of a Tree which they had tied with a Garland of twigs creeping round about it and making a great Howling but so soon as they saw us took them to their Heels and away By the Forms and Tenures of the Curses and Conjuration they seem to be sensible of a Future state and sometimes by I know not what Tokens presage Death and the Soul of any that has been a disturber of the Public Quiet they deliver up to the Devil They have a formal Oath that they take upon divers Occasions which is thus The Party cuts up a Turf or Sod of Earth this he sets upon his Head and takes his stick into his Hand Wishing if such or such a Matter be not so and so that They with their Cattel may be consumed with Fire They have besides this other superstitious Customes to which they are so strongly inclined by nature that they will not be better civilized or if they happen to show themselves willing and learn a litle Urbanity it must be only for lucres sake and they promised something to boot to remember it which if you forget to perform they will forget to observe your Document In short they are but one remove from Bruits and so ignorant that the most part of them thinks there is no other Land in the World besides their own Two days long we went through the Woods and found it so soft and Marshy that we could hardly bring our Waggons through in safety On the 14 we arrived at VVolmar where we met many Horses Waggons and Boors going to market with Corn and other Things One of our Company growing weary of his Journey thought to go away in this Throng but the Captain being informed of his Design watched him so narrowly that he could not meet with an Opportunity to march off VVolmar is a litle but a well-fortified Town munited with a stone-Wall and a deep Ditch but without Water The Market in regard of the Poverty of the Countrey is very considerable and is held twice a week This City as appears yet by the Ruins of it has been formerly much greater than it is at this day but with all the Countrey round about has been often depopulated by the Polish and Russian Armies It is about 18 leagues from Riga On the 15 by break of Day we set forward on our Journey passing through a Champaign Countrey and many small Towns and Hamlets By the way we observed that the Boors had burn't up great Woods and converted them into Pasturage and arable Ground Afterwards we went through a large Wilderness where we could not see the Sun by reason of the density of the Trees yet the way was full of Mires and plashy About 7 in the Evening we came to our stage where we were to stay over night The next morning we broke our fast yoked the Horses and set forward passing over a huge River which had only a Bridge there where we were to pass over and no where else within 20 leagues above or below but the Bridge being old and seemingly rotten we durst not go over all together but one by one When we were got over Evening came on and the Sky began to grow gloomy after which followed a very great Tempest that the River swell'd over the Banks and overflow'd all the flat Lands which we seeing so suddenly happen left the common Road for that our Land Pilot told us that the High way was subject to such Floods with an extraordinary Inundation After two Hours Storming the Weather began to clear and the Pilot assured us we were not far from the Town where we were to take our nights rest and so it happened for just as he was speaking of it we saw Light through the Trees which mightily revived us for we were extreme cold and weary The next morning we set forward for Pitsiora and had very good Weather but came short of the Town that night insomuch that we were fain to ly all night in the Woods where we gathered all the Windfalls we could find and laid them on a heap and with dry Sticks made a huge Fire which served not only to warm our selves at but likewise to affright the Bears and Wolves away which are very bold and cruel in these Parts as also the Muskettos which swarm here by Millions and annoy both Man and Beast after an incredible rate CHAP. II. Arrival at Pitsiora and at Pletskow A strange Passage of a hungry Bear The spindle-bone or shank of a Giant The Pleasant Prospects and delightsome Landships of Moscovia Arrival at Novogorod The Antiquity and former Glory of that City how taken by the Moscovian and Fortified by the Swede Their Departure from Novogorod Rescounter with a Company of Robbers and Arrival at Colomna Great abundance of Wolves Coldness of the Climat ON the 30 th of October 1678 we arrived at Pitsiora which lies on the Confines of Russia and under the Protection of that Emperour It is seated in a fair and pleasant Countrey affoarding all things necessary to the sustenance of human Bodies 'T is true Pitsiora is no more than a Village yet for wealthy Inhabitants Commerce abroad and Advancement of Manufacture surpasses any City in all that part of the Countrey In passing through the Town we saw many rich Mercers and Drapers Shops the Markets stored with all sorts of Provision as Corn Butter Cheese and Fruits with a very noble Butchery or Flesh-shambles and the streets crouding with People from all Parts So soon as we were arrived there came several Jewelers who asked if we had any Pearls or other Jewels to sell or barter Having refreshed ourselves at Pitsiora we left the Town the next day about 10 in the Morning and about noon entred a large Wood where we found great store of Hurtles or Bilberies that were far greater and better tasted then any I have known else where which moved me to fall a plucking of them but going a litle way into the Wood and making a rushing through the Thickets up starts a huge Bear which so affrighted me that I had hardly power to run from him however it seem'd that he was as fearfull of me as I of him for when I ran East he ran West and glad I was to see his Bear-ship turn tails with me This was the only Bear that ever I had seen in Lifeland or all the way from Riga hither but the Boors often warned us to take care of our selves saying that sometimes both Men and Cattel are devoured with those cruel and ravenous Beasts On that Evening we arrived at Pletskou where we had Lodgings and all necessaries provided us and on the 22 payd our Waggoners who returned for Riga Pletskou is a large City a great part thereof is surrounded with a wall the rest with huge Balks like Pallizados and computed about 8 English miles in compass Their Houses are made sleightly of Trees and pieces of Timber let in with joynts without any Gentility
take a Journey for Scamachy there to repair his Houses which were thrown down with an Earth-quake in the year 1667. On the first of September we were ready and set forward with a Caravan of 1800 Horses and a great number of Camels Dromedaries Asses and other Beasts of Carriage having in Company several Thousands of Men. The first day we passed over three Rivers to wit Kurgani Kostar and Sambur whereof the second is the greatest running thrô the Mountains of Elbur This River divides it self into 5 branches or arms broad but shallow and runs over a stony Ground The next day we travailed 8 Dutch miles further and came to Koctep a large village where we took our rest for that night By the way we saw a goodly Tomb erected to the memory of a Persian Saint The Inhabitants of this Town and the Countrey about it are called Padar in their Language They are much addicted to stealth and Robbery so that we were fain to keep a narrow watch over them the time we lay in the Town which was not above 8 hours Their Houses are but little built square and covered on the Top with Earth not exceeding 6 or 7 foot high above ground but are as deep below as they are high On the 3 of the same moneth we set forward and travailed through many great villages amongst which was a very fair one called Nisabath or Naysabath which I guess lies about 41 degr and a quart It is seated in a very pleasant Countrey of Old Media now called Surwan or Schirwan This is the Place where som time agon the Holsteyn Ambassadours suffered Shipwrack At night we set down at Muskar being a Town without Walls or any other Fortification but seems to have bin in times past a place of trust as well from its Situation as the Ruins of the Walls and Bulwarks which yet appear By the way we saw abundance of Robbers in the Woods but they knowing us to be too strong would not adventure the Attempt On the 4 we broke up and that day came to Scabaran a little City where the whitest and best Rice in all Persia is brought to market and grows in the Countrey round about It is also in such plenty that the Hundred weight is sold for 13 Ochbas being about 4 Shil 2 Pence Sterl or a halfpenny per Pound The Walls of this City are now demolished so that it is no more than an open village The only Remarkable I found here was the Ruins of the Ovens wherein they averr Alexander the Great had Bread baked for his Army On the 5 th we came to the mountain Par or Barmach which lies close to the Sea and is very famous for it's many veins of Naphte The word Barmach is an Appellativ word and betokens in their Language a Finger so called from it's similitude to a Finger pointing out Above at Top it is very cold and has snow on the North side all the year long at top there grows som grass but not much and that all hung with Iceicles On this Hill appear the Ruins of som Watch-Towers and below have been several Fortlets to check the Tartars and secure the Medians from the Invasion of the Scythian Robbers Amidst those Ruins is a huge deep Pit digged and laid in with stone Naphta otherwise called Petroleum or Petrelaeum is an Oil coming naturally out of the veins of the Rock which veins do run thro the whole stones as in Marble There are 40 Pits digged as Receptacles to hold the said Oil being convey'd thither by several Pipes or Conduits But there are three of those whence it naturally flows or springs where you may see it buble up like boiling pitch Of this Oil there be two sorts the one tending to a brown or black which has a very strong smell but the other which is white is of a lovely smell when fresh and held in far more esteem than the other On the 6 dito we set forward again and went over very high Hills coming at night to Bachal a village seated in a low but fruitfull Valley Here grows much Rice and that very good it being a marshy Ground where that Grain likes best Barley also grows there in good plenty The Inhabitants have an excellent way of making Cakes the main stuff thereof being Honey and Oil whereof for the rareness and novelties sake my Master bought certain to use on our Journey On the 7 dito we left Bachal and after a good Days Journey came into Cothany which is a very pleasant Place and here we took up our Lodging This Village lies in a low Valley which is full of Woods of Hasles and other small Trees in which Woods are the greatest plenty of Hares that ever I have seen in all my Life On the 8 dito we arrived at the famous Scamachy called also Sumahi and Samachy It is a very famous Mart and lies in 40 degr 30 min. In the Province of Schirwan or Media It is handsomly seated in a Vally so that one cannot see it till he be within Cannon Shot of the Town The distance between Derbent and Scamachy is computed a Weeks Journey excluding Sunday to wit following the High-way which is crooked and Winding for by reason of Hills and Rivers they are fain to travel far about or otherwise one might go it in 2 days there is also another way which Passengers take when they go not with the Caravan the Caravan would also go that way but the Tolls about the Mountains of Lahatz are very great and oftentimes long a clearing so that they rather chuse to go the other way In former times this was a Town of some consideration as to matter of strength but in the Wars of Abas the Scach or King of Persia against the Turks it was by him dismantled and made an open village which was ever by him a Maxim of Military Policy by reason the Turks were wont to retire into fortified Places under pretext of Refuge and after a few Moneths proving strong and numerous would surrender up the Town to their own Nation in time of War or upon an Uproar so that all the Walls toward the South were demolished and only those on the North-side left standing which will not much avail upon such sudden Occasions And now was none more happy than my self in imagination not thinking otherwise than suddenly to have my Freedom On the 1 of November I was sent for by the Ambassadour where being introduced into the Parlor he speedily bad me sit down and fell to asking many Questions about my Nation and my coming to be a Slave I told him all from the Beginning to the End He then called for a Bowl of Wine and bade me drink Whilst I sat there were two young Georgian Girls brought to the Door who being stole by the Dagestan Tartars of handsom Bodies and tolerable Beauties as also the Ambassadours own Countrey Women he had compassion of them and
Convention or Exchange of Whores The Common Place of Sepulture and Metzid of Scach Beslade the Son of Hosseyn by which the Persians swear The Offering of a Camel FOurteen Days we staid in Ardebil during which time I had leisure to see what was worthy of Remark and Opportunity besides being apparreled like a Persian so that none distrusted me to be a Musulman but allowed me access over all When these 14 days were expired the Caravan made preparation to break up and pursue the Journey for Ispahan for which end many fresh Camels and Horses were taken in When the Caravan was ready we observed that the Company was considerably increased with new Passengers and Merchants On the 25 by sound of Trumpet all was warned to joyn themselvs with the Caravan that intended for â—spahan and accordingly left Ardebil and came to Busun which lies about 14 Miles from Ardebil where we staid that night The day following we broke up and had that day a very rocky and uneasy Way insomuch that most or all allighted from their Horses and Camels and went a foot By the way we met several Troops of Robbers who probably had understood what a Prey and Purchase we had yet finding the Caravan so very numerous durst not assail us At night we came to Sengoa a beautifull Village where we had very good Wine and made our selvs merry but not to excess for that is in general odious to the Persians Here I saw the best Beauties and most comly Faces that I have seen in all Persia their Women seem to have a greater Liberty than in most places where they do not only go covered abroad but are also denied the converse with Men for here they go bare with their Face and are very familiar with those of the Masculine Gender and if I be not mistaken were too familiar with some who within a few daies after began to scratch their Heads and this is the first time I knew that the Persian Women understood French In sum our Company enjoy'd themselvs here so contentedly and well that som of 'em thought the Sun had mistaken himself and was risen an hour too soon The day following leaving Sengoa we had high and rocky way but towards the Evening came into a most sweet and pleasant Dale or Plain through which a River glided very swiftly This Valley was very pleasant and notwithstanding the season appeared as if it were in May. This River is called Kisâ—loseyn having a very fair Stone Bridge over it over which we passed and pitched on the South side in the open Field for there were no Houses to be seen On the 28 th we broke up and went over the famous Taurus being a very rough and dangerous way insomuch that all the Company were fain to allight and lead their Camels and Horses till we came into a Valley where we took our Rest for an Hour or two This Valley is very deep and a Nest of Robbers and Vagabonds who find many lurking Places to hide themselvs in out of which they assail and surprise Travailers if they think themselvs strong enough but we as was said before being increased to a considerable Number knew our selvs sufficiently out of peril Out of this Valley ariseth the River Kisiloseyn which running very swiftly and beating thorow the Rocks makes a very hideous Murmur so that one cannot hear another speak thus receiving as it were inlargement runs through the Champain Countrey of Kâ—lan and thence is hurried with an admirable celerity into the Caspian Lake into which it empties it self On the Banks of this River is a Village bearing the same name where is a fair Stone Bridge of 9 Arches or Bows All along the Way side grow great plenty of Almond Cypress and other Trees which served us all the way in stead of Parasols but when we were come over the River found the Way very bad being forced to clamber over Rocks the Path being so narrow that only one Camel at once could go on it On each side were many great Clefts and deep Caves which with the rattling of the Horses feet made a dreadfull and horrid Eccho and being come to a place which was the fullest of those Caverns all the Company gave a Shout which with an Eccho resounded from one Place to another that it seemed as if there had been 10 or 12 Troops of Men in so many several Places calling to one another On this way it happened that a Camel broke the Leathers wherewith his Pack was fastened to the Crutchet or Saddle being just at the Brink of a wide and deep Pit where no Bottom could be seen It cost the Slaves who attended him much labour to save him and were in struggling once in great hazard themselvs of tumbling down Camel and all yet at last with loss of the Pack which in spite of all they could do fell down they got clear The Pack was very rich and the loss thereof so concerning to the Merchant that if others had not hindred him he had thrown the Slaves after it for their Negligence This ill way much detarded us on this Days Journey for we were more than 5 Hours in travailing one Mile Being got over this bad way we found a Village where it was designed that we should take our nights rest The name of the Town was Keyntze being very poor and not in a Condition to supply us with such Necessaries as we desired for our Money On the 29 we broke up and had that day very good way coming at night to the village Hortzimur where we were very ill at ease being cold Weather and the Place not able to supply us with House-room The next day leaving Hortzimur we travailed thrô a very dry and barren Heath meeting by the way with som Robbers who being but few in number durst not make any attempt upon us However night coming upon us here we were fain to set down on the Heath and for fear of Robbers forced to watch all night but were so benummed with cold that we many times wished for break of day On the first of the next Moneth we came into a litle City called Senkan which is reputed the best Refreshing place between Derbent and Ispahan there being plenty of Oranges Lemmons Pomegranats Melons divers sorts of huge Grapes and many other Fruits then out of season Veal and Mutton was here very cheap as also Bread Thus finding Provision here very cheap we bought what we thought necessary As for the City it self there is not much worthy of Remark about it save onely a very fair and beautifull Metzid It is situated in a Plain and a flat Ground but near the Town very barren and dry It has been formerly a great Emporium and flourished more than 4 Centuries of years in Traffic and Commerce with the circumjacent Countreys but since it was demolished by the great Tamerlan is so run to decay that it is out of Hopes ever to arrive to it's
