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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69607	The Present condition of the Muscovite empire till the year 1699 in two letters : the first from a gentleman who was conversant with the Muscovite ambassadour in Holland, the second from a person of quality at Vienna, concerning the late Muscovite embassy, his present czarish majesty, the Russian empire and Great-Tartary : with the life of the present emperour of China, by Father J. Bouvet, missionary / by the author of The antient and present state of Muscovy.	Crull, J. (Jodocus), d. 1713?; Bouvet, Joachim, 1656-1730.	1699 (1699)	Wing B3862; ESTC R19507	51,096	122

given us their own Inventions for Truth and the Modern Historians for the most part have described us inaccessible Desarts in lieu of a well inhabited Country so I reckon it will not be disagreeable to you if I give you some Account of what I have been able to learn concerning this Point from somld of the most open-hearted and most ingenious among the Muscovites during the Stay of the late Great Embassy in this Court I have told you before that the World was beholding to the Muscovites for the discovery of the Way by Land through the Great-Tartary into China For the Way by Land through India and the Territories of the Great Mogul being found almost impracticable by reason of the vast Desarts the Inhabitants of Siberia after they had submitted to the Muscovites furnished them with sufficient Opportunity to discover the Way into China oh that side For these People being encouraged by the Advantages of vending their Sable Martins to the Muscovites at so excessive a rate as well as their black Fox-Skins scarce ever known before in those Parts did to satisfie their Avarice engage themselvs in those far distant Countries in quest of those Creatures by which means they were by degrees and as it may be said insensibly brought upon those Roads which lead into China After the first discovery of these Roads the Muscovites did leave no stone unturn'd to make themselves acquainted with the Countries that lie betwixt them and the Chinese Wall for which purpose they used under some pretence or other to send frequent Messengers into China who have taken divers Roads and many times making great Circumferences in their Journeys they by this means in process of Time made all the discoveries they could wish for They discovered besides the Ostiakoi Bratskoi and Tungoeses who have their Habitations near the Rivers which border upon Siberia three different sorts of Tartars very remarkable for the vast extent of those Countries they are possess'd of to wit The Tartars of Bogdoi the Mongul Tartars and the Calmucks The first are the same which by the Chineses are call'd the Eastern-Tartars Their Country is of a vast extent enclosed betwixt the Eastern Seas and the Rivers Chingala and Yamour They were the first that many Ages ago entred China but now are Tributaries to that Empire which makes them much more civiliz'd than the rest of the Tartars by reason of their great Commerce with the Chineses the Rivers of Yamour and Chingala affording great store of Rubies and Pearls which supply the defect of their Cattle which is very small They are in their Bodies not unlike to the Crim-Tartars and both their Language and Characters not unlike the Persian but they write like the Chineses from the top downwards Though they are not altogether ignorant of Guns and Gun-powder yet not being well inform'd of all the Advantages belonging to them they make but seldom use of them they are Govern'd by several Chans To the West of these Eastern-Tartars are those of Mongul inhabiting a spacious Country betwixt the River Yamour China Turquestan and the Calmucks from whom they are divided by vast Desarts They are Govern'd by three Princes who have each of them several other Chans under their Jurisdiction They are call'd by the Chineses the Western-Tartars and acknowledge in some measure the Authority of the Czars of Muscovy by reason of the Neighbourhood of Siberia and some other Countries thereabouts Subject to the Muscovite Empire with whom they keep Traffick in Cattle of which they have a great Plenty this Country being very full of Rivers good Meadows and Pastorages They are unacquainted with the use of Fire-Arms and inhabit neither Towns nor Villages The Calmuck Tartars possess that vast Tract of Land which lies betwixt these Mongal Tartars and the River Wolga as far as to the Desarts of Astracan they are divided into many Hordes each under the Command of a particular Chan yet they acknowledge one Principal Chan who deduces his Pedigree from the Great Tamerlan and keeps a very Noble Court after the Tartarian Manner They have no fixed Habitations no more than the Monguls but live in Tents very Commodiously contrived As they never stay long in a place so they are the quickest in the World at Encamping and Decamping which is the reason the Czars of Muscovy seek for their Alliance by certain yearly Presents and these are very ready to keep a good Correspondence with the Muscovites for the Conveniency of vending their Horses and Slaves which they take from the other Neighbouring Tartars They are all inclining to an Olive colour their Eyes small but sparkling their Noses short and somewhat flat Their Habits are for the most part the same being distinguished only from one another by a Tuft of Silk upon their round Bonnets according to the colour of the Horde to whom they belong They wear only Sheep-Skins sew'd together in the nature of Vests with a Cord round their Waste whereon they fasten their Bows and Quivers You