses I had receiv'd from him during my abode in Poland that I might rely upon and trust him I freely propos'd my whole de-Designs to him being certain that he woâ—ld approve them by Reason that they were suitable to his own Inclinations Therefore I told him that since he desir'd to make himself known at the Court of France he could never hope for a more favourable occasion to succeed therein than that which offer'd it self at that time and that none being so capable to assist us as himself as well by his Credit as by his being paâ—ticularly vers'd and acquainted with the Countries and Languages in the discovery of the grand Tartary I made no doubt but our great Monarch would willingly employ him in that great Enterprise and grant him all the advantages he could desire to acquit himself worthily of a Commission so useful to Religion He desir'd some time to consider my proposals and after a Months deliberation he yielded to my desires and writ the following Letter to the R. F. De la Chaise to desire him to intercede for him with his Majesty to accept his Zeal for his Service Most Reverend Father I Have been inform'd by Father Avril how much his most Christian Majesty Interesses himself in the Design of discovering a more secure and easier way by Land into China than any that have been attempted hitherto by Sea and through the Indies My earnest desire to contribute on my side towards the Success of so great a Work which is certainly worthy the great Soul of the most Generous and most Christian of all Monarchs induces me to acquaint you with my Zeal for the endeavouring to establish the Honour of God and the Glory of his Majesty in the Execution of this Heroick Enterprise Whereas the different Negotiations in which I have been imploy'd both in Muscovy and Persia have given me occasion to make my self known at the Court of the Czars as well as that of the Chà where the King of Poland is sending me at this very time his Plenipotentiary I imagin'd that your Reverence who is without doubt one of the main promoters of this Expedition would not be displeas'd at the profer of my Services with those Princes in order to obtain for those Fathers of your Society who are destin'd for China all the help and assistance they stand in need of to succeed in that design It is true that the way of Siberia and the great Tartary which they design'd is the shortest of all but it is to be fear'd that tâ—e discontent of the Ambassadors which the Czars have lately sent into France being added to the actual War they are ingag'd in against the Chinese will serve as a pretence for those Princes to refuse the passage that is desir'd of them For those Reasons I presume to tell your Reverence that the way through the Kingdoms of Yousbec and of Thibet seems more advantageous to me than the first and I am persuaded that abundance of People might be found in those Countries that would receive the True Faith I know that Father Barnaby was resolv'd to follow this way and I have all along told Father Avril that it was the safest I am known in thâ—se Kingdoms and I know that the Ambassadors of those Princes whom I have seen at the Câ—urt of Persia have spoken favourably of me to their Masters This is the Reason for which I offer my Service through the intermission of your Reverence to his Most Christian Majesty to conduct the Fathers my self into China from whence I design to return by the way of great Tartary and Muscovy and thereby to make a discovery of the two Roads the knowledge of which will be of great use for the establishing of a Commerce so useful to the Christian Religion In case his Majesty will be pleaâ—'d to accept the tender of my
most humble Services I only desire the Character of Envoy to the Emperor of China to be able to cross those vast Countries with Honour and to make my Services more useful to the Church and to your Society which I have ever had a great respect for I have desir'd Father Avril to write about it to the R. F. Verjus Director of the Missions of the East and to acquaint him particularly with my intentions upon that Subject In the mean time I desire your Reverence to be perswaded that none can be more Respectfully than my self Most Reverend Father Your most humble and most Obedient Servant SYRI Our Superiours being very much at a loss by Father Barnaby's Death and the loss of all that they had sent by him joyfully accepted the Expedient we propos'd to them and easily obtain'd his Majesty's consent who being convinc'd by the Example of the Illustrious M. Constance that one may sometimes confide in a Stranger and being moreover inform'd from several parts with Count Syri's Excellent Qualifications caus'd such Letters as he desirâ—d to be expedited to the Kings of Persia of the Yousbecs and of China All these Letters