Island is white with the Dung of Mews Cormorants and a sort of Wild-geese that com thither to build and breed as also to prey upon the dead Fish which lies in heaps upon the shore and in the small Inlets and Creeks There is no fresh Water upon the Island which if there had we had bin very unhappy for the English had intended to leav us there with a little Provision till our own Ships should come to fetch us off but seeing there was none they were so kind as to carry us for England The reason of their design to do so was because they had very many sick aboard and grew every day weaker and weaker by the Death of their Men fearing therefore that we should rise and make our selvs Masters of the Ship when we found an Opportunity being about 300 Dutch in all On the 23 of June we left Ascension Island and set our Course N.W. till we came under the Aequinoctial and then North till we came in 13 degr which is the height of the Barbados then steered N. and by E. till we came in 43 degr where we altered our Course N. E. till we found that we were in 48 degr then changed our Point N. E. and by E. till we came at 51 degr 11 min. then steered East till we had 51 degr 20 min. and the next day got sight of Ireland and the day following arrived safe at Baltamore which is a very fair Haven and good Anchor-ground as also a safe Harbor for Shipping against all Winds Being arrived here the Captains gave us liberty to go where we liked so that som of our Men went over Land for Kingsale On the 26 we had news of the Engagement between the English and Dutch The day following I set forward with som of our Company afoot over land passing through many fair Towns as Balthamore Top Ross and others On the 28 we came at the Castle Til Britton where we stay'd all night and the next morning betimes set forward on our Journey and about noon came to Kingsale being one of the most commodious Havens and strongest Place that I had seen in all Ireland The Haven is sufficient to contain a considerable number of Shipping as at our being there were 80 or 100 sail laying at Anchor all Ships of a great Burthen The City it's self is also strongly Wall'd and has an impraegnable Fort. We tarried here 10 days and set forward again for Cork where we happily found a Ship ready to sail for Bristol Cork is a fair City and the Metropolitan of the Province of that name being also a Bishops Seat The Master received us aboard and in the Afternoon set sail and that night came to Anchor before Cow which lies about 5 Leagues from Cork On the 10 betimes in the Morning we weighed and had a brav◠Gale of Wind. About Noon we descried a small Vessel which w◠praesumed was a Dutch Privateer but ours being a good sailer outstrip◠her far The next day we found ourselvs in St. Georges Channel and about the Evening came before Bristol On the 12 I went ashoar and pursued my Journey afoot to London where on the 15 I arrived and stayed 3 Days viewing to my great astonishment the City all rebuilt after a magnificent manner being not long before in Rubbish and Ashes by a dreadfull Fire that happened in the year 1666 but now appearing with a far greater lustre than before From London I travailed to Harwich passing thrô many fair Villages and a most delightfull Countrey And from hence imbarqued for Holland where after many Miseries and Perils by the Goodness of Almighty GOD I embraced my Wife and Children on the 7 of October in the year 1673. Anchora de prora jacitur stat littore puppis THE END The Copy of a NARRATIV Written from aboard the Ship EAGLE belonging to his Imperial Majesty the Czar of Moscovia riding at Anchor before ASTRACHAN upon the River Wolga bearing date September XXIV M DC LXIX O. S. ON the 28 of May we left Moscou and with a small Boat fell down the River Occa till we came at Dedenof being the Wharf where the Ship and Yacht were built which we found ready for a Launch ON the 6 of Iune we set sail with our Ship and Yacht coming the day following before Nisen Novogorod where the River Occa incorporates with the Wolga In the mean while we had run our selvs a ground three or 4 Times but that was more thrô the unskilfullness of the Pilot than the Badness of the River which is deep and navigable as also on each side inhabited and grown with Woods The name of the Gentleman who resided at Nisen as Waywood or Governour was Maxim Ivanowitz Nachokkin who made us very welcom and according to their custom sent us several Dishes of Meat also during the time we lay there at Anchor came several times aboard us and at our departure convoy'd us down som part of the River and supplied the Officers with Necessaries and Refreshments HAVING the advantage both of Wind and stream we arrived the First of July before the mouth of the River Casanka which is about a mile from Casan Here we broke our Cables and with much ado made fast to the shore with a single Rope We had also lost our Bowspriet among the Trees in falling down the Occa. The Waywods name of Casan was Iurien Petrovitz Trobieskay a liberal Gentleman and not at all incomitable he treated us several Times at his own House and upon our Departure gave us som Provision aboard us After 15 days aboad here we loosed and passed by several fair Towns as Camuschinka Dosoroska and others too long to relate This said Camuschinka is lately built by Order of the Czaar being fortified Diamond wise by Collonel Thomas Bailey an English Gentleman It 's end is to prevent the Irruption of the Cosacs the River Camuschinka running into the Don. ON the 13 of August we got sight of Astrachan and on the 14 came before the Town where we gave the Salvo with all our Cannon and 60 Musquets and in the Evening dropped Anchor in the Road near the Town We had before got Intelligence how that the Cosacs had appeared upon the Wolga but coming to Astrachan were further informed how that the Russes were gon out against them in which Expedition were 50 Stroegs and about 3000 Men under the Command of Knees Simeun Ivanowitz Geboof who was the third Voyce or suffrage of Astrachan It is now 3 years since the first rising of the Cosacks in which time they have depopulated many fair Towns upon the Caspian Sea and about a year agon had taken in Iaick a City belonging to the Czar where they had besides many Insolencies committed killed and dispatched abov 8000 Men by cruel and unheard of Torments amongst whom was one Dutch Officier of known fame for his good Conduct IN Persia they had taken in and demolished 3 Citys
283. Biloege the Fish whereof Cavear is made 199. Boa Vista insul Situation and Description 5. Bocharen a Place affoarding great plenty of Furrs 223. Bochdan the Ambassadâ—ur for the King of Poland his ill deportment at Scamachi desires to become Turk c. 244 seqq His churlishness to the Author ibid. Asks his advice if he might go for Holland by the consent of the East-India Company their Directors 246. Boghze Dome a Place appointed for Burial of unsanctified Russes 150. Boldea the Haven of Riga 115. Bologne a City in Italy resembling a Ship 72. Bonzi of Syam their Office Habit c. 35. Bottarge a delicate Dish prepared at Corfu made of the Roes of Sturgeon 97. Also at Xante 99. Bouchadde Tenedos so called by the Turks 91. Bouchourt see Trachana Boynak a Town in Tartary 108. Brak the Authors Companion sold by the Semkal-Tartars for 3 years and then by Reversion to return to his first Patron 234. His Wife ravished by the Tartars in presence of the Company 210. She becomes the Prince of Scemkals Concubine 234. She hinders her husband for going away ibid. He goes away privately and was never heard of since ibid. Butriato a famous place for Fishing 97. C. CAback vide Kaback Cabo Verdo Islands 5. seqq Caffers th' Inhabitants of Sierra Liones so called 9. Calmuc Tartars an ougly People 174. described ibid. Cambodiers several of them taken in a Junk freighted with prohibited Goods and by the Loving Kindness of the Hollanders turned adrift in a Boat without Rudder Sail Oars or Provision being but 40. Dutch Leagues from Land 45. The same Junk perishes upon the Rocks before the Fort Zelandia 55. Candia described 100. seqq Caspian Sea described 122 224. Caswin a famous Town formerly the Royal Seat of the Kings of Persia 304. Cavear whereof made 199. Vsed in stead of Butter during the Fast in Moscovia ibid. Casan a City and Countrey in Russia described 177 seqq 166. Cephalonia Insul 98. Cerigo an Island lying about 13 Dutch leagues from Candia 99 100. Chalse Schuran or Dipping of the Cross a Ceremony used by the Armenians 248. Children put to death at Madagascar and why 19. Chioggio a City in Italy opposite to Venice famous for Fishing and Gardens 73. Chrysolodos his Tomb in the Isle of Pathmos 79. Churches in the City Moscou computed to be in number above 1700. 135. Circas Tartars the Bounds of their Countrey 204. Their Persons described ibid. The Women great beauties ibid. Go with naked Brests 205. Their emulation in Habit and freedom to converse with Strangers ibid. The Religion of the Circas Tartars and their Idolatry ibid. Their Funerals 206. Circumcision used at Madagascar 21. Cochino formerly called Ephestias and then the chief Town of Lemnos 91. Colomna a beautiful Village in Moscovia 125 158. Communion in the Russian Church how 154. Condea a Town in Lemnos 91. Congo a good Corps du Garde and Lanthorn for the Christians to enter the Archipelago 100. Corfu an Island of great strength 96. Cosac Krim an exceeding high Mountain 173. Cosacks their Division and Limits 183. Cothany a Town in Media 238. Crap a Root used in Dying 222. Crim or Cerem Tartars their Customs Nature and Idolatry 163. Ceremonies about the Dead usual Habits and Marriages 164. Crocodiles used for Medicine at Syam 29. Cusmademianski a City upon the Wolga Czar of Moscovy sends to Amsterdam for Seamen 114. Whence and Why he is called Czaar 155. His Power and Soveraignty ibid. His Title ibid. His Revenues and strictness of Justice 156. D. DAgestan a Countrey of the Tartars subject to several Princes and Lords 210. Dagestan Tartars why so called 2â—7 The nature form and way of Living of the Inhabitants ibid seqq More mercifull than the Calmucs 234. Date-Trees how procreated 341. Delos an Island in the Aegean Sea famous for the many Temples and Relicts of Heathenish Antiquities 110. Den Duyvel van TAYOVAN an Animal in Formosa so called by the Hollanders 56. Derbent the Key of Persia on the Hyrcan Sea 225. The Ruins and Relicts of the Walls thereof built by Alexander the Great 226. Watch Towers and great Slave-market at Derbent 227. Slaves unkindly used at Derbent 228. Dian Manans an imagined Deity among the Madagascars Dick Kop A small Fish of a wonderfull strength 225. Don a River formerly Tanais whence the Don Cosacks runs not into the Wolga according to the vulgar opinion 194. Dwino 136. Dydenof a Town and Wharf on the Volga 158. E. EArth-quakes frequent at Xante 99. Zantotini 107. 2 great Earth-quakes at Zantorini ibid. Several Earth-quakes at Scamachi where by one 80000 Men were destroyed Mountains and Villages removed c. 240. Easter how celebrated by the Moscovians 158. Elephants used for Executioners at Syam 47. Served in Gold 32. Wars about the white Elephant 33. A merry passage about an Elephant 63. Embro insul The English take Saint Helena 355. And the Ship Europa a Dutch East-India Ship ibid. Also the Admiral and Vice-Admiral 358. Enkurekan a venemous creature like a spider but bigger than a mouse 311. Epiphany celebrated by the Armenian Christians at Ispahan 325. Ervan or Urwan a City under Mount Ararat in Armenia 213. F. FAsts four solemn Fasts in the year in Russia and the great Prophaneness therein committed 154. Ferrara a Town in Italy 73. Firando in Japon 59. Flax a great Commodity in Moscovia 135. Formosa Insul it's Situation Clime and Circumference 55. Fertility and Products ibid. Form and complexion of the Inhabitants 56.57 A Man with a Tail burn'd at Formosa ibid. Habit of Men and Women there 58. Furrs a great Profit to the Great Duke of Moscovia 138. G. GAmeron or Bendar in Persia described 349. Garlick and Onions much used in Russia 137. Garrisenda a Tower in Bologne built crooked for a Proof of Art 72. Genua described 3. Gilan an eminent place for Silk 223. The Bay of Gilan it's compass 224. Greece described 92. Custome and usual Attire of the Inhabitants 92 93. Grotta Sybilla 70. H. HAdzi Biram Aly a rich Merchant in Persia buys the Author 229. The Author saves him from drowning ibid. His great kindness to the Author 230. Hardiness of the Russians in extremities 137 138. Hares in great abundance about Cothany 238 St. Helena Insul 63. Hemp a main Product and the staple Commodity in Moscovia 301. Het Hups te Gennip the Ship on board of which the Author was in great danger 66. Honey found in great plenty at Milo 111. And in Moscovia 135. Hosleyn a Persian Saint and Second Son to Aly a Feast celebrated to the memory of him 263 Hunting a main exercise in Formosa 59. I. St JAge Insul Situation 6. and Description 7. Japoneezes their Form Nature Habit and Customs c. 62. Ilha del Fuego 7. Ilha de Brava 8. Indrapoura Insul 24. Ispahan described 315. Judia the chief City of Syam described 27. K. Kabacks ' Alehouses or Taverns in Moscovia farmed of the
Images of Apollo Minerva and Diana The Castle of Tenos blown up with it's own Powder The Island Milo it 's Situation Strength Harbours Inhabitants Religion store of Provision and Victuals The Dutch Ship De Princes springs a leak The Author goes aboard a Privateer leavs her and goes for Holland Pag. 106. The THIRD VOYAGE CHAP. I. THe Author undertakes his Third Voyage for Moscovia The Names of the Officers and others employed with him on that Journey and Voyage Their Difficulties in going out Arrival at Riga with a Description of the Town and their Departure from thence The Nature of the Lifelanders their Houses Customes Condition Religion and quaint form of an Oath Arrival at Wolmar with a Description thereof Their difficult Travels through Lifeland Pag. 113. CHAP. II. Arrival at Pitsiora and at Pletskow A strange Passage of a hungry Bear The Spindle-bone or Shank of a Giant The Pleasant Prospects and delightsom Landships of Moscovia Arrival at Novogorod The Antiquity and former Glory of that City how taken by the Moscovian and Fortified by the Swede Their Departure from Novogorod Rescounter with a Company of Robbers and Arrival at Colomna Great abundance of Wolvs Coldness of the Climat Pag. 120. CHAP. III. A Quarrel with the Russians Eight Dutch Merchants murthered in a Wood. Arrival at Tweer Another Rescountre with a Party of Robbers Money sent from Moscou Pursuit of their Journey They enter Moscou Their good Reception The great Bear-Garden Wolf and Bear-baiting Death of the Empress and the pompous Exequies Pag. 125. CHAP. IV. Situation of Moscou It 's Divisions and Wards Kitay-Gorod the first City The great number of Churches and Cloysters High Towers Noted Humility and Obedience of a Russian Gentleman The greatest Bell in the World at Moscou The Church of Ierusalem Zaar-gorod the second Skoredous the third and Strelitza Slowoda the fourth Town Great number of Houses within the City Moscou A great Fire whereby many Houses within the City Moscou A great Fire whereby many Houses were consumed The coldness of the Climate Diseases proper to the Countrey Fertility and Products of the Land Pag. 130. CHAP. V. The Form Nature and Propertie of the Russes Their ordinary Diet. Their great esteem of Brandy Their ordinary Habit. Women use painting of their Faces The manner of their Marriages and nuptial Solemnities Pag. 137. CHAP. VI. Divorcement among the Russes and the sundry occasions thereof Their Superstition about Cleanness and Uncleanness Baths and the use of the same The Hardiness and patience of the Russes in suffering the Extremities of Heat or Coldness Some strange customes among the Russes Solemnities at the Burial of their Dead Pag. 146. CHAP. VII The Religion and Church-Government of the Russians The Patriarch and his Office Of their Sacraments c. Pag. 151. CHAP. VIII The Jurisdiction of the Czaar his Titles Revenues and strict Justice Pag. 155. CHAP. IX Celebration and Solemnity of Palm-Sunday The Departure of the Author out of Moscou to Astrachan Heads and Officers They set Sail. A heavy storm Arrival at Nisen-Novogorod Plenty of Provision at Nisen A description of the famous River Wolga Beginning of the Cerem-or Crim-Tartars Their Customs and Nature Their Idolatrie Ceremonies about the Dead Their Habit Polygamy c. Pag. 175. CHAP. X. The Ship set fast upon a Foord The great Utility of the Linden-tree Some of the Company drowned Fertility and excellent Soil of the Banks of the Wolga Arrival at Casan Casan taken in by the Russes The Casan-Tartars fight the Russes The Russian Army flee Moscou taken in The Czar becomes Tributary to the Tartars The good Conduct and valour of the Governour of Resan who restores the Czar and the Empire to it 's former Freedom Pag. 165. CHAP. XI Departure from Casan The strange manner of taking Fish Cities demolished by Tamerlan The Ship run fast aground The Salt-Pans and manner of making Salt Difficult Sailing in the Wolga A New City built for defence against Robbers and Pyrates The great abundance of Liquirice about Astrachan The Land of the Calmuc-Tartars Pag. 173. CHAP. XII Situation of Astrachan he Inhabitants How Astrachan became subject to the Czaar Strange manner of Tents or Cottages Provision very cheap and Brandy dear A Desart affoarding good Salt and a strange kind of Fruit. The Form and Nature of the Nagayan Tartars Their Habit manner of Life and House-keeping Their Trades and way of earning money Horse-flesh Mares-milk and Blood in great esteem by them Pag. 177. CHAP. XIII Divisions and Limits of the Cosacks Offspring of Radzin The Reason of his Revolting The first beginning of his Insolency His treacherous Cruelty The Governour of Astrachan makes preparation against him He betakes himself to flight and reconciles himself with the Czar The Incredible Riches and costly Attire of the Cosacks The Person of Stenko Radsin described The meeting and discourse of the Author with Stenko Radzin He keeps a Persian Princess for his Concubine which he throws with his own hand into the Wolga His Punishment for Adultery Pag. 183. CHAP. XIV Stenko returns back and is followed by many Russes but opposed by an Order from Psoforoski which Stenko disobeys He returns again with a greater Power The Waywode of Astrachan sends out a Fleet against him which shamefully yields The Officers murthered A great Perplexity at Astrachan Power and Aw of Stenko His cruelty and Pride His Legates are devoured of Dogs in Persia Kumuskinka surrendred by Treachery Pag. 189. CHAP. XV. The Animosities and Tumults in Astrachan Stariza taken in by the Cosacks A Fleet sent out against them The Cosacks win Tzarnojar The Russian Fleet yields to the Cosaks The great Insolency and boldness of the Mobile of Astrachan The valour of the Waywod or Governour Advised to abscond or absent himself which iâ— put in practice Pag. 193. CHAP. XVI They fall down the Wolga and miss their Course They touch aâ— Oetzjoege The strange manner oâ— fishing of the Bieloege The great plenty of Cavear They meet with great difficulty to gain the Caspian Sea which at last they get A description of the Island Satyry Boggere Taâ— Reeds grow all along the Coast A dreadfull Tempest The Golden Bay heir meeting with a Tartarian Bark A description of Terki The Beginning of the Circas-Tartars Their Persons and Complexions described Their Habit and way of Living Of their Women their Habit Humours and Inclinations Their Idolatry Pag. 198. CHAP. XVII The Author and his Company err in their Course They meet with a Cosak-Bark A great Tempest The Beginning and Limits of the Dagestan-Tartars Their Posture or Frame of Body Habit and Way of Living They are great Plagiaries The Barrenness of the Dagestan Mountains Another great Tempest The Shallop run astrand and is spied by the Tartars who plunder them The strange way of electing the Dagestan Kings They are assailed by another Company who ravish the Woman in presence of her Husband and convert them all to Slaves The Author tortured to