may easily imagine that when the Muscovites had once opened their Passage into those Parts it was no difficult Task for them to subdue those inhabiting near their Frontiers by force of Arms and by the Terror of their Strength to settle a fair Correspondence with the rest so that following first the Tracts of the Rivers Oby Schelinga Genessai and Yamour they built several Fortresses upon the said Rivers both to secure their Conquests and for the more convenient Passage of their Caravans to China The last Fortress which the Muscovites built upon the River Yumour is called Albazin which as it is not above a Months Journey from Peking the Capital of the Chinese Empire so it prov'd the occasion of the late War betwixt the Chineses and Muscovites which was carried on for some time with equal Vigour on both sides till at last the present Czar Peter Alexiovitz being made sensible by Experience of the great Inconveniences that attended this War on his side in reference to the vast distance of Frontiers which are five or six Months March from the City of Muscow whereas on the other hand the Chineses send their Supplies with much more Ease and infinite less Charge by reason of the nearness of the Eastern-Tartars their Subjects and the Czar having at the same time a strong Inclination to come to a Rupture with the Turks at a Juncture when their Affairs were but in an ill posture resolved to come to an Accommodation with the Chineses The first meeting of the Ambassadours of these two Potent Empires upon the Frontiers near Albazin proved unsuccessful the Chineses according to their antient Customs insisting upon some Ceremonies that would not in any wise be granted by the Museovites But the second Treaty succeeded according to wish the Chineses being forced to abate of their Pride and to Treat the Muscovite Ambassadours from that time with all the Respect due to their Character The Muscovites having not till very lately

applied themselves to the Sea it is no great wonder if they have not neglected the Passage by Water into China by the Way of the Rivers Oby Genessai and Yamour and in lieu thereof have left nothing unattempted to open their Passage thither by Land 'T is true the Heaps of Ice which for the greatest part of the Year are to be met with at the Entrance of the River Oby the many Water-falls of the River Genessai and the Bulrushes which choak almost up the mouth of the River Yamour are Obstacles which though they might have been surmounted by industrious and expert Seamen yet were so terrifying to the Muscovites as to bereave them of all hopes of Success And to confess the Truth considering the Method used by the Russian Merchants and Caravans and the good Order taken for their convenient Passge through these Parts the same contribute not a little towards mitigating both the Trouble and Charge of so long a Journey They set forward most commonly from the City of Muscow in February when the Snow being well beaten they travel in nineteen or twenty days as far as Tobolskoy the Capital City of Siberia eight hundred English Miles distant from the City of Muscow If it happens to thaw about that time which is very seldom they take the conveniency of the Rivers on this and the other side of the River Oby by which means they cross the Country till they come to the Ostiakoi the first of the Eastern-Tartars Subject to the Czar of Muscovy But if the Frost continue they go on by Land the same way where they change their Horses for Renes or Rain-deers which carry them with incredible swiftness over the Snow and Ice to the City of Genessai built by the Muscovites upon the River of the fame Name for the conveniency of their Merchants traveling in those Parts Here it is they take Vessels which carry them upon the Rivers Tongusi and Augara against the Stream to the Lake of Baikala From this Lake they either take Shipping upon the River Schelinga as far as to a City of the same Name owing likewise its foundation to the Muscovites or else proceed in their Way by Land immediately after they have cross'd the beforementioned Lake through the Country of the Mongul Tartars who readily furnish them with Mules and Dromedaries to the Confines of China But for the better understanding of this Famous Passage by Land I will conclude this Letter with giving you the best Account I could get of several of the Muscovites here of the Road lately taken by several Embassy's sent into China They go from Muscow to the Famous Convent of Troitza about sixty English Miles from thence to the City of Peresla as many Miles from Troitza From Peresla they go to the City of Rostof sixty Miles from the last and so to the City of Jeresla near a hundred and twenty Miles distant from thence From Jeresla they go to the Great City of Wologda which lies one hundred and eighty Miles from the last From this place they continue their Journey to the small City of Tottma upon the River Wergno Suchuno and so to Vstiuga a considerable Place upon the River Suchana from thence to a small City call'd Lolowitzgotz upon the River Wietzegda which oxonerates it self in the. River Dwina About fifty Miles from thence they pass through a great Forrest above seven hundred Miles long after which they come to Kaigorod a City upon the Famous River Kama From Kaigorod they proceed to Solokamskoy a City upon the River Vsolsko which thereabouts discharges it self in the River Kama Thus they continue their Journey for one hundred and twenty Miles without any considerable River till they come to the River Lusowa where they take Shipping for stzogorod a goodly City near three hundred and fifty Miles distant from1 Solokamskoy From