being written after one and the same way I shall only insert the last here both to shew our King 's indefatigable Zeal for whatever relates to the Glory of God and to publish the great Obligations he has Honour'd us with in seconding our design so Generously and in so effectual a manner MOst High most Excellent most Puissant and most Magnanimous Prince Our Dearly Beloved Good Friend may God increase your Grandeur with a happy end Being inform'd that your Majesty was desirous to have near your Person and in your Dominions a considerable number of Learned Men very much vers'd in the European Sciences we resolv'd some Years ago to send you six Learn'd Mathematicians Our Subjects to show your Majesty what ever is most curious in Sciences and especially the Astronomical Observations of the Famous Accademy we have establish'd in our good City of Paris But whereas the length of the Sea Voyage which divides Our Territories from Yours is lyable to many accidents and cannot be perform'd without much time and danger We have form'd the design out of a desire to contribute towards Your Majesties satisfaction to send you some more of the same Father Iesuits who are Our Mathematicians with Count Syri by Land which is the shortest and safest way to the end they may be the first near your Majesty as so many Pledges of our Esteem and Friendship and that at the return of the said Count Syri we may have a faithful account of the admirable and most extraordinary Actions that are reported of your Life Whereupon We beseech God to augment the Grandeur of Your Majesty with an end altogether happy Written at Marly the 7th of August 1688. Your most Dear and Good Friend LEWIS While these new advantages were preparing for us in France to make amends for those we had unfortunately lost I heard with a great deal of Joy that one of the Missionaries who was design'd to accompany Father Barnaby was happily sav'd he not coming to Roan till some days after his departure and that he was coming by Land to me in Poland It would have been a great pity to have lost at once two such Excellent Men. If I had the same liberty to speak of Father Beauvollier whom Providence has Sav'd by a kind of Miracle as of the first whom Death has unfortunately Ravish'd from Us I should joyfully publish the things I have seen him do while I had the satisfaction to Travel in his Company and if I may be allow'd to draw happy presages from the sequel of his Apostle-ship by the marks of the Heroick Zeal he has demonstrated in the beginnings I will be bold to say that he will prove one of the most Illustrious Instruments to advance the Glory of God As to what relates to Father Barnaby whom I may speak of at present without fear of being suspected of Flattery I am oblig'd to declare out of Justice to his Memory that he was one of the most accomplish'd Missionaries perhaps that ever travell'd into the East He had a surprizing faculty of Learning Languages and an undaunted Courage to go through the greatest dangers He had apply'd himself to the Study of Physick altho' he had no inclination to it being fully perswaded by experience that it was one of the best means to succeed in his Functions among People that only receive Eternal Truths according as they receive Temporal Benefits He us'd it effectually in two Missions he establish'd the one in Curdistan and the other in Armenia where his quality of Physician gave him more Credit than the most Authentick Credentials could ever have done and by vertue of that Science in which he had acquir'd a great deal of Skill he Baptiz'd a great number of Children who soon after departed to increase the number of the Angels Among all his Successes God put him to many Trials and made him tast the Fruits of that Cross which he Preach'd with so much Zeal He was strip'd several times by the Arabians and the Curdes while he was Labouring for the Conversion of the Iasidies he had the happiness of being twice Imprison'd for maintaining the Cause of Iesus Christ and was often Abus'd and Cudgel'd for the Glory of his Name In fine to sum up all in one word he generously ended the Sacrifice of his Life abandoning himself as he did to the excess of his Charity which far from being extinguish'd in the Waters that swallow'd him up became the more fervent and purer in order to deserve as we have reason to believe that Recompence which God promises to all those who expose and lose themselves for his sake The Diet of Grodno breaking up much about the time I receiv'd notice of Father Beauvollier's arrival in Poland I repair'd to Warsaw to receive him and to take certain Measures with him for the execution of our Project We both arriv'd there much about the same time and I cannot tell which of us receiv'd more Joy at our meeting after having formerly