more fit for use On the 23 of February one of our company married with a Tartarian maid who had been taken Captive when she was a Child and brought up in the Christian Religion by the Heer van Sweden who taught her to write and speak Netherdutch both which she did expertly well And a day or two after was another of our Company married with a Lubekker both these two went with their Husbands to Astrachan On the 13 of March died the Empress in Child-bed who by reason of her great Charity Piety and the best of Vertues was much lamented by the Common People who oftentimes in distress were accustomed to address themselves to her as a Mediatrix The next day she was interred with great Pomp and magnificency for it is not their Custome as in other Countreys to embalm the Corps or to let it lie in State On each side the way stood the Guards but none follow'd or went before except some of the chief Personages about Court who walked a soft pace The Herse was cowered with a rich Canopy of cloth of Gold having Tassels and Fringe suitable born up by 8 young Lords After the Herse followd a Train of Noble-men led by the first Ministers of State who bore a Bag of money which the said Empress on her Death-bed had bequeathed to the Poor These followed next to the Emperour and his two Sons who were apparreled in a Garment lined with Black Fox skins which is a Fur of very high esteem The Emperour and his two Sons were supported each by two Gentlemen There were also the several Ministers of Forreign Courts present who were attired after the manner of their own Countrey these went on each side the Herse at a distance and after all followed an innumerable Train of Citizens and Forreign Merchants but those without any Order On this manner the Corps was brought into a Cloyster which she her self had founded and there committed to the Earth CHAP. IV. Situation of Moscou It 's Divisions and Wards Kitay-Gorod the first City The great number of Churches and Cloysters High Towers Noted Humility and Obedience of a Russian Gentleman The greatest Bell in the World at Moscou The Church of Jerusalem Zaar-gorod the second Skorodom the third and Strelitza Slowoda the fourth Town Great number of Houses within the City Moscou A great Fire whereby many Houses were consumed The coldness of the Climate Diseases proper to the Countrey Fertility and Products of the Land BEing constrained to tarry some time at Moscou against our will it gave me opportunity to take a view of the Town and to make what observations I could during the time of my aboad there which I shall according to my best knowledge impart to the Reader Moscou is the Metropolitan or Capital City of Moscovia and the Imperial City of Russia and all that is within the Jurisdiction of the Emperour whose Empire is bounded on the North with the white Sea on the East severed from the Samoieds and other Tartarian Countreys on the South it has the Mare Caspium and on the West part of Poland Lifeland and Sweden So that the large and wide Dominions of the Czar are extended as well into the Asian as the European Continent The City of Moscou which seems to have it's name from the noble River Moscqua lies in 50 degr 37 min. Northerly Latitude It is a very large City and computed to be about 30 or 35 English miles in compass yet was almost twice as great before it was taken in and depopulated by the Tartars It gives a very fair prospect from without by reason of it's many Towers and high Buildings This City is divided into 4 wikes or Wards to wit Kitay-gorod or midle City Zaar-or Czar-gorod the Emperours City Skorodom and Strelitza Slowoda These several Divisions seem rather so many distinct Towns or Cities whereof Kitay-gorod stands in the middest and is environed with a high wall which they call Crasna Stenna that is Red Wall It is feated between 2 Rivers to wit Moscqua on the South and the Neglina on the North which are united behind the Palace The Palace together with its Appendences to wit the Wall Horn-works Crescents and other Fortifications is the larger part of the Kitay-gorod called also Crim-gorod being well provided with Men and Ammunition In the midst of this Palace is a very stately Church in which we saw a Silver branched Candlestick formerly presented to the Czar by the Ambassador of our States Besides this Church is another dedicated to the Archangel where are to be seen the Tombs of those of Imperial blood as also Triotzis Maria and that of St. Nicholas which are both very sumptuous Those which are in Kitay-gorod without the Palace are also reputed the best and fairest in all Moscou being reckoned 56. Besides the Churches which are within the Walls of the Palace are 2 very beautifull Cloysters the one for Young Gentlemen and the other for Ladies who have resolved to live a monastichal Life altho the former may rather go under the denomination of an Ilustrious School because it is appointed for the Education of the Young nobility in all kinds of Literature and good Manners who at 16 Years have a choice preferred them whether they will lead a Ghostly or a Secular Life but that for the Ladies dispences not with such a Freedom but all that are admitted must continue durante vitâ In the middle of this Palace or rather Fort is a high Tower which the Russians call Ivan Velike that is Great Iohn being covered with Copper and double guilt This is that Tower on whose Top the Emperour Boris Gudenow as is to be seen in their Chronicles brought a Persian Ambassadour to view the City Moscou and amongst other discourse began to speak of the great Loyalty and Obedience of some subjects to their Soveraigns in past ages Whence the Emperour took occasion to say So faithfull are my subjects from the highest Bojar to the meanest Vassal that there is not one of them who would refuse to throw himself praecipitantly from the Top of this Tower if I thought good to command and thereupon calls a Bojar or Lord whom he instantly commanded to throw himself head-long down which after he had taken his Leave of his Imperial Majesty and those that were with him jump'd off from the highest pinacle where he was taken up dead buried with greated Solemnity and his Children promoted to the greatest Places of Trust in which they and their Descent continue till this day Besides this there is yet another Tower and one of the widest that ever I have seen in my life in which is the greatest Bell without doubt in the World weighing 394000 lb. and the Clapper 10000 lb. I measured it and found it 23 foot Diameter and 2 foot solid mettal It is as much as 50 strong men can move and that only so as may just be perceived It is seldom
Kopeke the Couple and satisfyed my Chapman to the full On the 13 we came to Omula which is a Village about 40 English Leagues from Dydenof After two days Sailing we came to Pereslaf which is a small City rebuilt as I have been told out of the Ruins of Resanski which formerly was a famous Town surprized by the Tartars demolished and the Inhabitants removed to Pereslaf On the 17 we came close to Resanski where we viewed the Ruins of the City which testified the former Greatness and Strength of the Town From hence we sailed to the Eastern side of the River where we saw many famous Houses and stately Buildings with Fair Orchards and Groves On the 18 we saw many goodly Towns and Religious Houses and at night arrived at Novosolki a Place solely belonging to the Arch-Bishop Here we bought provision and all kinds of Refreshments that the place affoarded finding all things very cheap and good and from hence we sailed away passing by Schilko Tericho Tinersho Slavada Koponaw and other fair Towns On the 22 we came to Kassienie-gorod a beautifull litle City and the Residence of Prince Reskitski Our Captain and Master intended to visit the said Prince and for that end came here to Anchor but coming a shoar understood that he was departed for Moscou with the old Princess his Mother However they went to view the Palace and were magnificently entertained by the steward of whom after the Exchange of some Rarities on both sides by way of Presents they took their leaves Kassieme-gorod has been formerly a Hold of the Tartars but the present Prince at the age of 12 years surrendred it up to the great Duke of Moscovy whom he as then obtained to be his Protector On the 23 we sailed past many fair Villages Churches Monasteries and other Houses built for Religious uses coming the next morning to anchor before Leshi which is a very great Town but not walled On the 24 we came before Moruma a Town inhabited partly by Russes and partly by Mordwin-Tartars whose Countrey begins here although both the City Moruma and the Circumjacient Land-ship is at present under subjection of his Majesty of Russia On the 27 we sailed by Prewas Palo and some other lesser Towns Near this Place are two Rivers which vent themselves into the Wolga the one called Morsna Reka on the starboard and the other Klesna on the larboard-side in sailing downward which last comes from the City VVolodomur The Bank on the one side is very high Land and steep yet above level and fair Land but to the Northward the Bank is level with the Water and the Land woody and desert nether inhabited nor tilled to any purpose On the 28 we sailed past Isbuilets and Troitska dropping anchor before Slowoda On the 24 we set Sail and came that day before Dudwina where we were forced to remain 4 days and 4 nights by reason of the tempestuous weather The boistrous Winds and Rain somewhat abated we set sail and on the 3 of Iune came before Nofunki and the 8 before the great City Nisen Novogorod situate on an angle of the great River Wolga which is there conjoined with the Oka Nisen-gorod lies in the Latitude of 36 degr and 28 min. under a wholsome climat and in a fertile Countrey It is well fortified with Walls Bulwarks Towers Men and Ammunition of War About 2 English miles without the City live more Inhabitants than within being Russes and Tartars but in subjection to the great Duke The Germans had formerly built two Churches here one for the Lutherans and another for the Calvinists both which went to decay upon their leaving the Town It is here very cheap living and all things necessary for the sustenance of Human Bodies may be procured at easy Rates The Pastures abound with Cattel the Villages with Poultry the Woods with Venison the Rivers with Fish and the Land with Corn Fruit Roots and Plants Butter we bought there for 10 gl the 100 lb. which is after the rate of 2 d per pound and yet we esteemed that the dearest Purchase we bought there We bought there a good sort of Linnen for 2 stivers the Ell which served us well for shirting and other uses aboard the Ship And by reason of the Cheapness of Provision and all necessaries we received here 6 Moneths pay and because that they had here an excellent Ropeyard the Heads of our Company thought good to leave the Lieutenant Schack with our chief Boatswain to look after some Ropes which we had given order to be made as also to fit us with new Anchors On the 21 dito we put off from Nisen and left the Wolga This is reputed one of the greatest and longest Rivers in the whole World taking it's beginning in the highest Mountains of Nova-Zembla running past Ierislaf or Ierislaw Tweer and other eminent Cities whence with many Windings and Turnings it runs through the Land till it come at Astrachan where it divides it self into several Heads like the Nile and so looses it self into the Caspian Sea receiving by the way many great and navigable Rivers and those mostly on the Northeast side from whence by reason that the River receives it's Water it is subject to rising and falling as at Iune it is at highest and in Iuly begins again suddenly to decrease insomuch that it is in all places full of Banks and Sand-beds as hereafter in the pursuit of my Journal shall more particular and ample mention be made whereas when it is increased to it's heighth one may sail over several Islands This said River is in some places more than 3 English miles broad and proving in other places very narrow makeing at each side of the River a Whirl-pool which cannot be avoided without great difficulty The course of this River from Nisen to Casan is mostly East and South-East but from Casan to Astrachan and so to the Mare Hyrcanum or Caspian Sea altogether South On each side the River you have for the most part very good Land and many fair Towns as I have already noted whose Inhabitants are sedulous in their Husbandry and are well supplyed with the particular Products of all the several Landships adjacent on this noble River as also with many sorts of excellent Fish In times past the Wolga was much incommodated by the Cosaks of Don who being very strong in small shipping would sometimes surprize assail and take the Russian Fishermen and Strougs On the 22 we passed by the Islands Tlerinski and Subsinski but towards the Evening were fain to drop anchor by reason of the many Sands and Banks On the 23 we weighed but found our Anchor fast among the Roots of the Trees which cost us some pains to get clear About mid-day we got the Island Dioploy about 3 in the afternoon Musa and about the Evening Kremonsky where we anchored On the 24 we proceeded forward and got Parmino where we took in Provision which we found
amongst them On the first of Iuly we sailed by two Islands to wit Turig and Mastof and ran the ship aground where we lost another Anchor Towards the Evening we came before Makrity On the 2 d we set Sail and came before Sabaksar where some of our Ships-company went ashoar and took our Pasport and Credentials to show the VVaywode or Governour who gave us a supply of Men and necessaries to help us forward to Astrachan Sabaksar is one of the neatest Towns I had hitherto seen since we left Moscou being well built fortified and since the uproar of the Casaks the Garrison better supplied with men than before Having dispatched here we weighed anchor and on the 3 of ditto gain'd the Island Cosin where we were fast again but without much difficulty got clear We sailed that day past Sundir a handsome litle Town and dropp'd anchor before Cokschaga loosing thence we were fain to cast out our Fore-anchor to hale over a Foord which was 10 Dutch leagues long and found work enough to bring the Vessel over however after much pains taken we gaind the Deep without any damage to the Ship On the 4 we came past the Shallow places and before VVolofka were fast again where we were fain to cast anchor and wind our selves off At night we lay before Swiatkhi which is a fortify'd Town having many fair Churches and Monasteries within walls On the 5 we weighed anchor and set Sail having a brisk Gale which in 3 hours time or less brought us before the River Casanka from which River the City and Kingdom of Casan have their name here we came to anchor where some small Shipping belonging to that place aiming to enter the River ran against our Bow and some fell overboard Here about is a very fair Countrey and as fertile as any that ever I have seen in all my Life It is mostly low arable and medow ground overflown once a year upon the swelling of the River VVolga On the Banks of this said River are variety of Fruit trees of many kinds which grow in whole Groves together and wild for a hundred Dutch Leagues as Hasle-nuts Cherries 3 or 4 several sorts Black White and Red Currans c. That part of Casan which lies most within Land formerly belonged to the Tartars but the Inhabitants speake the Russian Language which was first brought in when the Countrey was conquered by the Russes as shall be hereafter said They do not convert any man to slavery nor make that their Traffic as do the Nagay the Crim-Calmuc-and Dagestan-Tartars for if they had they might have sold me when with other two of our Ships-company I was under their Hands and that above 3 leagues within Land where on the contrary we found them civil after their Manner for they gave us Bread and Milk to eat On the 6 th our Shallop was sent up to Casan to acquaint the Deputy with our Arrival On the 8 th the Deputy of Casan together with the Metropolitan came aboard where they seemed to receive great satisfaction having never seen the like before The Common people came likewise flocking in great multitudes to see a floating Castle and notwithstanding all the aw of the Deputy and Provincial we had much ado to keep them off for they strove to come aboard Casan is a great City and reasonably strong but it's Walls and Towers of Wood as almost all the Russian Towns are The Cittadel is walled with stone and well provided of Ammunition and Men. The Town is situated upon a Hill but in a Champan Countrey The Cittadel is encompassed with the Casanka which renders the Water within inexhaustible in time of Siege The Traffic of this Place is very considerable regarding the Countrey it lies in It is frequented by the Crim-Tartars who bring thither all manner of Merchandise their Land affoards and not only the vendible Products of the Earth and Cattle but as orderly their own Children which they sell at a low rate a Boy or a Girl of 16 years of age for the value of 20 Crowns a piece The City Casan is equally inhabited by Russians and Tartars and governed by a Deputy as we have already said but the Cittadel kept solely by Russes where no Tartar is to come upon pain of Death There is besides the Deputy who is only as President and supreme in Civil Matters an extraordinary VVaywode who is always as Superintendant in time of War having the sole Direction of Martial Affairs The Countrey of Casan which has been formerly a Kingdom is of a very wide extent bounded on the North with Syberia on the East with Nagaya and on the South with the River VVolga This Countrey was formerly very populous and able to bring a great Army to field as in recorded of their famous Expeditions against the Russes but since depopulated made wast and subdued by Basilius Ivanowitz who overcame these Casan-Tartars in a very bloody Battail and after that so notable a Conquest set a Vice-Roy This Vice-Roy although a Casan-Tartar was always more loyal to the Czar than favourable to his own Countreymen which occasioned great murmurings and jealousy among the Casaneers that at last they called in the Crim-Tartars for their assistance who were Mahometans These made not much delay but on a sudden raised a mighty Army which incorporating with the Rebells gave the Vice-Roy battail and gain'd the Field and pursuing the success of the day invaded the Emperours Territories The Czaar in the mean while being informed by Express that the Hostility kept the Field had put the Forces under Conduct of the Vice-Roy to flight and that they approached with a great Body he levied as great an Army as he could do with so short warning and ingaged with the Tartars in open Field But the Hostility increasing more and more what with their own Nation and what with the Malecontents within the Russian Jurisdiction were almost 15 to 3 and after a short but very hot Battel the Emperour was fain to flee and betake himself to Novogorod The Tartars seeing themselves Masters of the Field marched forward to Moscou which they attacqued took in and plundered However the Cittadel Cremelena held stoutly forth all the time without making Proposals or Articles upon which they would seem willing to surrender it till at last finding themselves not in a capacity to hold forth they gave it over upon very honourable Conditions as to themselves but disadvantageous Terms for the great Duke himself and the City of Moscou Shamefull was this Loss to the Emperour and no less ground of Honour for the Victory to the Hostility who now as it were in a moment had regained all their Freedoms which from time to time before they had lost Right loath was the Czar to give his assent to the Conclusions of the Treaty but was at last compelled to sign it with his own hand partly for that his Bojars and Council pressed him to it and partly upon