thence they go forward to Jat a Town upon the River Ajat and so by Romoshora upon the River Resh to Newagorod upon the River Newa the first Town of Siberia From hence they pass through a fertile and well Peopled Country to the Town of Zudna situate upon the River Nietza to the Towns of Niginiskoy Irbitskoy Kirginskoy Subrorawa and Jalaw the last of which lies upon the River Tura where the River Newa discharges it self into the same They continue their Journey from hence to the Town of Krasna to the City of Tumeen and so to the Town of Makoma upon the River Pishina where it discharges it self into the River Tura from thence to the Town of Siltska at the confluence of the two Rivers Tura and Tobol the last being on the right which brings them to the City of Tobolskoy the Capital of Siberia situate upon the confluence of the two Rivers Jotish and Tobol the last of which has given her its name From Tobolskoy they continue their Journey through the Towns of Demian and Samurskoyam and about two Miles beyond the last they meet with a Branch of the Famous River Oby which brings them to the City of Surguto and afterwards to the City of Narim situate upon the Banks of the River Oby Here they quit this River and proceed to the River Kett which brings them to the Town of Kettsway From hence they go to Makafskoy and after they have travelled for two days and nights through a great Forrest they come to the City of Jeneskay upon the River Jeneskay which is both very Navigable and its Banks inhabited by the Ostiaki After they have continued their Journey for some time upon this River they leave it to the Right and take their way towards the River Tungunsi whereabouts are the Habitations of the Tungeses which they leave again to the Right and proceed in their Journey to the City of Ilimskoy situate on the River Ilim the Country thereabouts being pretty well inhabited After they have travelled three days and nights through a Forrest they come to the River Augara which brings them to the City of Irkuskoy situate upon the River About thirty Miles from hence is the Lake of Baikala where the River Augara has its first rise being the utmost Boundary of Siberia From hence they continue their Journey through the Towns of Kabaria Belsko-Saimcko and Ostrog-Vdinskoy in the Province of Dauria inhabited by Tartars to the City of Jerawena situate upon a Lake of the same name After they have pass'd this Lake they are forced to travel through a great Desart which is watered however by the River Vda and at last come to the Lake called Schacks-Oser about two Miles over then they come to the Village of Plothus about a Mile from whence the Rivers Sueta and Onna fall into the River Ingeda which from thence forward is called Schilka and being augmented by the two Rivers Nertza and Arguna produces that Famous River the Yamour From hence they go to the City of Nertzinskoy upon the River Nertza being the last Fortress upon these Frontiers belonging to the Muscovites Then they travel for near three weeks thro' Desarts Forrests and Boggy-grounds till they come to Arguna a small City upon a River of the same name and the last Place under the Muscovite Jurisdiction in the Province of Dauria Here they meet in their way with the Rivers Derby Gann Kailar and Saduma all which discharge themselves into the Arguna till they come to the Source of the River Jal where they meet with he first Out-gards of the Chineses being a very fertile and well peopled Country inhabited by the Targutshini who are Pagans Subject to China Through these they pass to a Village called Suttigarski and from thence to the City of Naun three Miles distant from the former From hence they proceed in their Journey for several days through another Desart destitute of any Springs or other Water till they come to the River Casumur which discharges it self in the River Naun They pass afterwards by the Ruines of a great many Cities and at three days Journey from the Famous Chinese Wall through a Road cut out of the Rocks which brings them to the City of Karakaton After they have pass'd the Chinese Wall the first Place they meet with is the City of Galgan not above a Mile within the Wall from thence they go to Xantuming Xunguxu Xangote and Tunxo to Peking the Residence of the Emperours of China ` Being sensible that I have sufficiently tired your Patience I will add no more but in expectation of your next rest Sir Vienna Feb. 24. 1699. Yours c

Hostilities or Depredations such of the beforementioned Tartars or Cossacks whether Muscovites or Turks that shall in any wise violate or act contrary to this Article being to be exemplary punished by their respective Sovereigns I am apt to imagine that considering the small Space of Time concluded in this Treaty for the Truce betwixt these two Potent Princes it will be look'd upon among you who live at so great a distance as a Politick Contrivance of this Court and that of Poland to wipe off the Blemish of deserting so Potent an Ally who has given so considerable a Diversion to the Turks during some Years of this War but I do not question before I come to the Conclusion of this Letter to make it apparent that as the whole was transacted by his Czarish Majesty's Orders and good liking so the same is founded upon a most solid and refined Reasons of State on die side of the Muscovites I told you before That the Czar of Muscovy having by the Conquest of the City of Asoph situate so near the Palus Miotis not only opened his Way into the Black-Sea but also to the entire Conquest of the Crim-Tartary and the whole Penirsula as far as to the Borysthenes it self had all the Reason in the World