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country_n	call_v	town_n	village_n	1,428	5	9.2518	5	false

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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

there is all the Reason in the World to believe that he will always Triumph over the Turks at Sea who never did any thing Memorable in that Se'rvice and who according to all outward Appearance are less in a Condition than ever to signalize themselves upon the Watery Element at a time when their Empire appears in a declining State I will leave it to your own Judgment whether it would not shake the very Foundation of the Turkish Monarchy considering its present tottering Condition if the Muscovites should chase the Turks out of the Black-Sea and make themselves Masters of their Ports on these Coasts which from the City of Caffa as far as to the mouth of the Borysthenes must thereby be exposed to the Mercy of the Muscovites And it is not improbable that Constantinople it self might be hardly put to it or at least run the Hazzard of being laid in Ashes by a Bombardment What would in such a case become of the Crim-Tartary which being already enclosed on all sides by a good number of strong Fortesses must of necessity fall without making one Blow into the hands of the Muscovites if all Commerce and Correspondence betwixt the Peninsula and Constantinople should be cut off by the Muscovites becoming Masters of the Black-Sea Besides it is to be considered that as Places are attack'd now a-days they have only Precop and Caffa which are in a Condition to make some slender Defence But Sir being unwilling to tire your Patience with too long a Letter I will come to a Conclusion I must only repeat to you once more what I have intimated before That it was the greatest Over-sight the Turks could be guilty of not to take all the imaginable Precautions against the Muscovites becoming Masters of Asoph who thereby have opened themselves the way into the Black-Sea over which the Ottoman Empire always claim'd the Sovereignty in a most peculiar manner To make some Amends for so unpardonable an Error the most likely means they have left seems to be to conclude an everlasting Peace with the Muscovites thereby to lull them asleep that they may not lay hold of this Opportunity of rendring themselves redoubtable in the Black-Sea The Ottoman Port might thus reap a considerable Advantage by the Commerce with Muscovy by establishing certain Duties to be paid for the passage of Ships through the Channel leading to Constantinople in the same manner as it is practised in Denmark where the King of that Name receives Customs of the Ships that pass and repass the Sound in their going to and coming from the Baltick This appears to me the only most probable Means to plunge them out of that Misfortune which they have drawn upon themselves by their own Neglect it being allow'd by all that have any insight into the present State of Affairs in Muscovy That the present Czar Peter Alexiovitz has taken a firm Resolution not to rest satisfied till he has opened this Passage in order to establish a free Commerce with foreign Nations and to encourage them to come into his Ports near the Palus Meotis This Sir is the present Condition of the Russian Empire which was formerly look'd upon as most barbarous but which now bids fair for the Priority with any in Europe by reason of the Encrease of its Commerce with most Nations of the World by the indefatigable Vigilancy of their present Monarch who being scarce 28 Years of Age what is it that may not be expected from so Great a Prince if God pleases to bless him with a long Life For the Wolga is above five hundred Leagues to reckon from its first Spring to the Canal by which it is join'd with the River Don and this River from thence to the City of Asoph four hundred Leagues more fit for Ships of good Burthen and from the Canal of Communication betwixt these two noble Rivers there is two hundred Leagues distance to Asoph upon a straight Line all extream good Grounds Asoph and Astracan being situtuate under the most happy Climate in the World The Western side of the River Wolga is very well inhabited already and there is no great question but that the Conveniency of Commerce and Plenty of the Country will soon invite some of the Neighbouring vagabond Tartars to follow the footsteps of other more civiliz'd Nations when once they are made sensible of the Benefit of an Industrious and settled Life This is sufficiently verified by the Example of many of the Asiatick Tartars who have by degrees abandoned their vagabond and idle Life and follow'd their Prince into China where they are become Wealthy by their Traffick the like may be said of many of the Crim-Tartars those of Astracan Siberia Dauria and other parts subject to the Muscovites If we cast our eyes upon that Part of Muscovy whereabouts the Port of Arch-Angel is and consider that not above an Age ago these Patts were as little inhabited as any of Muscovy being low Grounds and situate under a very cold Climate But since the Establishment of Commerce in this Harbour the Country all thereabouts is very well stock'd with Inhabitants and many goodly