pristin State On the 2 of Decemb. we set forward and came in good time to Sultanie a City lying in 36 degr and 30 min. Northerly Latitude It is situated between two rows of very steep Mountains and toward the West we saw the Mountain Keydar Peyamber whose lofty top seems to support the Heavens this being next to Ararat the highest Mountain I have ever seen The City Sultany affoards a most noble Prospect from abroad by reason of her many lofty Piles magnificent Churches high Towers Pyramids Obelisks and Cylinders which still remain notwithstanding the furious Irruption of the savage Tartars under conduct of the valiant Tamerlan who with many other Towns laid this level with the Ground save the great and stupendious Fabrics even now remembred which when one is within Town look like a set of Nine-pins or the Stones on Salisbury Plain so that this which was reputed one of the Royal Cities is meaner than most villages It was built by Sultan Choddabende a very rich and potent Prince who besides many famous Conquests in Persia and Usbec subdued the greatest part of Turky and many Indian Kingdoms and Provinces som of which still remain under the subjection of the Schach of Persia This City he called Sultanie from the Honorary Title of Sultan for so the Kings of Persia who are now called Schach were of old entitled as also at present the Ottoman Emperour Notwithstanding the abovesaid devastation of this City appear yet many signal Monuments of it's former Glory amongst which is the splendid Court and Palace of the great Choddabende called The Emarath This was fortified on each side with strong Walls and several greaâ— Bulwarks altogether built of huge square Stones of 3 Foot Diameter it had also 4 high Towers but strong and of neat Workmanship Within is a very noble Sepulchre built by Sultan Choddabende himself who lay here interred but the too great Piety of his Successor woulâ— not suffer his Bones to rest but removed them to the Meschaichâ— Ardebil In entring this Sepulchre one must pass thrô three very higâ— Gates all made of Indian Steel very neatly polished and as smootâ— as Glass this being the same Mettal of which the Damaskin or Ardâ—bil Scymiters are made and is praeferred before any other Stâ— that is used That Gate which leads out to the Maydan as the Persiaâ— would perswade themselvs and us cannot be opened by any Force buâ— when one prays to GOD for the sake of his Servant Aly that may open it opens of it's self The Building is very high contractinâ— its self at top into the manner of a Tower and within is set witâ— white and blew Tiles of Porceline Above where it begins to draâ— its self into the form of a Tower is a Partition of Steel Barrs whicâ— makes a handsom Chore. In this Partition or Quire I saw many Books written in Arabic Characters some whereof were above 30 Inches long I opened one of them and found an interlineary change oâ— Gold and Black lines like the Rubrics in the Roman Breviaries Lâ—turgies and Mass books Behind the Altar is the Tomb where Sultâ— Muhamed Choddabende lay interred but parted from the Body of thâ— Chore with great and massy Barrs of Indian Steel which the Persiaâ— say was all of one piece no place appearing where it might seem tâ— be well'd or set together and that it was seven years a making iâ— India In this said Emarath are 20 pieces of Brass Ordnance every Carridge having 4 wheels a piece and the Balls lying by them oâ— white Marble these are made forsooth for defence of the H. Sepulchre The Tower above is 8 square and on each side a Gallery anâ— upon each Gallery a small Turret going up with Winding-stairs Before this Temple is a Fountain the curious Work whereof showâ— the great skill and dexterity of the Workman that ordained it it receives its Water by an Aqueduct from the Keydar and behind the Emarath is a very pleasant Garden with Walks and Rows of diveâ— sorts of Trees Besides this illustrious Pile of Sultan Choddabende is another built by Schach Ismael the first This is also to be ascended by stairs Within are seen many fair Pillars and Arches upon which the Roof leans and the inside of the Walls is all laid with white and blew Tiles of Porceline Right before the Door within the first Court stands a fair Pyramid of a reasonable Height There is also a very fair Plesure-garden adjoyning to this Palace Not far from thence is also a fair Arch but somthing dilapidated resting upon 2 Columns or Obelisks 162 Foot high About an English Mile and a half without Town are to be seen the Relicts of a Gate which they say was built by Sultan Choddabende whence it appears that the Extent of this City has been very great althô as was said is now not very great nor much frequented by Trading People subsisting mostly by the Caravans after which they long as greedily as a Landlord for Quarter day Five days we tarried in Sultante to rest having almost tired our Camels and Horses which by that time were again in a travailing Condition During our aboad here I was shorn after the Persian fashion and could pass Muster for a Musulman and with more freedom visit what was worthy of remark and by them reputed sacred being thereto perswaded by my Companion who was a Russ called Ferrath and that I might not be bewray'd by my speech he bad me counterfeit my self dumb and when occasion serv'd to make signs he taking upon him to interpret for me which at once both secured me from Affronts and gave me the occasion to see their Sanctuaries which was refused many Georgians notwithstanding considerable Sums they had proffered to see the Sepulchres On the 7 th we set out and came at night to Syllebek where we took up our Nights-lodging having this day very good way and with all pleasant for on each side were fair Meadows Pasture and Corn-fields and by the way many neat villages with Orchards Gardens and Summer-Houses which made the Time seem short and the Journey no way taedious Leaving Syllebek we came the next day at night to Choramdeky which for it's many Gardens seems to be a Paradise It is also watered with a good River which glides thrô the Town and by a Serpentine course thrô the Fields round about the City renders the Earth more fertile and of a very good soil insomuch that this is one of the most delightfull places we had hitherto seen The People confoâ—mable to the place they inhabit gave us great Satisfaction and weâ— very sociable and friendly to converse withall On the Ninth we set forward again and came at night to thâ— City Caswin which is a Town of no small repute It is situated in 3 degr 15 min. Northerly Latitude lying in the Countrey of Erâ— upon a level but dry and sandy ground having on the West
commodities This Market consists in a certain number of Streets that are mostly arched over Hither repair Merchants of all Nations except Persians alone as Indians Tartars Turks Armenians Georgians as also English French Italians Hollanders and other Europeans Their way of Dealing is altogether for Money nothing by Barter Abas is the most plentifull coin in use among them valuing somthing less than an English Shilling and the Schach Abas which is half the value of the other the latter is also mostly called Choddabende They do not use much Gold but abundance of Copper which they call Pull 40 of which Pieces make an Abas The Europeans who com thither bring commonly Rix-dollars which the Persians once getting into their Hands will by no means part with them for they are diligently sought up by the Money-changers who bring them to the Serab-Chane or Mint and make a considerable profit of them CHAP. XXXII Taberik Kale the Treasurie of the Kingdom The Suburbs of Ispahan Tziulfa a place where the Armenian Christians have their Residence Tabrisabath Hassenabath Kebrabath so called from Kebber Persians that are still Pagans Tzarbag The Nature of the Persians Property of the Land Celebration of the Epiphany by the Armenian Christians ISpahan as it is a Royal City of so considerable a Monarchy and one of the first magnitude so it has a great concourse of Strangers from all Countreys in the World so that above all other Vocations the Inn-keepers generally thrive the best and by their great doings accommodate all Persons to their full Content The Carawanseras here are more sumptuous by far than either those of Caswin or any other City in Persia They are for the most part square som of them having 4 or 5 Galleries abov one another and those furnished with very commodious Appartments and for their better Security for Theeves are surrounded with high Stone Walls In Ispahan are also many fair Buildings besides what are already remembred amongst which the Taberik Kale or Fort Royal where the Kings Tresury is is one of the most eminent situated between the Palace and the Mestzid Mehedi which is both munited with strong Walls guarded continually with a sufficient Body of Soldiery and has plenty of Brass Cannon The same also serves for a Magazin or Repository of Armory There are also two fair Christian Monasteries the one for the Carmelites and the other for Augustin Monks These with many other fair Buildings too taedious to recount are within the Walls There are also many splendid Piles of Buildings without in the Suburbs which they call the Rhabath In the Suburbs are two eminent Wards to wit Tzulfa and Ciulfa mostly or altogether inhabited by the Armenian Christians who are reputed the ablest Merchants in Ispahan being transported hither by Schach Abas from their own Countrey and have since injoyed sundry Immunities and have a Governour of their own which they call Daruga who must bring up 200 Tumain yearly contribution to the King which is taken out of their Public Stock The private Dwelling-Houses of those Armenians do equal or rather surpass those within Walls for splendid structure On the one side of the River Senderut is another Place called Tabri or Abas-Sabath for that Schach Abas had allotted the People of Tabris this Part of the Town to dwell in Another Ward or Quarter of the Suburbs is called Hassenabath which is mostly inhabited by the Georgian Christians commonly called Trurtzi These as well as the Armenians are great Merchants being also highly in favour with the King not only for the vast Tribute which they pay but aswel for their Loyalty and good deportment and these are the only Christians who are tolerated to live within the Walls and have a Quarter of the Town allotted them near the Mestzid Mehedi althô they rather chuse to dwell in the Suburbs that they may be retire from the Calumny of the Mahometans and the better enjoy the Benefits of a Christian Society The Kebrabath is a District of the Suburbs lying on the West side of the City so called from the Kebbers which are a sort of ancient Persian Pagans who following the old opinion of the Persians when they were yet Heathens will not embrace Mahometanism These differ from the rest in Habit as well as in Customs and Religion wearing loose Drawers with a long Coat only fastned at the Collar open at the shoulders Their Hair they let grow all over their Head and Face The Women are attired as the Men only with this difference that they wear a long Silk or Cotton Scarf which trails on the Ground The Language they speak is still the ancient Lingua Persica for they are very curious in preserving their ancient Tongue without any Innovation insomuch that the Persians who speak the modern Language cannot understand them as the English cannot understand the old Brittish or Welsh yet these can both understand and speak the present Persian Tongue They retain also the Ancient Characters and adore the Sun and the Elements for Deïties performing Monethly Sacrifices Besides the veneration they have for the Sun they do worship to the Starrs but have little or no Judgement in the course of the same Snakes and all other venemous Animals they hold for unclean so that whosoever touches any of those whether voluntarily or by accident must not enter into their Temples till he be purified Their Dead they do not burn as most Pagans do but when any Person dies whether it be an Infant or one com to full growth and Maturity they wash the Body very clean and carry it to a Place far distant from any Houses and there set it upright against a Post where they wait till the Ravens com and pick out the one Eie which if it be the right Eie they are of opinion that the Soul of the Departed is in Paradise and therefore interr him very decently but if the Bird pull out his left Eie first then they hold it for a sure Token that he is damned and for his wicked Life to suffer perpetual Torments and therefore esteem him not worthy of such solemn Exequies but cast him head-long into a deep Pit Without the City of Ispahan are many fair Gardens and Summer-houses belonging to the King and divers great Personages The most eminent of all these is the Tzarbag not far from the great Bridge being 4 square and about 2 English Miles in circuit This as was said before is watered with an Aquaeduct that is conveyed under Ground by several small leaden Pipes from the Main and here and there vented by Fountains which force the Water somtimes 36 or 40 foot high On each corner stands a noble Summer House of an admirable rare Fabric The Garden it's self has the most and greatest varieties of Fruit-Trees and Vegetables that ever I have seen althô it was then Winter when I was there And indeed the Persians are great Lovers of Planting Gardening and all manner of Tillage so that there is hardly
with a Hook and Line for they were alwaies provided therewith to use when occasion and opportunity concurred The next day it blew hard and was intermixed with showers of Rain so that we had very bad travailing and almost wearied out Towards the Evening I happened to espy som persons driving on very hard after us and coming nearer to my great joy and happiness I descryed that it was Father Felisello the Carmelite and Doctor Robine who were going for Gameron to direct som affairs they had there Besides my good Fortune to enjoy the Company of such Friends I was further obliged by fresh kindnesses they offering me alwaies to eat with them till we came to our Journeys end which was no small happiness for me considering my mean Condition and great strait being very short of Moneys and almost in despair of coming to Gameron with the Charge I had upon me I cannot but tell you how much I was ashamed to be so caressed by Strangers who had nothing to expect from me and loath I was to be so burthensom to them of whose hands I had not deserved the smallest friendship and kindness that they manifested towards me yet being so cruelly straitned on every hand I was forced to accept of their Offer They held a very noble Table and had taken along with them a great Case of Bottles full of Scyras Wine which they spared not so long as it lasted The Doctor had with him 3 Men to attend him and was every where highly respected being a Gentleman of a sweet Temper discreet and and sociable so that my Journey seemed much shorter for his Company This day being as I said very bad weather we hardly travailed 6 Dutch Miles The next day setting forward we came at night to a Village called Dâ—bba where we set our Caravan down This Village appeared like a Camp or Army with their Tents the Cottages being so mean and the highest house hardly sufficient for a tall man to stand upright being built only of Reeds and Twigs plated like Basket-work and â—aubed over with clay The Inhabitants like the Cottages they lived â—n were very poor and despicable People insomuch that we had not much Divertisement or accommodation there This day we hardly â—vanced 5 Dutch Miles On the 4 we set forward and went over very Rocky and hilly way â—ssing through several villages Upon those Hills grow great â—ore of Dates and are so cheap that one may buy 100 lb. weight for the â—lue of 2 Shillings Sterl and are both of an excellent tast and lovely â—lour The Date-tree seems to have som harmony with living Aniâ—als in their Procreation and have also their Sexes The Female will â—ot bear any Fruit if planted alone so that they are always planted â—y Pairs together all along and indeed do naturally grow so But â—he Female growing old will not bear Fruit unless they take a piece of the Top-branch of the Male and ingraft it in the Female which they also do to som young Trees to make them bring forth good Fruit which would otherwise be of a bitter and odious Tast I have â—â—rther remark'd that when the Male and Female are planted a small distance asunder they will lean towards each other as if there were som mutual sympathy between them The Inhabitants who have bin from one Generation to another used to plant and propagate these Trees told me many remarkable things about them which because I will not be prolix I shall ommit This day we travailed 7 Dutch Miles and at night got a fair Carawansera to take our rest in The next day we had very dry ground and a barren Countrey to pass thrô and in som places rocky so that we travailed that day no more than 5 Miles On our way and near the Carawansera which we took up for that night we saw great Flocks of wild Goats which som of our Company had a great mind to tast and went out in thâ— Evening upon the Chace but the Creatures were too cunning to bâ— catch'd so that our Hunters were fain to return to the Carawanseâ— hungry and weary The season being sharp and cold we laid on great pile of wood and warmed our selvs throughly The day following in the Afternoon we came to a Town callâ— Scharim which I presume had bin anciently a City and walled iâ— it stood in the middle of a grove altogether of Date-Trees It is all a Town of considerable Traffic in consideration of their Manufactâ—rie in Cottons there being very many Weevers There is also a veâ— fair Market-place where besides the many Shops of their own Mâ—nufactories are several rich Ware-houses of Silks and Persiâ— Stuffs in which they also drive a great Trade and have correspoâ—dence with the greatest Marts in all the Countrey round Besides tâ— great Concourse of Trading-people they have a Market twice a weâ— for the Boors which is no small advantage to the Town Findiâ— this a very commodious place to rest in we tarried here 3 days refresh our selvs and ease our Camels Horses and Mules having fâ— 3 or 4 days had very bad way and weather Having sufficiently taken our rest at Scharim we set forward aâ— had very good weather travailing all the day long thrô a flat Couâ—trey and by the way saw many Noblemens houses and here aâ— there a Grove of Date trees and many fair Orchards so that thâ— was the most pleasant days Journey we had from Ispahan Here 〈◊〉 met a huge Caravan consisting of a great Troop of Men Camels Mules and Sumpter-Horses loaden with rich Indian Wares Tâ— said Caravan came from Gammeron and intended to go by the same Poâ— we came being bound for Scamachy and Surwan In this company met accidentally with a Persian who had bin our Neighbour at Sâ—machy and delivered him two Letters the one for my Master Hâ— Byram which was written in Turkish and the other for my Wife whiâ— he promised to send for me by way of Smyrna At night we caâ— to have very rocky and ill way but found a Carawansera where we toâ— our rest having travailed that day about 24 English Miles When we were lay down to sleep we were surprized with aboâ— 30 Robbers that came boldly into the Carawansera with intent as 〈◊〉 had reason to beleev to murther us all whilst we were asleep ' Tâ— true they did not at first make any assault but deferred their purpose till midnight thinking perhaps that we not suspecting them might grow supine and judging our selvs secure grow so negligent as to fall asleep but we thought good to set a narrow Watch and kept our selvs in a readiness all the Night with Weapons in our hand for fear of a sudden assault About midnight they fell in and fought outright so that 5 of our Men lay presently under Feet being in all 37. We fought joyntly together with good Courage so that we speedily allayed their Fury Our Party as we could