to be desirous of the Continuance of the War against the Turks and that this was one of the Chief Motives of his Journey to the Come of Venna But his Czarish Majesty being made sufficiently sensible that at this juncture of time the Confederates without great Prejudice to their own Interest could not refuse the Advantageous Propositions offered by the Turks he could not pitch upon a better Expedient than this Truce of two years to accomplish his Great Design of either making himself Master of the Black-Sea or at least to oblige the Turks to grant his Subjects a free Trade in their Ports for the Conveniency of Transporting the China Indian Persian and Russian Commodities into Italy and other Parts of Europe This will be manifest if we make a due comparison betwixt the present posture of Affairs betwixt the Turks and Muscovites on that side For not to mention here the present flourishing State of the Muscovite Empire and the declining Condition of the Turks in general it is most evident that the Ottomans lie under no small Disadvantages in respect of the Muscovites on that side The Muscovites by the late Conquests upon the Borysthenes and Palus Miotis by the Submission of the Cossacks and Circassian Tartars by strengthning the old and erecting several new Fortresses in these Parts have so strengthned their Frontiers thereabouts that they seem to be inpenetrable considering the powerful Succours they are able to send to the Relief of any place that shall be attack'd by the Turks the Muscovite Armies by the introduction of a regular Martial Discipline among them and the vast Number of well qualified foreign Officers who command them being at least equal if not superiour to the Turkish Janisaries themselves the Flower and Main strength of their Armies which also has been reduced to a much less number by the Misfortunes they have suffered in the last War against the Christians It is furthermore to be considered that the Turks having hitherto look'd upon the Muscovites as so inconsiderable that the Crim-Tartary was thought a sufficient Bulwark against them their Fortresses and Maritime Towns though of the greatest Consequence to them in respect of maintaining the Dominion of the Black-Sea have been neglected whereas by the Vigilancy of his present Czarish Majesty the Muscovite Frontiers are in a better State than any of his other Dominions by the Addition of several regular Fortifications The Naval Strength of Muscovy tho' scarce worth mentioning a few years ago has by the indefatigable Care of the present Czar Peter Alexiovitz been established upon so good and firm a Foundation that the same is incomparably superior to the Turkish Fleet which has been batter'd so often by the Venetians of late both in respect of number of Ships and the goodness of their Seamen and Commanders of which last the Czar has taken a considerable number into his Service during his stay in these Parts The Treaty betwixt the Christians and Turks being chiefly built upon this Foundation that Matters should remain among all Parties in Statuo-quo his Czarish Majesty had little prospect of obtaining thy Dominion over the Black-Sea or a free Commerce in the Turkish Ports by a long Truce which would have given the Turks leisure to recover Breath and to strengthen their Fortresses and Maritime Places on that side whereas two years cannot be judged in any wise a proportionable time requisite for to put themselves in a State of defence against so Potent a Neighbour as the Czar of Muscovy is at present so that at the expiration of these two years his Czarish Majesty has all the Probability on his side to obtain his aim either by the prolongation of this Truce or force of Arms. That this is his Czarish Majesty's design seems sufficiently probable to me from his vast Preparations at Sea being informed from very good hands that he has at Veroniza only near fourty stout Men of War ready to put to Sea most of which carry betwixt fifty and sixty Guns besides thirty more which are to be ready and fit for Service against the next Spring and a proportionable number of Great and small Gillies Man'd for the most part with foreign Mariners very Expert in the Sea-service What Force are the Turks able to oppose at this time against such a Naval Strength when they have not been able to cope with the Venetians at Sea in this last War I am not ignorant that some of our Politicians in this Court are of Opinion that when by the intended Canal betwixt the two Rivers Wolga and Don a Communication is made with the Caspian-Sea the Czar may with more Conveniency extend his Conquests that way but considering that the Caspian-Sea has few good Ports and that the Muscovite Territories are separated by Land by vast Desarts from Persia and that there is a strict Correspondence betwixt these two vast neighbouring Empires founded upon the Conveniency of their mutual Commerce I see no great Reason why it may not be more reasonably supposed that in case the Turks do not by granting free Commerce to the Muscovites after the expiration of this two Years Truce prevent the Storm his Czarish Majesty should not turn his Arms against them especially in the Black-Sea where every thing seems to flatter him with hopes of Success and great Advantages on his side I am afraid I have been too tedious in these Reflections wherefore I would not tire your Patience if I had not something to add before I come to the Conclusion of this Letter concerning the Grand-Tartary and other Northern Countries betwixt the River Oby and the Chinese Wall in the Description of which as the antient Geographers have labour'd with such ill Success and