Towns and Villages In the Southern Parts of Muscovy the Cities of Wologda Jeresla Rostof Pereslaw and others owe all their Encrease of Wealth to traffick Add to this the advantage of Commerce betwixt the Indies Persia and Muscovy by the way of the Caspian Lake or Sea all which Commodities may for the future be transported by the newly projected Canal betwixt the two Rivers Wolga and Don into all Parts of Europe what immense Profit and Riches must not by this means be conveyed into Muscouy which being already so considerable for its vast Extent and Advantageous Situation for Trade may in all probability thereby become the most Potent and Redoubtable in the World c. Amsteldam 30th October 1698. I am A LETTER FROM A Person of Quality Residing at the Imperial Court of VIENNA To his Friend in LONDON Concerning the late Solemn Muscovite Embassy AND SOME Other Matters Relating to His Present CZARISH MAJESTY THE Russian Empire and the Great TARTARY LONDON Printed for F. Coggan in the Inner-Temple-Lane MDDXCIX A LETTER FROM A Person of Quality Residing at VIENNA Concerning The present CONDITION OF THE Muscovite EMPIRE AS the late Journey of the present Czar Peter Alexiovitz has been for some time past the surprize of all Europe so I thought I could not make you a more Seasonable Return at this time for the Obligation you were pleased to lay upon me some Months ago in communicating to me your Observations concerning His Czarish Majesty's Stay in England and Holland than to inform you of what has past since his coming into this Court and his Return into Muscovy of which I have been partly an eye-witness the rest I stand indebted for the Correspondence of my Friends upon whose Integrity and Judgment I can fully rely I will not pretend to insist upon the Motives which induced the Czar

to Engage in so Extraordinary an Undertaking it being agreed on all hands that as his Design was to build the Frame of the present Russian Monarchy upon a much more solid Foundation than it was in former times so he judged nothing could more conduce to obtain this Great End than if he should take this Opportunity of being inform'd in Person concerning these Maxims which have rendred some of the European States so flourishing in our Age For whereas the Russian Monarchs used to make the Ignorance of their Subjects the Main Foundation-stone of their Authority so it is obvious to every unbyassed Person that his present Majesty looks upon the Improvements of all Arts and Sciences and the Establishment of a regular Discipline as the Main Pillars of the Greatness of this Monarchy It was in the Prosecution of this Grand Design he appear'd though Incognito in England and Holland and after having satisfy'd himself in those Matters which were the Chief Subject of his Curiosity he resolved to visit likewise the Imperial Court of Vienna where he arrived with the Muscovite Embassy towards the latter end of June last past He had scarce been a few days in this City when he received Letters from Asoph That part of that Garrison to the Number of betwixt seven and eight Thousand Men having receiv'd Intelligence That the Tartars had put a great Number of their best Horses in the circumjacent Pastures under the Guard of three thousand Men were marched out against them had defeated the Guard and brought near thirty thousand Horses into Asoph These Letters were in a few olays after follow'd by an Express from Muscovy with an Account That the Remainders of the antient Muscovite Guards whom they call Strelitzes had Mutiny'd under Pretence of Want of Pay and that being join'd by some others were marched towards Muscow the Capital City of the whole Empire with an Intention to Surprize and Ransack the Place The Strelitzes who formerly might be compared to the Janisaries of the Turks had given such frequent proofs of their Barbarity and Cruelty against the Inhabitants of this City upon such like Occasions that many of them being terrified by so unexpected a Revolt in the Czar's Absence left their Habitations and a general Consternation had seised the whole Empire as dreading the Effects of the Fury of these Insolent Soldiers The Princes Loff Kerilvitz Nariskin Procorofskoi and Boris Alexiovitz Gallizin who had the Supream Administration of the Government during the Czar's Absence were not wanting in their Duty to encourage the Inhabitants both by Words and their own Example and that nothing might be wanting on their side to reduce this rebellious Crew to their Duty sent some of the Nobility back'd by a good number of Troops to endeavour to appease their Fury but they were so far from hearkning to the Propositions offered them by the Deputies of the Governours that they fired at them and forced them to retire to the City Thus all fair means proving ineffectual General Gourdon was sent out with a good Body of faithful Troops Commanded for the most part by foreign Officers who meeting with the Rebels as they were advanced within four Leagues of Muscow Attack'd and totally Routed them killing many of them upon the Spot and carry the rest Prisoners to the City where many of them receiv'd afterwards the due Reward of their Treachery The Czar being over-joyed at the Success