and most barbarously massacred the Inhabitants and growing both in number and power were becom very formidable both to the King of Persia and the Great Duke They were headed by one Stenko or Stephen Radzin a discontented Person and one of great Power as to his proper Abilities bearing a Soveraign Aw among them About 14 days before our Arrival at Astrachan he had taken a costly Persian Boes valued at several Tuns of Gold in which were Horses and several other Presents sent from the King of Persia to the Great Duke of Moscovy ON the 17 as the Waywod of Astrachan was aboard our Ship came an Express bringing news that Radzin and the Cosacs had submitted themselvs to the Great Duke upon which the Waywod gave order that we should fire our Guns which we did The said Letters further mentioned how that they had delivered the Horses belonging to the Great Duke to the Russian General ON the 19 came 3 Cosacs into Astrachan in very costly Attire and with great pomp whereof the youngest was the Orator The Waywood after a long Treaty assured them of being established in the Great Dukes Favour But it seemed that they had som disgust because they were not formally introduced as is customary with all Ambassadors and Legates The Waywod excused it saying That he himself was a Bojar and resided there in quality of Waywod yet at his first taking that Dignity upon him was not introducted by his Predecessor nor the Nobility of Astrachan which was Argument and Token that he was not to do the like to others When the Conference was over the Waywod invited them to his House and gave them a splendid Treat ON the 21 early in the Morning came the Russian Fleet before the Town consisting of 53 Stroegs or Rowing-Barks upon each Stroeg was only one Piece of Ordnance but those in the Rere had 2 to wit one before and another abaâ—t Aboard each were so many Strelitzers which are the Soldiery that they could not mov if there had bin occasion to do any execution The said Fleet by order of the Waywod came to Anchor on the other side of the River About 3 in the Afternoon came the Cosacs consisting in 23 Sail and a considerable number of Men. Upon their Arrival we had an order from the Waywod to receiv 200 Strelitzers aboard under our Standard who placed themselvs in order round about the Ship The Russian Army then loosed and came before the City giving the Salvo with all their great Guns at once with abov 3000 Musquets which the Cosacs answered with their Cannons and Musquets upon which they in the City put out a white Flag which was a Token for us to Fire which we did with all our great Guns and about 200 Musquets Mean while the Master of our Ship fell over board but was taken up again thô with much ado for the weather was a little tempestuous Soon after the Russians gave fire a second time and came close up to our Ship upon which we gave fire for the last time with 13 Guns and 200 Musquets The Cosacs rowed off and came to Anchor where the Russian Fleet rode at first ON the 22 in the Morning betimes the Cosacs rowed up the River and were on a sudden out of sight and that morning issued a Proclamation that none should have any Commerce or Converse with them On the 23 came Radzin himself in Person into Astrachan and was saluted by all the Gentry the Waywod was also council'd to bring the Ammunition and Standard of the Rebells into the City which he resolv'd upon Mean while came news to the Waywod that Radzin was drunk whereupon he gave order that they should endeavor by good and gentle words to get him out of Town he being very unruly when overtaken with Liquor in which mood he had destroyed many Men both of his own Rout and others But the Insolencies he had committed during this Uproar cannot be recounted althô 't is said that besides the many Thousands of the Great Dukes Subjects he had caused to be massacred whereof himself boasted to have dispatched 8000 at one time he had from time to time massacred above 40000 Persians The Copy of a NARRATIV Sent from Capt. D. Butler dated at ISPAHAN March 6 th 1671. Worthy Sir AFTER a taedious delay we finally received an Order from the Great Duke to imbark our selvs with the Ships Company and com to Moscou Which being shown us I insisted continually that according to the said Order I might go up but it was thought good that the Ship should be first put in Equippage and supplied with Ammunition and in case of necessity be used against the Cosacks who under the Conduct of one Stenko Radzin as chief had already depopulated many fair Countreys upon the Caspian Sea and then reconciled to the Great Duke But in the Moneth of March came news how that the Cosacs were again revolted upon which Colonel Levonti Bogdonof was dispatched by the Great Duke with a Band of 800 Men to wit 400 Russian Cavalrie and 400 Nagaian Tartars to march to Zarit a a City lying about 80 Dutch Miles above Astrachan that being a City which abutts upon the Frontiers of the Cosacks and commands the passage of the River Don or Tanais which River nevertheless doth not fall into the Wolga as som have bin of opinion and as most Maps do make it for the Cosacks do come almost a days Journey with their Boats from the Don to the Wolga which they ballance with pieces of Timber the better to endure the violence of the stream for they are but of one entire piece or Trunks of Trees hollowed out These people have the Russian Speech and the same Religion They have also their Asyla or Places of Refuge granted them by the Great Duke whither they have recourse when they have perpetrated any villanous Fact or Enormity ABOUT the 27 or 28 of April came a Narrativ by a Courier from the abovesaid Bogdanof importing how that the Cosacks had taken in Tzaritza and that about 1200 Moscovians were kill'd and drown'd but to give a full account of the Stratagems they had used to gain the Town would make me more prolix and taedious than my present design is to be These 1200 Strelitzers or Soldiers were a part of those that were sent from Moscou to enforce the respectiv Garrisons upon the Wolga but especially this City in which the Great Duke reposed great Trust being able to check as I have said before the main Passage of the Rebels in their March for the South-East Countrey THE same day came news how that the Field Tartars were at discord and factious among themselvs and being drawn into 2 Head-parties used all manner of hostile Acts against each other so that Bogdanof thought good to draw up and march forward to Chornojar a City about 50 Dutch Miles from Astrachan He had also sent down a Captiv Cosac to Astrachan who was put upon the
Emperour 156. Kabelang a Province in Formosa 58. Kaliklefthan 252. Kamuschincha a Russian Town taken in by Craft of Radzin 193. Kasschan its Scituation and Description 310. A Key made of an Emerald shown in a Church at Genua 4. Keydar Peyamber a very high Mountain in Persia 301. Kieselarsche Kolthre 201. Kissel-bassched the Soldiery so called at Derbent their unruly and ill temper 2â—9 Kisiloseyn a swift River in Persia 299. Knutter a form of Punishment in Russia 156. Kostar a great River running through the Mountains of Elbur 236. Koctep a village in Persia ibid. L. LAzaro Mocenigo fights the Argerines Tripoleezes c. 103. Killed 105. Laar or Lar a City in Persia described 246. Leghorn described 67. Lemnos attacqued by the Venetians and surrendred upon Articles 92. Described ibid. Lifelanders their Properties Habits and Customs 127. Linden-Tree its ' manifold use 165. A List of the Head-Officers in the Venetian Navy as they were ingaged against the Turks 83. Lorenzo Marcello General of thn Venetians killed 88. M. MAdagascar Situation of the Island 15. Customs of the Inhabitants 19. Their Marriages 18. Funerals 19. Religion Superstitions 21. Government 22. An odd passage where a Dutch Captain meets with a King of that Countrey who had formerly bin his Slave 13. Fertility of Madagascar ibid. Majo Insul Situation and Description 6. Malefactors how punished in Moscovia 156. Malhora a rock near Leghorn 67. Marco Bembo Admiral of the Ships of war in the Venetian Armade hotly ingaged with the Turks 80. Takes the Capitana 89. Killed 105. Mares-milk in great esteem by the Tartars 182. Marriages of the Madagascars 18 Of the Syammers 39. Of the Moscovians 131 seqq Merchants eight murthered in a Wood of Moscovia 126. Metellino see Mytelene Meynderts Island 203. Middleton an English Ship engaged with a Fleet of Turkish Galleys against which she valiantly defends her self 79. Milo Insul 74 75. Eminent for able Sea-men and Fishers 111. The prime place to Water at ibid. Mochan or Mokan a great Heath in Persia dangerous for Robbers 283. Moscou described 130. Mulbery Trees in great plenty at Tenos 111. Mummay Kobas a most costly Balsem proceeding out of a Rock 262. Murtherers delivered over to the Friends of the murthered Party in Persia 262. Muskar a City in Media 237. Muskettos many of those Flies in Lifeland Mytilene an Island in possession of the Turks 76. A bold Attempt of the Author and his Company to fetch off cattel from Mytilene ibid. A description of that Island 109. N. NAchay a little Fish of a wonderfull strength 225. Nagayan and Crim Tartars described 181. Nanguesaque or Nanguesaky a City in Japon built by the Portugueezes 60. Merchandise and Traffic of that Place ibid. A great Hurricano that happened there ibid. Situation and Description of Nanguesaky 61. Naphtha an oil running out of Rocks how got 237 238. Napoli di Malvazia attacqued by the Venetians 106. Natens a City in Persia 312. Naurus see New years day 257. Naysobath a fair village in Schirwan or Old Media where the Holsteyn Ambassadors suffered Shipwrack 237. Necromancy much practised in Lifeland 117. New years day celebrated by the Persians 257. Nicsia an Island famous for the Temple of Apollo wâ—ose Ruins still appear 10â— Nieu meulen oppid 1â—6 Nisen-Novogored 161. Nisobath see Naysobath Noah's Sepulchre 332. Novogorod described 123. O. OEtsjoege 199. Onions and Garlick much eaten in Russia 137. The great Orchard near Tzurbag how planted 213. Variety of fruit therein ibid. Oron the Primo Vizier comes down to see Ingagement between the Venetian and Ottoman Armada 104. Osmin a Province and Dominion of the Tartars 210. Their manner of chusing a Prince or Protector ibid. The Author and his Company taken hardly used made Slaves and brought to the Prince of Osmin 210 211. Taxed for Cosacs and Radzinists 212. P. PAdar the Inhabitants of Koctep in Persia so called much addicted to stealing 237. Pagods of Syam 35 36. Liberality of the Syamers to the Pagods and Bonzi ibid. Palm-Sunday how celebrated by the Russians 157. Palso Castro a Town in Lemnos 92. Paniegros a Polish Nobleman murthered in his Bed 243. Parmach or Barmach a Mountain where they get Naphtha or Petroleum 237. Patany assists the King of Syam against Ava 33. Pathmos the City and Island 93. Patriarch of Moscovia his Office Power Habit c. 152. Peace how treated upon and ratified by the Kings of Madagascar 23. Pelicans in great abundance about the Caspian Sea 201. Persepolis 332 seqq Petroleum see Naphtha Petzora a montanous Countrey in Russia 136. Pitsiora in Lifeland described Pisa described 68. Pletskow in Lifeland described 121 A shank-bone of a giant to be seen at Pletskow 122. Po flu 73. Pochmelie a Russian Dish 1â—9 Poddowodda what it is 122. Polygamy allowed at Madagascar 18. In Syam 40. By the Crim-Tartars 164. Porto de Canisos 5. de Ribeirra Corea ibid. de Praye ibid. Prattelino a famous Pallace in Florence 69. Q. QUas a Russian Liquor 139. R. RAdzin his Offspring 183. The Reason of his Rebellion 184. The first Insolences he committed ibid. His Treachery and Cruelty on the Confines of Persia 185. He submits and obtains pardon from the Czar 186. Thâ—ows a Persian Princess into the Wolga 187. His strictness and Punishment of Adultery 188. Returns back for Don 189. The Russians that follow him are demanded by the Governor of Astrachan ibid. Which he refuses to send back 190. He gains the Astrachan Fleet by Treachery 191. His Power and Aw ibid. His cruelty when drunk ibid. The Increase of his Army ibid. He refuses the Title of King 192. Sends Legates to the King of Persia and their ill success ibid. Sends out Emmissaries into several Towns upon the Volga 193. Increases his Fleet and Army ibid. Takes in Kamuschinka by craft Revenues of the King of Syam 34. Of the Czar of Moscovia 156. Rheno flu 72. Rhesan a fertile Province in Moscovia 136. Riga described Rostof 136. Russes their Form Nature and Properties 138. Their Diet and usual Drink 139. Their Beastliness when drunk 140. Their great esteem of Brandy and Tobacco ibid. Addicted to Calumny and Jarrs ibid. Their usual Habit Painting or staining of the Face in practise among the Female kind 141. The Marriages of the Gentry ibid seqq Of the Pesantry 145. And of the Clergy 153. Their Divorcements and the occasion of the same 146. Their Superstitious opinion about cleanness and uncleanness 146 147. Of their Baths and Hardiness ibid. Their Peculiar Actions Gestures and Customs of the Russians from other People 148. Of the Visitation of their sick ibid. Ceremonies about their Dead 149. And the manner of their Funerals 150. Of their Religion and Church Government 151. S. SAbaksar 165. Sakky a Liquor used in Japon 60. Samos an Island in the Archipelago 93. Two Prizes taken there from the Turks ibid. The Author and 6 more there taken and made Slaves 94. Sariol Kurgan a Mountain famous for
alwaies done with a submissive voice and at the end of every Sentence rehearses his Title JAOUA TJAUW PERRE BOEDE TJAUW JAOUA which by an Idiotism of our own is King of Kings and Lord of Lords His supreme Throne is of massive Gold made after the form of a Pyramid and so contrived that none can see him ascend On each side of the Throne stand several Statues and Creatures of monstrous shapes as is recorded of the Judgment-seat of Solomon which was guarded with Lions His Person is secured with a very noble Guard and well arm'd several Elephants alwaies ready in the inner court of the Pallace also for his Pleasure and Service upon occasion these are mounted with Trappings of rich Silk fimbriated and imbossed with Gold and precious Stones When he goes abroad to visit his Pagods and Religious Houses or to take his Divertisement which is ordinarily twice or thrice every year he is attended with an infinit Retinue of Grandees and Officers at Court as also all his Wives and Concubines which are very numerous all mounted upon Elephants When this Setting forth is not performed with a Cavalcade but by Water there are a certain number of Praws brought up close to the Pallace These are almost like a Barge but far greater having 20 or 30 Oars a piece with 5 men to an Oar without they are richly gilded and charged with Festons and Foliages on a diapered ground Others there are less noble and rich which serve only to transport the Soldatesque and aboard every Praw are several that play upon Wind Instruments and Drums which make a confused noyse Upon the hearing of this every one whether Citizen or Peasant Freeman or Slave Young or Old is injoyned to come forth and fall prostrate with all imaginable Reverence upon very severe Penalties according to the Quality and Discretion of the Party This Injunction is observed very strictly and certain Officers ordained â—o take notice of the Delinquents whose Rule is Arbitrary and Mesures sudden they are so correct in punishing such that few escape I my self having seen while I was there some two or three beheaded with a Scimitar only for being too remiss in doing Worship although in such as want Discretion or otherwise unable to perform the Ceremony through invalidity of Body or Mind the Offence is either dispenced with or expiated with some inconsiderable Forfeiture This Solemn Appearance happening so rarely and that with such Majestie creates great Loyalty and veneratioâ— in the heart of the Subjects for their Prince and surely the conclusioâ— and effect of every Maxim in Politic Affairs is the securest Index oâ— Distinction from a Contrary which almost all the Kingdoms anâ— Dominions of the East affoard an Example of and more notedly thâ— Sophy of Persia who when with a huge Retinue he makes a Cavâ—cade which might seem to be for no other end than to be seen noâ— dare presume to appear in the street upon pain of Death of whiâ— more hereafter Gold is here in such plenty that not only Plates Chargers Goâ—lets Bowls Basons Lavers and whatsoever els is usefull 〈◊〉 the Kings Table is all of solid Gold but also greater vessels in tâ— Kitchin which had I not seen them my self should have held incredible if the weight and greatness had truly been reportâ— But what is yet more the white Elephant with the rest whâ— are about 6 or 8 in Number kept within the Palace are serv'd Gold and Silver The Gallantry of the Court and the gorgeâ— attire of the Courtiers is unspeakeably rich And to be brief I should repeat the Maiesty of that Prince in Power and Commâ— The profuse Emulation of the Courtiers in Embroydery Jeâ— and other costly Ornaments and the Magnificent Structure of Palace and other stately Fabrics I should either prove too weak the performance of such a Province or hazard my reputation giving a Narrative of the Pomp which I have in reality beheld such as have not seen it who would in all probability be too tâ—rous to take things of that nature upon Credit This I shall oâ— add that rather than to be undeservedly tax'd with hyperbelizâ— Froth I 'le content my self with a recommendation thereoâ— other modest Gentlemen that have been there and published tâ— Journals for the public perusal of the Curious in general The present King of Siam has lived in great peace and â—â—quillity ever since he first sway'd the Scepter But in the timâ— the late King that nation has been deeply ingaged in fomâ— troubles Specially with Pegu Ava and Langjander partly out of the ambitious minds of those Princes and partly out of a sordid covetousness as of the king of Pegu who indeavoured to make himself Master of the white Elephant which he of Siam had but after the depopulation of the countreys and loss of many thousand Souls they made Peace upon strict Articles In the year 1648 the King of Ava with the assistance of a neighbouring Potentate invaded part of Siam and took in some open Villages and Towns of smaller note but the king of Siam coming to have notice of this sudden Expedition levies an Army of 200000 men or upwards marching himself at the head in Person and encamped about 2 English Miles from the Enemy where without either Battel or Skirmish they lay for 3 Moneths when the Enemy not finding himself able to continue longer in camp for want of Provision and Recruits of men was fain to break up and march homewards Those of Patany had sent Ten Thousand men all well disciplin'd and arm'd for Auxiliaries in the Service of the king of Siam but those arrived too late the King being just upon his March for Iudia where about 20 days after he was Solemnly fetch'd in by his Nobles with great Triumph and Joy as if he had obtained some notable Victory and certainly it was the most prudent course he could have taken to spare his own people by shunning the Blood-shed of so many innocent souls vanquishing the Hostility by the restraint of his Arms and in making himself formidable with the greatness of his Battalions There was also a Navy of Twenty Thousand Praws pressed for the behoof of the Army to transport the Baggage and Provision and besides the standing Militia and Voluntairs 52000 Citizens press'd for this Expedition whom the King allowed Rice for Victualling the rest they were to take care for themselves The Mandate was no sooner out but this Body was completed which gave occasion of wonder to some when they observed the readiness and obedience of those Pagans to their lawfull Soveraign The weapons used then for that Dispatch were mostly fire-arms and about 20 Pieces of Ordnance which were committed to the charge of 2 expert Gunners besides 5 Thousand Elephants and 2 Thousand Horse those that were mounted on Elephants were armed with Bows Arrows and Darts and the Cavalry with Fire-locks Scimatars and Bucklers which Armory is alwaies ready for use in