laid the foundation of the same design which brought us so happily together again After some days repose which he stood extreamly in need of to refresh himself of the Fatigues of his Journey and to apply some remedy to the swelling of his Legs occasion'd by the excessive Cold he had endur'd in crossing Holland Germany and Prussia we apply'd our selves jointly to instruct those of our Nation until our departure which Count Syri had appointed to be about the latter end of August by reason that the Instructions for his Embassie were not ready yet and that he could not receive the dispatches he expected from the Court of France till about that time In the mean while whereas our Superiors design'd to take the advantage of Count Syri's Embassy to send several Missionaries safely
Generosity as good Fortune as will be seen by the Sequel of this History The End of the Fourth Book TRAVELS IN MOLDAVIA Book the Fifth IF the constancy God inspires amidst the greatest Misfortunes that seem most to oppose our designs is a sensible proof that God approves them we have a great deal of reason to believe that the discovery of a way to China by Land which we had undertaken has been agreeable to him since that far from being disgusted by all the difficulties we have met in it we never had greater hopes of Success than at the time when they seemed altogether desperate After the refusal we had from the Muscovites we had but one resourse for the execution of our Project which was to follow Count Syri into Persia whose good Intentions seconded by his admirable Qualifications promis'd us a more prosperous and more certain Success than that we had flatter'd our selves with till then Indeed it was a very great risque to venture on so long a Journey after all our pass'd Fatigues a thousand dangers seem'd to attend our enterprize of going for Constantinople at a time when the War between the Christians and the Infidels seem'd to shut up all the Avenues thither but what can be impossible when seconded by the Grace of God we abandon our selves to the care of Providence Notwithstanding the dangerous conjunctures of that time we took our measures to pass into the East and to leave no means unattempted to succeed therein We apply'd our selves at first to the Emperour's Envoy call'd Ierowski who was at Warsaw at that time thinking he would not refuse us the Pass-ports we wanted to go to Vienna from whence we might easily repair to Buda and from thence to the first City possess'd by the Grand Seignior upon the Danube Some Political Reasons having hinder'd that Minister from favouring our Designs Heaven fortunately inspir'd us with the thoughts of applying our selves to the Great General of Poland whom we only knew by the extraordinary and admirable things we had formerly been told and were still daily publish'd about him The Civility and Kindness he express'd to us the first time we had the honour to speak with him soon convinc'd us of the truth of those reports and we had leasure to discover in the sequel during two Months time in which we conversed with him that his Reputation tho' great was much below his Merit This Lord the most lovely and the most belov'd of any in Poland being inform'd with all our past Adventures and with the Motive which made us apply our selves to him made us very sensible from that very moment that he took a great deal of Interest in our Concerns and how much he desir'd we should rely upon him for the execution of our Enterprise My dear Fathers said he embracing us being French-Men Jesuits and Missionaries as you are you need not question but I will be proud to serve you Whatever vexation you have received from the Muscovites by the refusal of the Passage you desn'd of them I cannot be displeas'd with them for the trouble they have occasion'd you since it affords me an opportuninity to serve you As the only favour your Zeal requires is to put you in a way to reach Constantinople assure your selves that I will get you thither If you have no business here prepare your selves to go to Leopold with me and there we will take all necessary measures for the Jonrney you undertake for the Glory of God Tho' Father Beauvollier and my self were extreamly tired with the fatigues of our return and stood in want of rest we receiv'd new Vigour upon the agreeable assurances our generous Protector was pleas'd to give us and we follow'd him full of Joy and Confidence to Leopold which is the place of his usual Residence As soon as we came there he dispatch'd two Couriers the one to the Hospodar of Woldavia and the other to the Bashaw of Caminiec who were best able to favour our Passage at that dangerous time Besides his Application to remove all the difficulties that stood in our way he extended his care to our Persons with an