of his Arms against these Mutineers resolved not only to stay for some time at this Court but also to continue his Journey from hence to Vienice before his Return into Muscovy I have hinted to you before the Chief Motive which induced His Czarish Majesty to undertake so long and dangerous a Journey but besides this there may be alledged another having a peculiar Respect to the Imperial Courts For the Muscovites having by the Conquest of Asoph opened themselves a Gate into the Palus Meotis and consequently into the Black-Sea had all the Reason in the World to promise themselves the entire Conquest of the Crim-Tartary and the Tartarian Peninsula it self if the War should be carried on but for two years longer by the Confederates against the Infidels there being nothing but the Cities of Precop Crim and Caffa places of no great Strength which could make any considerable Resistance and prevent them from making themselves Masters of all the Coast from Asoph to the mouth of the River Borysthenes where they had already got firm footing by the Conquest of the Fortress of Kasikermeen in the Year 1695 and the Submission of many of the Cossacks upon the Frontiers to the Czar's Obedience His Czarish Majesty who from the beginning of his War with the Turks had had no less in view than the reducing of these Places and making himself Master of the Black-Sea had before his departure out of Muscovy made all the necessary Preparations for the promoting of so Great a Design He had not only strengthned the City of Asoph by some new Fortifications and erected a strong Fortress at some small distance from thence but had caused a new Port to be made for the Conveniency of his Navy This Great Prince who perfectly understands the advantageous Situations of his Dominions for Commerce one of the Main Pillars of the Prosperity of the Commonwealth has ever since his Accession to the Throne left no stone unturn'd to improve it to the utmost Advantage It is to the Muscovites Europe stands indebted for the Discovery of the Way by Land into China and by the frequent Embassy sent by the present Czar into that Country the Way through the Great-Tartary is as well or better known to the Russians than some Provinces of their own Empire Several goodly Cities and Villages have been built for the Conveniency of the Muscovite Carevans And a vast Tract of Ground has been incorporated with the Russian Empire It is incredible of what Consequences the China Trade by Land is to the Muscovites who by the Help of their Sleds drawn by Renes in the Winter-time perform this great Journey with much Expedition Many of the Vagabond Tartars incited by the Industry of the Muscovite Merchants trading in these parts have quitted their Solitudes and have settled themselves in Siberia and some other Provinces of Muscovy which were scarce inhabited within these hundred years The Communication betwixt Muscovy and some part of the Indies as well as the Persian Empire by help of the Caspian Sea as it is obvious to every body that will but cast an Eye upon the Maps so it is no less advantageous to the Russians than the China Trade The Banajans the most Trading People of all the Indies have a very considerable Settlement in the City of Astracan the Boundary of Europe and Asia on that side from whence they furnish Mascovy with all the most precious Things the Indies afford and by the continual passage of Merchants and others trading from the City of Muscow to Astracan and

other places upon the Wolga the Country betwixt the Ocea and Wolga is better stor'd with Villages and Inhabitants than many of the most Fertile Provinces of Europe The Czar Peter Alexiovitz was as well before as in his late Journey sufficiently convinced that all these Advantages were but imperfect in respect of what might be hoped for if by opening his way into the Black Sea he could settle a Communication with Italy and some other provinces of Europe by which means the Riches of China of the Indies and Persia might be conveyed this way to the no small Benefit of the Muscovites The Conquest of Asoph had opened him the way to attain this end without any great difficulty considering the present declining State of the Ottoman Empire and the flourishing Condition of Muscovy if he could prevail with his Imperial Majesty to continue the War a few years longer against the Infidels It is agreed on all sides That his Imperial Majesty shew'd as much inclination towards continuing the War with the Turks than the Czar himself and would have been as forward as any of the Confederates to second the laudable Zeal of His Czarish Majesty if the present conjuncture had not obliged him to prefer the Interest of his Country before his Inclinations at a time when the Infidels made such considerable Offers to the Confederates for the obtaining a Truce or Peace For besides that by the Animosities Reigning in Poland that King was not in a Condition to give any considerable diversion to the Turks the Subjects of the Hereditary Counries of his Imperial Majesty being exhausted by the heavy Taxes requisite for the carrying on so chargeable a War stood in absolute need of some Respite to take breath and the tottering State of