and very spacious Cloysters all which would take up some moneths to make an exact survey of In many streets are Galleries or Piazzas as in Covent Garden where one may walk to avoid either Sun or Rain Here are also many Houses built for Charitable uses where the Sick are relieved with what they stand in need of and every one of those Houses kept very neat and clean especially the Hospital adjoyning to the Church Alla Nunciata Yet above the many famous Structures which grace Florence the House of Prattelino outbraves them all which was built by Francis de Medicis The first you come at is the Palace which is raised upon a square Fund or Platform which entring you have at first view four Chambers that are opposite to one another and stand also in quadrangular form so that the 4 quarters are again subdivided each into 4 less which make 16 Appartments In one of these stand 2 costly Beds one for the Duke and the other for the Dutchess The rest of the Chambers are hang'd with Tapestry and some with Cloth of Gold unspeakably rich and illustrated with artificial and costly Statues which are set in convenient Places thereto ordained In like manner when we went up another story we found 16 Chambers more paralel with the Platform of the former In every one of these was a stately bed the meanest whereof is computed to have cost more than a Thousand Crowns Comeing out of the Pallace you come alla Grotta which is a fair Arch having therin a Fountain that seems rather to be Natural than performed by Art Round about the Fountain are Snakes Adders Lizzards and other Serpents so artificially made in Brass that they might be taken for Living On each Pillar stand Organs which are moved by the force of Water in such manner that they make a most lovely and sweet Harmony The Walls are in several places so thick set with Gems Coral and other things of value that they cannot be perceived The rest is set with Marble About the middle stand fair Alabaster Tables to which if you draw near the Water rises from under your feet and flies all over your head and bodie but indeavoring to shun it you are again saluted after the same manner from another place On the other side is another called Grotta Sibylla which is also very costly and set out with many fair Statues of Marble and Alabastre richly adorned with Coral where are also curious Water-works none ever coming there but is wet with those subterranean Showers On your right hand is the Bath of the Prince which is under full of holes through which the warmth can come to cause Sweat Besides these there is a third Arch which is for the Heat in Summer whither the Duke and his Houshold retire to refrigerate themselves In this Arch is a fair large Table of Alabaster and at each end several Holes in which they set their wine to cool There is belonging to this House a pleasant Garden wherein are many Springs and Ponds and every rare and choice Tree that will like in that Clime Behind this Garden is a Park full of strange Birds and Beasts and therein a stately and delightsom Arbor where the Duke frequently dines in the Summer season and from whence he can view both his Palaces the one within the City and the other without Right over this aforesaid Garden is yet another in the middle whereof is a Chappel where the Duke for the most part goes to Mass and Vespers This Chappel is built round after the manner of the Heathenish Temples of old planted round with Cypress trees and has all its inner works of that Wood. Near to that stands an Image of 24 foot high which will represent Neptune or Thetis made of White marble from whence all the Waters in the Fountains have their Rise upon which if a man stands he hears a wonderfull murmuring and buzzing of Water from below This City is a place of great Traffic and Commerce especially in Silks and Velvets of which I saw many rich shops upon the Ponte Pecchio or Old Bridge The Florentines themselves are very able and skillfull in the Affairs of Merchandise and very litle Traffic don in Italy wherein they have not an interest so that Pope Clement VI called them the fifth Element Besides their domestic and exotic Trade they have given encouragement to and bred up many ingenious and famous Masters in Architecture Painting Carving and other Practical Sciences and Arts and have for a perpetual memory and Gratitude so many stately Pallaces Churches Pictures and Statues left them to Posterity This City is also very Courtly in respect of it's Situation through which all Ambassadours and Ministers of State from forreign Potentates must pass intending for the Court of Rome or Seignory of Venice It is much frequented visited and likewise inhabited by many Private Gentlemen who spend their Estates here and is a choice place to live in as well for Artificial as natural Delights for such as have an Estate to bear it out with However I had litle reason to complain of bad measure during the few daies I staid there For meeting accidentally with a Monk who seeing me to be a Hollander did not only caress me all the time in such manner that I needed not pay any thing either for Lodging or Diet but also show'd me all what was remarkable about the City This Monk understanding that I was short of Moneys and intended for Venice procured me 4 Rix-dollars which was as much as I had occasion for to bear my Charges thither On the 1 st of March I left Florence and took my leave of the Monk whom I thanked for his great Favour and Civility which he had so signally manifested to me a stranger on such an extreme and emergent occasion and tending towards Bologne I was fain to climb over a high steep Mountain and in the valley found the City Bologne lies about 44 degr being a Town of small circumference yet wealthy and full of Inhabitants The form of the City seems to resemble a Ship whereof the Tower d' Asinelli is the Mast It has ever been a Maxim among them not to suffer either Cittadel or Fort to be built under the specious name of Fortification being jealous that under such a colour they might check the Citizens at their pleasure So that the Bologneezes have nothing to rely upon than only the Walls and valour of their men The City is founded on the Banks of the famous Savona which River incorporates with the Rhem a litle above Ferrara by which way all Goods are conveighed The Air is here for the most part moist which renders the circumjacient Countrey very fertile there being the best Meadows and Arable ground in all Italy There is also very good Wine Olives and Oil although Fish they have none except what is brought from a far but Venison in great abundance In this place are made such
very good and of a low Price From hence we loosed and sailed by many pleasant Islands Towns and an Excellent prospect from Land which was stored with Cattel fruitful Dales Woods Meadows Currents and whatsoever natural Delights that may content the heart of Man On the 29 dito we came to VVasili-gorod a litle Town on the West side of the Wolga and because it was here a level Countrey we tooke the heighth of the Arctic Pole which we found 55 degr and 50 min. above the Horizon This said Town was then without Gates or Walls and is built mostly of wood save only Public Edifices and Religious Houses which are there but few since it has not been long in possession and subject to the Czar or great Duke of Moscovy On the South-side of VVasiligorod is a litle River called the Soura which here gushes out with a violent rushing and buzzing into the VVolga Above VVasiligorod begins the Land of the Ceremish Tartars which extends it self out as far as Casan Those again are divided into two sorts of People The one sort is called Nagorni which are those that inhabit the hilly Countrey and the other Lugowy who dwell mostly in the Valleys The former follow altogether Pasturage the latter Agriculture for which they have a happy Land blessed with a fertile Soil The Inhabitants are a rude and barbarous People utter strangers to good Manners and Learning They speak for the most part the Russian Language but some places there are where they speak Tartarian and in other places they have a peculiar Tongue of their own They are the most stupid Heathens that I have yet seen in all my 3 Voyages have neither Sence nor light of a Divine Power Houses of Worship and Priests Resurrection Heaven and Hell are things they never heard of nor nor will ever learn to know what they are However I may not be so general but that I may except some who have some light and knowledge of an immortal God and such an one as has the direction of all but only rules them as a King upon Earth does his Subjects They are further of Opinion that there are Devils or evil Spirits whose power is limited and circumscribed and that they cannot do any mischief save only in this Life for these doubt much about the Resurrection and for this end they do Sacrifices to them as do the Madagascars that they should do them no harm They tell you of a strange Water by the means whereof the Prince of the Devils comes in horrible and most ugly shapes for which they dread as Children do Bugbears they never saw To that Immortal Deity and divine Essence they offer up all manner of Beasts as Oxen Horses and Sheep which when they do they take the Hide and stretch it out upon a Rack made on purpose making thereby a Fire over which they hang the Flesh to boil When it has seethed long enough they take out a Bowl of the Pottage in the one hand and a Bowl of Metheglin in the other and throw them both upon the Hide upon which it falls into the Fire saying Accept O God this Offering at my Hands and be pleased to hear my Praiers which Praiers do commonly import their own Health or the increase of their Cattel So that their main Opinion about that God is only that he is a good-natur'd and benevolent-Lord and the Devil malevolent which is all that may be gathered from them Others I have seen who worship the Sun Fire and Water Ceremonies about the Dead I could never perceive any save only that when any eminent Man among them comes to dy they make a Feast of Horse-flesh at which all the nearest Relations are present and the Corps given to a ravenous Beast called Briggachol which I have not elsewhere seen That done they hang up his Vestments upon a Tree in memory of him as we do Escutcheons and this was all I could learn of my self or from the Observations of others that had been longer and further within Land Their Habit is as course as their Breeding mostly of Skins or a kind of Canvas Their Upper-coat comes down only to the Thighs and their Breeches and Stockings all one Those that are married shave their Heads but whilst single they let their hair grow but all in one Tuft which they commonly ty up in a ball above their head or plate it as our Jockies do their Horse-tails The Women wear also course Garments having their faces muffled up to the eies but more quaint is the Habit of a Young-woman ready to marry who besides other od accoutrements wears a piece of Wood shaped like a horn directly upon her Fore-head about an Ell in length and at the small end a litle Bell. Circumcision they have not yet learn'd from the Turks or Iews nor yet Baptism from the Christians but have some few Ceremonies about the naming of their Children which is done when they are about half a year old Polygamy is in use among them and that without any order or regard to nearness in Blood for it has been well known that the Father takes the Daughter and so procreates Issue and the Son the Mother after the manner of the Cingaleezes in Ceylon where the Father about marrying his daughter out bereaves her of her Virginity saying Should I plant a Tree and not enjoy the First-fruits my self CHAP. X. The Ship set fast upon a Foord The great Vtility of the Linden-tree Some of the Company drowned Fertility and excellent Soil of the Banks of the Wolga Arrival at Casan Casan taken in by the Russes The Casan-Tartars fight the Russes The Russian Army flee Moscou taken in The Czar becomes Tributary to the Tartars The good Conduct and valour of the Governour of Resan who restores the Czar and the Empire to it 's former Freedom ON the 30 dito we set out again and suddenly were run aground upon a Shallow place where we were very hardly put to it to get off and besides our great Labour we lost an Anchor and a Dragg We were no sooner got clear but we ran immediately upon another Bank and so from one to another that we were almost out of hopes of ever coming through for we saw danger on every side and our Pilot very unskilfull of the River which detarded our Voyage very much The next day we gain'd the Deeps and came before Cusmademianski where we cast anchor and provided our selves with Victualling and Refreshment This City is founded upon a rising ground having on the one side high and steep Mountains and on the other side a level Countrey The Land round about as well the montanous as the flat affoard many Woods and Groves of Linden on Teile-tree The Bark of this tree is good for many uses and therefore pilled and sold by the Inhabitants the Body they hollow and make Tubs Troughs Pales and other Vessels thereof which is the only Traffic and Work I know of in use
which had been made wast by Tamarlan While we lay here it began to blow very hard and the next day we were fain to keep at anchor In the mean time I went with some of our Ships Company to the Hill Arbuchin where we found the Ruins of another City bearing one name with the said Hill In ascending the Hill we found a great stone with this Inscription in old Russian Words and Letters IF THOU WILT REMOVE THOU SHALT NOT LOSE THY PAINS Some Russians had a mind to see what would come of it and after long digging and much struggling at last got it turn'd over but instead of finding a Treasure met with another Motto which was THOU ASS GO SHAKE THY EARS This vexed them so that they rather willed to let it stand in that posture than take the pains to set it as it was before to deceive others The Land round about is very fair and withall of a fat Soil yet not cultivated for there are no Inhabitants but the Relicts of several Towns and Villages formerly depopulated by the famous Tamerlan On the 17 we sailed past the River and City of Adrobe lying in the heighth of 54 degr and 48 min. At the mouth of this River we were again set fast and after much labour and all the means we could imagine to be any way helpfull we gave the Ship and Yacht both over for lost but in the Evening it began to Thunder and abundance of Rain fell that the River began to swell and so set us adrift again On the 29 we came before Calmaka where were many Salt-pits and two new Towns We found there several Pans where the Russes made their Salt which they fetch out of great hollows and cavernal Rocks this being boiled is sent up the Wolga in Stroughs and so dispersed over the whole Countrey of Moscovia These Salt-pits keep abundance of Men in imployment and is no small profit to the Overseers On the 30 th we set sail again and after half an hours sailing ran aground upon a sand where after much ado we gott off but with the Loss of an Anchor and 80 fathom of our Cable The next day it began to storm very hard wherefore we thought good to come to anchor for the River was here about very perillous and so we were fain to continue till the 4 of August On the 5 th of August we came to Morrakzy where we saw abundance of Fishers of whom we bought some Cavear and Sturgeon having as much of that Fish as 20 Men could eat for the value of 11 stivers or one shilling sterl Here we were forced to tarry for the space of 24 Hours by reason of the hard Wind lying near the Island Kistowato where is a very shoaring or slanting strand on both sides which makes the stream of the Wolga at that place very narrow and deep Here we saw the River Ussa which encompassing Samara almost round empties it self into the Wolga On each side this River is a fair and pleasant Countrey so far as one can view but we were informed by the Russes that it was there very dangerous to travail by reason of Robbers and the vagabond Cosaks who kept themselves in the Woods whence they sometimes salley out in whole bands and surprize Passengers The Cosaks also haunt the River having Boats which are made long and small with which they row admirably swift On one side of the Ussa are some Mountains and amongst those one of an incredible heighth called Sariol Kurgan where they say an Emperor of the Tartars with 70 Kings ly buried when they came up the Wolga with intent to invade Russia which Mountain being bare and rocky they say that the Soldiers carried up so much Earth and Mold as was sufficient Some of those Mountains are woody and other some bare stone and cliffs On the 8 th we sailed forward and came to Samara which is so called from a certain River that runs through it where it runs into the VVolga The City is built four Square and mostly of Wood only the Churches and Cloysters are built of stone The day following we saw the Mountain Cosak-krim so called from the Cosaks which were there beat by the Moscovian Army having sadly molested all the Countrey under the subjection of the Czaar by a continual Plundering but having at that time received such an overthrow could never since complete so great a Body as might be any way obnoxious to the Russians Behind Samara the Mountains are very high but Cosak-krim surpasses all the rest for heighth About the going down of the Sun we sailed past the Island Pantzina and the next morning found our selves as far as Sagenisko On the 11 we sailed past the Island Zagra where we met divers Fishers-boats and supplied our selves with fresh Fish Here we had news that a great number of Cosac-Rebells were entred the Island Satyry-Boggere at the mouth of the VVolga on the Caspian Sea and annoyed the River On the 12 we sailed by several Islands namely Sasnow Ossino Schipnamago Koltof and other not inhabited The next day we saw the Mountain Smiowa which in their Language is as much as to say a Snake or Dragon having it's name as I conjecture from its similitude of a Snake rising up into hillocks and falling down again into gaps like a serpent when he creeps Although the Russes as also the Inhabitants tell us a Fable of a famous Cavalier who went out to kill a monstrous Animal like a Snake that wasted all the Countrey round about and devoured every day 50 Men for a Break-fast The Knight having killed the serpent it was metamorphosed into a Rock which is now this Mountain The day following we came before Saratof where we cast anchor This City lies in 52 degr 12 min. in a valley upon a Branch of the VVolga on the larboard side in sailing down and is only inhabited by a Military Officer and a Garrison of Soldiers to free the River and Countrey of the Cosacks and Calmuc-Tartars whose Countrey is bounded here These Calmucks are the most ougly and mishapen People in the World worse favoured by far than the Hotentots or Moors which are Angels in Comparison of those Their Faces are broad and almost four square their noses flat their mouths reaching almost from one ear to the other their Eies long and small upon their Heads they wear a Quoif the rest of their Habit is sufficiently denoted in the following Plate They seldom go afoot but mostly on Horseback as if they were Centaurs for some of them do not only eat and drink but also sleep upon their Horses Their only weapons is the Long-bow which they use with an admirable Dexterity There is a continual enmity between those and the Nagayans for they perpetually steal one anothers Children and Cattel which they bring to Astrachan to Market for there they have 3 several market days one for the Russians themselves another for the Nagayans and