extraordinary kindness Being sensible that we had suffer'd considerably in our last Voyage of Muscovy he omitted nothing that was capable to restore us to our former Health in order to enable us to perform that we were shortly to undertake He entertain'd us in his own Palace in which he gave us a fiue conveniont Apartment and would in no wise permit us to Lodge with our Fathers that are settl'd at Leopold We remain'd there about two Months in expectation of the return of the Couriers during which time we sensibly discover'd the singular favour we had receiv'd from Heaven in the Potent Protection of the incomparable Palatin of Russia whose Holy Example serv'd as much to animate our Zeal for the Service of God as his Eminent Qualifications to challenge our admiration of him This Illustrious General whose Heroick Actions have render'd his Name as formidable to the Enemies of the Faith as venerable in all Europe possess'd to the highest degree all the advantages of Mind and Body that may concur towards the forming of an accomplish'd Heroe His Air is Noble his Port Majestick his Heart Great his Genious Incomparable his Humour Agreeable his Behaviour Charming he is Learn'd Curious Magnificent Liberal Prudent in all his Military Expeditions Undaunted in Danger Bold in all his undertakings for the good of his Religion and the advantage of the State But that which surpasseth all his Noble Qualifications is the solid Piety he professes the which he joyns so admirably to the Functions of his Place that he passes for the Bravest and most Religious Lord in Poland He daily allows himself two or three hours for Prayer he hears several Masses every Morning he employs a considerable time in reading of Books of Devotion he often participates to the Holy Misteries and always disposes himself to that great Action by a Rigorous Fast. Altho' he is a severe observer of Vertue his Conversation is sweet and ingaging He argues incomparably well upon all Subjects insomuch that every body delights in his Conversation he loves to be among the Learn'd and is seldom without some about him Above all he delights in discoursing of Mathematicks and History We have often had the honour to pass the best part of the Night with him to observe some Constellations and some Planets with several fine Mathematical Instruments he sometimes employs Besides all this he has a very particular Respect for our King Having thus described some of the Vertues of the Illustrious Iablonowski no body will be surpriz'd at the high Reputation wherewith Heaven rewards his Merit and has given him the most accomplished Family that can possibly be seen Besides the two Palatines of Plock and of Posnania his Daughters who are two Models of Vertue for all the Polish Ladies to imitate he
went all in a Body to the Church-Yard to pray upon the Graves of the Armenian Catholicks The Armenian Priests who Officiate at the Catholick Church of the Cherimanis perform'd at the Graves of ours what we had done at theirs The Thursday and Friday pass'd as usually excepting that my Lord Preach'd on the Friday at the Cherimanis upon the Subject of Receiving the Sacrament Worthily and at Night the R. F. Hely made another Controversie upon the two Kinds which the Armenians pretend ought to be Receiv'd at the Holy Communion and upon the obligation that lies upon the Catholick Priests to put Water into the Chalice at the Holy Sacrament of the Mass. The Armenian Priests and the other Assistants propos'd their difficulty upon the Article with more heat than before On the Saturday the concourse of People was very great in the Church of the R. R. F. F. Dominican but especially of Armenian Catholick Women being drawn thither by the report that the Armenian Catholicks where to Sing Mass and to perform a Solemn Service there It was perform'd with all the Majesty their Church is capable of which indeed neither wants fine Musick nor fine Ceremonies as I have often seen it my self especially at Iehmiarin which is their Patriarchal Church where their Patriarch and other Arch-bishops and Bishops Officiate with an Order and Exactness little inferior to that which is practis'd in many Churches of France Monsieur Samson Preached upon the Subject of Back-biting and Reviling The Saturday abundance of People began to take the Sacrament at the Cherimanis but the most Solemn Action of all the Jubilee was the last which was perform'd in our Church for the conclusion of it we took all necessary measure to render the general Communication that was to be perform'd the most Solemn that possibly could be and to Solemnize the Procession of the Holy Sacrament that was to conclude all with Success Pomp and Devotion In order whereunto we Adorn'd our Church beyond what it was before and took from the other Churches all the