the King of Spain's health was a sufficient warning to the Imperial Court to be upon their Guard against France where vast Preparations were made to back their claim to that Crown by Force These were the true reasons that induced his Imperial Majesty to consent some Months after to a Truce of 25 years with the Ottoman Port wherein the Czar of Muscovy included but chose to accept of the same only for two years for certain Reasons of 〈…〉 I shall have occasion to mention to you anon On the 29th day of June his Czarish Majesty had a private Audience from the Emperour and desiring to be Incognito he was conducted by a pair of Back-stairs to the Emperour's Antichamber where he was received by his Imperial Majesty in Person at the door no body was admitted to be present at this Audience besides the Count Wallenstein Lord High Chamberlain and the Count of Dieterichstein Master of the Horse to the Emperour the Czar was accompanied up Stairs only by the General Le Fort his first Ambassadour who supplied the place of an Interpreter betwixt these two Illustrious Personages at this Interview After the first Complements were pass'd the Emperour put on his Hat but finding that the Czar remain'd uncovered he also took off his Hat again and remained thus till the Interview which lasted about half an Hour was pass'd Some-days after the Czar took an exact View of the Imperial Armory Library and other Rarities belonging to the Imperial Pallace and the Emperour being sensible of the Czar's Inclinations towards the Mathematicks sent him a Present of the choicest Mathematical Instruments that could be found He likewise invited the Czar to a very splendid Entertainment which began with a most Admirable Consort of Musick and after a Magnificent Collation ended with a certain kind of Masquerade call'd in Germany a Wirthshaft frequently to be seen in the Courts of the German Princes where the Master of the Feast always represents the Person of a Host no body but persons of the first Rank of both Sexes being admitted to this Diversion In this each Masker was clad after the Fashion of some different Nation with a Lady in an Habit answerable to the same Nation so that the most remarkable Nations of the World being represented by this illustrious Company adorn'd with the Richest Stuffs and a prodigious quantity of precious Stones it afforded a most unusual but at the same time most Magnificent and agreeable Spectacle to the Czar To be short this Court to shew their utmost Respect to so Extraordinary a Guest strove to out-vye all the rest which His Majesty had visited before There was nothing but Jollity and Feasting to be seen during his Stay at Vienna and among others the Count of Starenbergh General of the Emperour's Armies signaliz'd himself on this Occasion having invited the Czar and his Ambassadours with all the Persons of Quality of both Sexes then at Vienna to a most splendid Feast The Czar in his Turn took the opportunity of St. Peter's Day to Entertain the Principal Lords and Ladies of the Court at the Pallace of Guntersdorff where the Muscovite Ambassadours were lodg'd the Emperour solemniz'd the same by an Artificial Fire-Work and a fine Consort of Musick Towards the latter end of July the Muscovite Ambassadours had their publick Audience of His Imperial Majesty which was very splendid especially in respect of the rich Presents design'd for the Emperour which consisted in the most precious Ermines and Sables and Cloths of Gold and Silver born by fifty Persons Clad all in black Velvet They were receiv'd at their Entrance into the outward Court by the Guards in Arms and after being admitted to the Audience of the Emperour with the usual Ceremonies were most splendidly Treated at Court and reconducted to their own Pallace It was but a few days after when the Czar having taken a Resolution to go to Venice in order as it was supposed to concert Matters with that Republick how best to annoy the Turks at Sea he sent some of his Train and Equippage before The Venetians were no sooner inform'd of His Majesty's Resolution but they appointed four Procurators of St. Mark to receive and attend him They ordered the necessary Carriages to the Frontiers and the Pallace of Toscari in the Arsenal was to be fitted up for his Receiption But when every body expected to hear of the Czar's Departure for Venice great was their Surprize when they understood that he had taken his Leave on a sudden of the Emperour and was return'd with only thirty of his most Trusty Servants among whom were General Le Fort and Feder Alexiovitz Gallowin his two Ambassadours by the Way of Polond into Muscovy leaving Procofet Bog danovitz Wolnitzin his third Ambassadour at Vienna as his Plenipotentiary to manage his Interest at the approaching Treaty betwixt the Confederates and Turks You may easily suppose that the whole Court was not a little amazed at this unexpected Change of the Czar's former Resolution every one judging of the Matter according to his Opinion but the Generality attributing it to some great Commotion in Muscovy the Truth of which was not confirm'd to us till some time after I told you before that

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