them to proceed on their Journey thither They thanked us for our Advice and directed their Course for Terky that being also a good Market We agreed among our selves to follow the like course with intent at least to supply our want of Provision not knowing whether the Town was taken in by the Cosacks or that it was still under the Emperour About 9 in the Evening we anchored before the Town and immediately upon our anchorage saw 10 or 12 Soldiers come rowing towards us but when they came nigh saw that we were well armed offered not to do any violent Act but only asked us Who we were and From whence we came We answered That we were Hollanders belonging to his Majesties great Ship at Astrachan and were come thither to sound the Bay and Haven Ho! Ho! said they are you those men You must come before the Lord Deputy hereupon we made answer That it was then too late but the next Morning betimes we would wait upon his Excellency With this answer they seem'd to be satisfied but we thought it not safe for us to tarry there long but before creek of day we loosed and set our course S. and by W. Terky is situate in 43 degr and 27 min. about an English league from the strand It has been 3 times surveyed and laid out The first time by the Russes themselves the second time by one Cornelius Claasz a Dutch Ingenieur about the year 1636 who also strengthned the said Town with Walls and Bulwarks after the modern way of Fortification and in the year 1670 it was survey'd and fortified anew by Colonel Baily an English Gentleman with huge strong Bulwarks and and a wide and deep Mote encompassing it quite round The City is seated in a Champan Countrey without either Wood or Hill so far as one can view The River is also called Terky by the Moscovians but by the Inhabitants Timenky The Banks lying upon the Sea are all grown over with Canes and rough Terky is a place of great Trust being the Kay or Barricado of the Czars Dominions for it lies on the Frontiers of the Russian Territories and for that end has always a Garrison of 2000 Strelitzers All the night it blew very hard and in the morning we saw land on each side The Island which lay on the Larboard side we called Meynders Island because he was the first that discovered it We steered directly through the Islands and when we were about 20 leagues within the Bay we discovered high land which we afterward knew to be the famous Caucasus and Ararat which also border and extend to the Circas Hills and sailing a litle further we found that we were near the Quick-sands so that we were fain to tack about and bear up to the Channel where coming we sounded and found it 2 fathom and a good sandy ground Being just got thorow the straits or narrow Channel we looked about and discovered a great Bark making up toward us with all the Sail they could which afterwards we understood was sent by order of the Governour of Terki to pursue us having 62 Soldiers and all well armed aboard with a charge from the Governour to give us no quarter but to hack us in pieces and to bring back the Shallop and Goods to Terky We seeing them in a full pursuit thought it no time to dally but laboured as hard as we could till we got the Island Sierlan where we came to Anchor and the Bark seemed to give over their chace On the 18 ditto betimes in the morning we set Sail and indeavoured to gain the High land which before the Evening came on we did putting in at a River and were assured that we were not within the Jurisdiction of the Czar which is bounded by the Timenki The Circas Dominion begins at the Timenki and is bounded from Nagaya by the Step and from the Dagestan-Tartars by the River Bustro The Countrey is very fertile producing good store both of Fruit and Grain and is also good Pasture-ground The men are very corpulent and withall robust have broad-faces but not square like the Calmucs or Crims they are of a swarthy yellow complexion and shave their Heads and Beards after a strange manner Cross over the head they make a bare stroak and yet let a tuft grow in the Crown and on each side it hangs down in two great bushes which sometimes they let hang loose and sometimes plate They wear gray Felt-coats with a mantle of the same which is rough without this they hang slovenly about the neck made fast with a great button that they can turn it which way they list and make it serve for a Buckler against the Wind. They sometimes wear Bonnets made of cloath which they fold into a square figure that they look like Jesuits Caps when they wear them They are a surly ill-natured people and blockish not fit to converse with but yet more friendly than the Calmucs They seldom appear abroad without their Horses upon which they seem as if they were planted Their Arms are a kind of Musquet but the Long-bow is with them more in use which they can handle with great dexterity CHAP. XVII They Author and his Company err in their Course They meet with a Cosac-Bark A great Tempest The Beginning and Limits of the Dagestan-Tartars Their Posture or Frame of Body Habit and Way of Living They are great Plagiaries The Barrenness of the Dagestan Mountains Another great Tempest The Shallop run astrand and is spied by the Tartars who plunder them The strange way of electing the Dagestan Kings They are assailed by another Company who ravish the Woman in presence of her Husband and convert them all to Slaves The Author tortured to detect his Companions which he manfully endures They are brought before the Osmyn and chained ON the 19 ditto we set sail and directed our course towards the Island Tzetzien which we sailed past and had Tzierlan to the leeward having very misty weather all the while which dured 24 hours or more The next morning it cleared up and we got sight of the high Circas Mountains which we aimed at if possible to come nearer the shoar so to coast it all along after we had laboured and lay beating in the Wind about 3 or 4 hours we saw a long neck of Land which we took for an Island and indeavouring to sail through a narrow passage we found our selves in a Quicksand so that we were fain to tack about having sail'd the whole day in vain and at the dawning of the day we came into the Channel which was a good sandy ground and fit for Anchorage Here we met with a Bark having about 60 or 70 Men on board who called to us and prayed us to help them afloat pretending they were aground and fast among the sands which some of our Company would have done but the major part were for the Negative and so oversway'd the rest
Valley where we were espied by a Company of Troopers being about 15 or 16. These made up towards us and drove harder and harder till coming near at hand we began to consult about the point of Safety yet could not come to an unanimous Resolution till it was too late some were for Defence others for yielding which Advice was thought best and approved on by the major part for that we thought if the kind Heavens had given us the Field for that time yet we were sure that some must loose their lives and that they might in the mean time be seconded by another fresh Party who when all was done would take the remainder and use us the more unkindly for our obstinacy We therefore upon their approachment freely surrendred our selves into their hands and implored their Mercy after the best manner and with all the signs we could When they had got us into their Power they drove us into the Jurisdiction of the Scemkals for we were then within the Confines of the Osmin When they had brought us within their own limits they allighted from their horses and plundered us yet not with that rigorous usage we feared for having stript us of our upper Garment they let us go taking only what we had with us that was thought to be of any value They took from me a Parcel of rich Silk which I had bought of the Rebells at Astrachan but my gold Chain which I had fastened in the inside of my Garter they did not find When they had thus pillaged us they directed us which way to go for our Safety Dagestan is a Countrey subject to divers Princes and Lords who are independently Sovereign but the most principal Provinces are Scemkal and Osmin already mentioned and of those two the former is the more eminent the Government whereof is not hereditary but by lot which is after this manner The High Priest first appoints a day of Election to which several of the Princes or Myrses as they term them are assembled these being set all in order round about him he throws up a litle Apple but whether of Gold or Gilded I cannot be positiv upon this they all grabble to catch it and he that getts it is chosen for their Prince altho he can favour any he has a mind to by casting it that way Which may also serv for an Embleme to represent Elections in other places where Policy seems to be more refined By that time we had travelled an hour we were aware of another Troop of Horse greater than the former who fell suddenly upon us stripped us to the shirts and ravished the wife of my Countrey-man Brak before our Eies and left her naked My shirt and Drawers which were left me I gave to the Woman on whom I had more compassion than on my self Upon this deplorable accident we took our leaves of each other and departed being naked and unfit to assist each other any more going two or three in a company together Els Pieterson and Mr. Tolk chused to go with me and by that time we had travailled 2 or 3 hours further we were set upon by another Company of Horse belonging to the Osmin These took us tied our hands behind our back made us fast to their Horses Tails and so to trot after them through Thistles and Thorns backwards so that the Horse men driving on apace sometimes dragged us forward for it was not possible that we should keep pace with them After they had brought us a good way they untied me and binding me fast to a Tree shot me with their Arrows which they had broken off and made stumped on purpose to urge me to discover the rest of our Company But when they could not move me to detect them they continued shooting that I often wished that they would have dispatched me and rid me of that misery The marks and pits remain still in my Body as I have shown them to many hundreds since my arrival at home These Torments I endured with incredible patience not willing to detect my Countreymen Torments I say that none without experience could be able to imagine how great When they insisted hard that I should tell them which way they went I told them that they went toward the Hilly Countrey altho I was certain on the contrary for they had determined to go along the River that they might have their shelter in the Woods After they had used us so inhumanly and out of hopes of getting any thing from us they took me and Els Pletersz tied us legg to legg with a small Iron Chain and so brought us up to the Prince Osmin often threatning that they would tear us limb from limb sustaining that Opinion of us that we were of Stephen Radzin's Company and sent out as Emmissaries on his behalf and therefore were resolved that his Insolencies should be lay to our charge When I understood that their Opinion and Intentions were such I was in a great consternation not that I was affraid of Death for that was what I chiefly longed for at that time but that we were liable to such a bad Censure and could not explain our selves so well as to satisfy them to the contrary and besides all that to be kept alive and suffer so many Tortures as they threatned us to detect what we were utterly ignorant of and unable to satisfy them in When we came to the Princes Palace they led us thro the Guards that stood on each side with naked Scimmatars in their hands these we expected to be our Executioners to hew us in pieces altho afterwards we understood it was the manner there when captives are brought before the Prince So soon as my Companion saw this wofull sight he turned his head about and stared upon me with a very frightfull look which I beleeve was the first time and the occasion of a Frenzy which he has been often since possessed with and I beleeve if he be alive continues with him till this day Being come before the Prince we threw our selves down at his feet he thereupon asked us Whence we came and to what end we were come thither We answered Dutch and fled from Astrachan to avoid the Cosacks who upon our departure were about to lay siege to that City and now come to implore your Highnesses gracious Protection All this I hear very well quoth the Prince but I am certain that you are your selves Cosacs and of that Rout which not long ago depopulated my Countrey and made Havoc of my Subjects and now the Villain your Master having taken in Astrachan has sent you as Spies and Explorators to visit my Towns Our reply was Sir we know nothing of the Designs of the Cosacs but served as Marriners in a Ship which some of our Countrey-men have built for the Emperour of Moscovia When the Prince heard that he was some what appeased hearing us with more attention and that we might the
better be understood he called for some Russian Slaves who assured him that we were no Cosaks but real Dutch for that we had nothing of the Cosac-Dialect Upon this the Prince turned about and told us our Life was granted us This news was very welcom to us but had been more welcom if we had with one been set at liberty for we were chained severally and sent away to Mahemet Sultan the Princes Son whose Residing place was near mount Ararath CHAP. XVIII The Captives take their leavs of each other The great Orchard near Tzurbag Their Arrival at Urwan Situation of Mount Ararat An accidental meeting with some Carmelito Friars The Author insisted upon to undertake a Cure of a Rupture which with much perswasion he promises to do His ascent up the Mountain Ararat to the Hermites Cell who was his Patient which he performs in 5 days time He undertakes and Cures the Rupture The Copy of an Attestation given him by the said Hermite in barbarous Latin His return down ON the 21 dito my Companion and I took our leaves of each other but not without great sadness for so soon as we were brought out and understood that we were to go two several ways I observed Tears run down his cheeks which also moved me to weep for that we were out of hopes ever to see one anothers face again in this World neither that our Wives or Friends should ever hear from us or that we ever were like to be redeemed by our Friends or Countrey men being in a remote Land Having thus taken our last Farewell of each other I was set upon a Mule and committed to the Charge of some Slaves and Renegados who were to bring me to the Court of Prince Mahomet being about 3 Dutch miles from Urwan About Evening we came to a Village called Tzurbag seated upon a high Mountain where we took up our lodging for that night While we stayed here there came abundance of Women to see me who wondred that I wore such long hair for the Inhabitants of these Countreys being Mahometans always shave their Heads bare On the 22 betimes in the morning we set forward and went through a great Grove of Fruit-trees where we saw abundance of wild Swine masting of the shaken Fruit. These Fruit trees do not grow naturally of themselves here for they have an Ordinance among them in that Countrey That none of whether Sex it be shall marry till they can prove that they have planted a Hundred Trees with their own Hands so that they begin when they are Children to plant which having been observed for some Ages is the reason that this Wood is grown so wide There are divers sorts of Fruits as Apples Pears Cherries Figgs Almonds Wallnuts and others and that in such abundance that the hundreth part is not consumed or us'd for none are prohibited to pluck and carry away There is also very fair Medow and Arable Ground the Fields full of Corn affoarding many delicate and rich Plants both for Kitchin use and Medicinal Cattel is there both good and plentifull far surpassing ours in Europe for fatness especially Kine Sheep Goats and Swine both wild and tame run together in innumerable Flocks but incredible is the Plenty of Hens and Pidgeons which are brought in and sold for trifles On the 30th we arrived at Urwan or Ervan a City situated under Mount Ararat in the Countrey of the Medes about 65 Leagues from the Caspian Sea The Town is not very wide but sufficiently munited with strong walls of stone being about the greatness of Alcmaar in North-Holland There are in it some Persian Mosquees and Churches as also a Cloyster of Carmelite Friars They use no kind of Commerce or Merchandise save that of Slaves which the Dagestan Tartars come to buy there and are there so cheap that a lusty well-bodied youngman is ordinarily sold for ten Crowns as some of our Company were sold for the same price The City Urwan is mostly inhabited by the poorer sort of Armenians but Mount Ararat by those of the Romish Faith and other Christians Mount Ararat is seated just in the parting of Armenia from Media and is reckoned under the rank of the Dagestan and Caspian Mountains The Armenians call it Messina and the Persians Agri It is much higher than either Caucasus or the famous Taurus or any other Mountain in all Media Armenia or Persia so far as one can view It is a blew and dark-coloured Rock I have found there a kind of a dark yellow Mineral very ponderous and sparkling but could never learn what mettal it would have produced if melted nor that of a sparkling Sand and Dust which I also found here although I brought a proof of each which I lost when we were taken at Sea by the English and plundered as herafter shall be said at large This Mountain is for the most part barren and without Earth and what may be further said by way of Description the Reader will find in the Relation of my Ascent towards the Top of it Going into the Hermites Cell I took a view of the Rupture which I saw was shut forth about the bulk of a henns-egg and with one asked him How long he had had it he answered A Moneth which gave me good encouragement since I was sure that the Fissure was fresh and therefore the Cure with greater facility to be effected Thus I undertook the work and taking 200 fresh Hen-eggs I boyled them hard and made thereof an Unguent I made also a Truss and anointed him 4 times a day with the Oyntment causing him to ly still for a fortnight together which done I let him rise up to see how he was and found that it was sufficiently bettered for the Rupture which he with his own hands had indeavoured to stop by thrusting it in and as often broke out was now stay'd and he told me that he could every day perceiv that it grew better I gave him advice to keep himself a whole year in the Truss and continue anoynting himself after the manner I did myself which he also promised to observ When I took my leav of him he gave me a piece of hard wood of a dark-red colour with a Cross and a silver Chain which he wore about his neck as also a Stone which he told me he had taken from under the Ark These Relicts he adjured me to be very carefull of saying the real value and esteem thereof would be such that if ever I came to Rome and bestowed them on St. Peters Church that they would reward me with a Gift which should serve me for a maintenance so long as I lived The Wood and the Cross I brought with me but the stone with some sparkling Oar were taken from me when the English took our Ship The Hermite was born at Rome and of very good Parentage his Father being one of the most eminent Citizens there who upon his Death-bed charged his Son To retire