Ornaments that could contribute to render that Festival the more Solemn As for the out-side we dispos'd the walks of our Garden in such a manner that the Holy Sacrament might pass very conveniently through them At the same time we prepar'd all things necessary to make a Volly of Shot with the Muskets and small pieces of Ordinance of a reasonable size which we fortunately found among our Francs We caus'd a very fine Canopy to be made adorn'd with a fine Curtain of green Damask supported by four painted sticks adorn'd with four fine knobs on t he top without mentioning the neatness of the Altar we had Erected in the middle of the Garden to serve as a Repository or Resting place for the Holy Sacrament The Report of this Solemnity assembled such a prodigious number of People betimes in the Morning that our Church was immediately fill'd up in so much that we were oblig'd to place Ladders for People to get up into the Galleries In the mean time the Missionaries were imploy'd in all parts to Confess People The time of the Service being come those that were to Officiate where plac'd in such a manner that the Latin Clergy was on the Right in the Quire and the Armenian Clergy with two Vertabets and an Arch-Bishop on the Left both the one and the other were Dress'd according to the Custom of their Country with Surplices Stoles and Copes The Spectacle charm'd every body High-Mass was begun with more Solemniry than ever The Bishop Officiated with the Deacon and Sub-Deacon When they came to Gloria in Excelsis it was first Sung in Latin and then in Armenian The Epistles and Gospels were Sung in the same manner After our Creed an Armenian Priest made a Solemn Profession of Faith in the Name of all the Members of his Church sounding the Name of Alexander the VIIIth whom they acknowledg'd as their Chief and Pope That being done our young Scholars Sung their Himns in French and the young Armenians Answer'd them in their own Tongue This variety of Singing of Hymns and Praises offer'd to God lasted as long as the Mass in so much that every body Triumph'd with Joy to see that Union which had never been seen before in that City where besides their Natural Aversion to the Francs they are the most obstinate in their Heresie of any in all Armenia But the general Communion which was perform'd at the same time was a spectacle capable to rejoice the very Angels The young Children both Armenians and Francs were the first that drew near the Holy Table and after them the Men and Women separately During all this time the Church sounded with Franc and Armenian Hymns Never was so much Devotion or so many Communicants seen at once in Iulfa or in all Armenia The Francs and Armenians Embrac'd each other mutually with all the Testimonies imaginable of a sincere Kindness and Union Publick Prayers were made for all Christian Princes in fine notwithstanding all the opposition of the Heretical Vertabiets who continually Exclaim'd and Preach'd against us and declar'd all those Excommunicated who should come to our Assemblies above two or three hundred Armenians Communicated at this Jubilee There were also several general Confessions and I receiv'd some of them which gave me a great deal of comfort As soon as the general Communion was perform'd I went away with my Surplice and Stole to conclude the Jubilee by a Sermon upon the Subject of Relapses in which I show'd them that that Sin is the greatest Sin in the world and that which is the most opposite to the Glory of God and to the Infinite Goodness of our Saviour to the Honour of the Church and to the Salvation of Mankind in a word the Sin which of all Sins makes us most despicable in this Country to the Infidels and Hereticks At the end of the Sermon I made use of the Idea Moses us'd to remind all these fervent Catholicks of the Promise they had just made to God placing the Franc Catholicks on one side and the Armenian Catholicks on the other pronouncing to them the Maledictions and Benedictions contain'd in the Book of Deuteronomy The Sermon and Mass being ended we began to dispose our selves for the Procession It was contriv'd in this manner An Armenian Acolyte bearing a fine Banner march'd at the head He had two other Armenian Acolytes at his sides dress'd according to the custom of their Church after them came a Franc Acolyte bearing a fine large silver Cross He had two other Franc Acolytes at his sides with Surplices on bearing two fine silver Candlesticks after which came the Armenian Acolytes Deacons and Sub-Deacons and after them our Acolytes with lighted Wax-Candles The Priests follow'd in the same order with Copes on Two Armenian Vertabiets preceeded the Holy Sacrament one of them was an Arch-Bishop follow'd by two Acolytes casting Incense continually before it My Lord Bishop of Bagdat