specious promises than before as That if I would become a Musulman or True Beleever he would advance me to the Dignity of a Commander in the Guards This perplexed me very much when I saw him so earnest thinking that if he could not get his will by fair means he would proceed to rigour and being absolute Lord and Soveraign as well of the Countrey as of my Person would force me to embrace the Mahometan Religion however I had already stood out so much Torture that being a litle hardned to it I feared it so much the less but gave him a short Answer to this Effect Sir All the fair promises you have already and that you may hereafter make shall not have that efficacy with me as to make me renounce my Faith for I had rather dispatch my self than to imbrace Mahometanism He hearing me say so did not for that time press me much more On the 9 th dito I continued still in Chains at what time the young Damosels that had been with me before were sent again who as they did the last time endeavoured to perswade me to turn Mahometan neither did they desist to use all manner of Allurements they could devise to entice me to ly with them for so they thought that if I had done that I must either become Turk or dy a miserable Death They further did what they could to put me in mind of my present misery and told me that I must never expect to enjoy any better than what I saw before my eies and in the conclusion of all told me that they wondred at the Folly and Vanity of the Christians who were so strictly tied to Monogamy or only to marry one Wife when as the Mahometans might have as many as they listed or thought themselves capable to maintain My Master altho he was a Prince yet thought it no dishonour to trade in Commerce but the chief thing he had which brought him up the most Revenues were the Baths which he kept having som almost in every City as well in his own Jurisdiction as in Persia and other Countreys whereof those were the most considerable at Derbent at Scamachy and at Ispahan which brought him in a vast sum of Money yearly The reason why the Baths are there in such esteem and so much frequented by persons of all Ranks and Degrees is not only their affected Cleanliness in which they surpass all others but as well thro Superstition for that after the use of their Wives they are to bath being till then reputed unclean and may not enter the Mosques and this both sexes are injoyned to upon such Cases by the Alcoran A man among them may not ly with his wife from Conception to her Delivery which is probably instituted as a Praecept in the Alchoran to make those Countreys more populous for so one Man is capable of generating many Children in one year The Baths are frequented from Break of day to the Setting of the Sun From morning till noon the Men bath and from noon till night the Women so taking it by Turns On the 10 th came my Patron to visit me and asked me how I did and if I had taken good Courage I answered him that I had no great occasion to thank him for my Welfare since he did all he could to make me miserable and contrary to that Honesty and Truth which the Turks boasted of he had shown me an odd example Withall telling him that he had little reason to chain me so fast and make my Slavery the greater when as he had promised me my Freedom upon the receipt of the Money which was paid him Upon this he seemed to be a little moved to compassion and commanded that the greater Chain should be taken off Now when I observed that my reasoning had a litle prevalency with him I pursued on in my Argument with these or the like Words Sir Is it not sufficient that I am your Slave why then must I be kept in Chains when as others have their liberty If it be so that you fear I should go from you Know this That you can not keep me longer than I list for I can at once part with my Life and take leav of this miserable Bondage which if you persist to use me so inhumanly I am resolved to do This I could perceiv wrought in him no small change for he was naturally very covetous and would have lost the price of a Slave Besides that it is a Maxim of their Law that if any person do any way murther himself the House is to be accursed and pulled down to the Ground My Patron considering what the Issue of this might be altho I had not the lest thoughts to lay violent hands upon my self he therefore to prevent the worst sold me to one Hadsy Mahomet Sala a Persian for 25 Abbas that was about 30 Shillings sterl which is but a small sum in comparison to the ordinary Market price of Argiers and other places in Barbary My new Patron spoke the Russian Tongue very well by which means we came to understand one another the better for he used me more kindly than the other and would often bid me have courage saying he would go with me to Ispahan where there were many English Dutch and other Europeans and probably those that would buy me off his hands and so set me at Liberty again which gave me no small encouragement to do my utmost to please him On the 12 dito I went with my new Master to Derbent and sailed with him several times over the Caspian Sea his principal dealing being in Crap which with several other Roots used in Dying grow there in great abundance He had also a small Bark of his own wherein he transported his own Commodities This said Vessel alwayes lay in a Bay about half a League from the City and thither his Slaves alwaies brought the Wares for about Derbent it is very rocky and unsafe for Vessels to lie at Anchor in case of Storm or tempestuous Weather But in the said Bay is very good anchorage at 6 7 and 8 Fathom Water and a clay ground with Shells The Coast from Baynak to Masanderan is altogether sandy and here and there low land where appear the Tops of the Dagestan Hills between those two Coasts it is all a long very good anchorage there being many fair Roads able to receive Ships of a greater burthen than are usually built for this Sea there are also many fair Towns built for the most part at the mouths of Rivers and have many Vessels and Shipping belonging to them as well for Traffic and Transportation of Merchandizes as for the Fishing trade for this Sea is very plentiful of Fish and brings up the King of Persia an incredible sum of Money yearly receiving from some as Toll and from others as Contribution In the Bay of Gilan are 2 great Whirl-pools for which the Persians are very fearfull in sailing from their
his Head with his Body our Countreyment at Astrachan call Dickkop Thickpate But by the Persians Nachay that is Devourer This Fish is of a more than ordinary strength and somtimes will overturn a small Boat with a stroak of his Tail CHAP. XX. A Description of Derbent it's Walls The Sultans Court. Very old Ruins Divers Watch-towers Multiplicity of Sepulchrets without Derbent Their Slave-Market The Author sold again His Patron married with a Polish Woman and runs into Danger of his Life The Intention of his Patroness in running away from her Husband and taking the Author with her Two of Mr. Struys's Companions come to Derbent How they made their escape from the Tartars The great Inclination of the Sultan of Derbent to the Hollanders A Device put in practise to set one of the Authors Companions at Liberty The Prince takes the Wife of Brak for his own Brak makes his escape DErbent the first City under the Jurisdiction of the King of Persia on the Caspian Sea lies in 41 degr 50 min. northerly Latitude This City lies longwise East and West from the Sea side to the Land and is according to computation about 2 English miles long One side thereof lies so near to the Sea that the Waves beat against the Walls and in a Storm or tempestuous Weather the Surges rise over the Walls This is also reckoned as a Barrier against the Irruption of the Tartars and other Savages being the only place on all that Coast for many miles together where they can come ashoar for the Shoar is there naturally secured with a steep Bank and wholly inaccessible Wherefore this City is not improperly called Derbent which in their Language imports as much as The Kingdoms Key Der signifying a Key and Bent a Kingdom or Countrey and so the City Gammeron on the Indian Coast is called Bender which is the same Word with transposition of the Syllables and a little variation of the Dialect This Town is very strongly munited with a Stone-Wall and as some say was built by Alexander the Great who had here his Residence for som time althô there doth not any Building remain of his save only the Wall on the South side and the Fortress but all the Fortifications on the North were built by the famous Nauschirwan King of the Medes having no other Foundation than a solid Rock The Walls both on the North and the South side are so broad that Horses and Waggons may ride all along and the Stones are of a hard rock brought hither from a Hill not far distant from the Town being all equally 6 foot Square On the Wall of Alexander for it still bears his name is an oblong Stone having an ancient Inscription in old Syriac and Arabic Characters which none now a days can read The City Derbent is divided into 3 parts The uppermost Ward or Quarter stands on a rising Ground and has a Fortress furnished with Brass-Cannon and at that time when I was there and since the Uproar of the Cosacs it has bin Strengthned with a Garrison of 1000 or 1200 Soldiers and in this Quarter is the Sultans Court. The Midle Ward is inhabited by Persians but the Buildings go mostly to decay The Lowest Ward is about 2000 paces long but this part is only tilled and used for Gardens and as they say has been heretofore inhabited by Greeks bearing still the name of Schaher Iunan or City of the Greeks Above Derbent appear the Ruins of a Wall which reached from thence to the Necropont or Euxin Sea which has been a work of an incredible Charge and Labour In som places the said Wall appears very plain and is about four Foot thick Round about this City are also divers stone Redoubts whereof Four are furnished with Ammunition and a Garrison of Soldiers suitable to the Occasion of the Times In the Countrey round about are also the Ruins of many strong Castles insomuch that it plainly appears in what esteem this Place has bin with the Median and Persian Monarchs in times past Not far from this City are also som Watch-towers of Wood which are raised exceeding high so that they can with ease descry the approachment of an Enemy in time of War On that side of the Town which faces the Countrey are many Sepulchrets or Tombs som of an oblong form and others semicircular being in breadth about a mans length and hollowed so that a Man may easily ly in them In this great Sepulchre was in times past a famous Battel fought between Cassan King of the Medes and the Dagestan Tartars where the former had a notable overthrow with the loss of several Thousand men and the principal Heros and Leaders were buried in those Tombs Between this place and the Sea is also another Plat of Ground environed with a high wall wherein are 40 Tombs under which are so many Persian and Median Princes interred and made sacred to Memory Upon the Walls are several Flags pitched and by each an old Man to beg an Alms of such as out of Devotion and a Religious Zeal come to visit this place as it is throughout all Persia held very meritorious to visit the Sepulchres and Graves of the Deceased This Superstition besides that of Bathing is all the Ceremonies and Rules which their Religion prescribes the Women who receiv their Directions and are injoined by their Parents and Husbands what to do being secluded out of the Mosquees Within Derbent live no Christians but altogether Mahometans except a few Iews who boast themselvs to be descended from the house of Benjamin these commonly follow base and dishonorable Traffic as buying of Prize-goods and Booty taken at Sea which the Dagestan Tartars bring thither to market The rest of the Inhabitants likewise trade in buying and selling of Slaves that being the main and almost only Merchandize they deal in which they buy of the Dagestan Plagiaries and send all over Persia making an incredible gain thereof Those that are brought hither for Slaves are very unhappy for they are no more looked upon than an unreasonable Animal or Bruit and when they are about buying they pull of their Cloaths and grope them all over as if it were a Swine or a Calf Besides their low esteem they have for Slaves as to their Persons they are very unkind and void of Mercy so that were it not for the Loss of so much money very few of those wretched caitiffs would die a natural Death Those people being by nature very prone to Anger and besides that too jealous to live upon Earth thinking that if a Slave do but smile or cast a friendly look toward one of their Wives that something extraordinary must be in the case althô I had never reason to complain of my Patron for any such thing but one that lived in the neighbourhood was much addicted to that inquietude and restless humour The bed where I lay was upon the Top of the house for coolness sake
that althô he was a Musulman I would give him a Christian Token With this he began to howl out and I seeing the Coast clear thought good to get out of the way betimes being fain to abscond till such times as the Caravan was to set forward which was 24 Hours after On the 1 of Ianuary we left Khom and came that night to Carawansera Kosmabath where we set down That night it began to freez harder than is usual in those Countreys but was by day very fair and lovly weather The next day we got the Village Sensen lying about 5 Dutch Miles distant from Kaschan where on the 3 day of Ianuary we arrived towards the Evening taking up our Quarters at a very noble and commodious Carawansera seeming rather a Palace than an Inn. Kaschan lies in 33 degr 51 min. It is built long wise and points East and West being munited with strong Walls and round Redoubts after the old manner of Fortification on the South side of the Towâ— is a place where they exercise the Spear in Tilt and Tournament where are also several Pillars set up for Butts or Marks to shoot at Oâ— the other side of the Town are several Royal Gardens and Summeâ— Houses and amongst the rest one of a stately Fabric having a Thousand Windows Kaschan is at this day the most populous and emineâ— Marts in all Persia having also a very famous Basar and Maydan witâ— Piazzas and stately Galleries wherein are many rich Shops It iâ— the staple for the most part of the Silk stuffs that are made in Persiâ— They have also many that work in Velvets and Sattins but not altogether so good as those in Europe so that the King has sent often to Venice expresly for Workmen to come and reside there which nevertheless he cannot accomplish The Carawanseras which are here very numerous do surpass all others that ever I have seen elsewhere thaâ— where we took up our Quarters being more like a Palace than an Inâ— as I have said before having 65 spacious Rooms besides many Conveniences which others want Below it was all Arched and madâ— into stable use and above with Galleries to entertain the common soâ— of People Hither resort many Indian and other Merchants coming very far and bringing with them many rich Wares and precious Commodities There are abundance of Looms for Cloth of Gold and Silver as also many that make Tapestry and no less is the number of Idle Persons who swarm hither from all Parts and like Droneâ— are maintained by the sedulous Labours of those that take Pains and here have I seen more Beggars than ever I have seen in any Town in all my Travels As for the Countrey of Kaschan it is very fertile and of an excellent Soil producing vast Quantities of Wine Fruit Corn and is very rich of Cattel insomuch that it is very cheap living there But this is also concomitated with other Annoyances to wit the Extreme Heat of the Climat and the Multitudes of Scorpions which haunt the Town those being both great and dangerous yet both in shape and colour differing from those in Italy The Inhabitants for fear of that venemous Animal dare not ly upon the Floor as in other Places where they only throw a Quilt upon the Tapestry but have high Couches hanging from the Roofs of the Rooms like Hammocks and althô this Creature be very venemous and many are stung by it yet few die they having found out a ready Medicin against it which is made of the Filings of Copper tempered with Vinegar and Honey which is a very speedy remedy yet if neglected the Party stung is in danger of his Life This I presume has bin first found out by an Antipathetical quality which seems to be between those Scorpions and Copper for not far from the City is the Copper-mint where if one of these be brought it dies immediatly Besides these Scorpions they are pesterd with another venemous Creature which they call Enkurekan being very much like a Spider but bigger than a Mouse som of these are speckled and som have long streaks over the Back These keep most in stony Places and haunt the Herb Tremne almost like our Wormwood The venemous Matter which they have in them they spit out as som say Toads do which wheresoever it lights whether on man or Beast it immediatly penetrates and incorporates with the Blood and so proceeds to the Head and Heart So soon as the Patient is touched he falls immediately into a deep sleep in such sort that all the calling and beating him will not avail or awake him or if by chance it do he remains still senceless The best and speediest Remedy for this is the Enkurekan it's self pounded into a Cataplasm and applied but when these are not to be had they use another mean which is thus The Patient is laid upon his Back and his Mouth set open into which they pour much Milk as they can make him digest which done they put him in a square Chest having on each side a Ring through which are four Cords put and made fast at one Ring on the Cieling This Chest thus hanging they whirl it about for a quarter of an Hour together till the Patient breaks up and vomits all he has within him This commonly lucks if the Patient can be brought to swallow the Potion yet they feel the vigorous force of the Poyson for a long time after These nevertheless do not much annoy the Town unless when they are brought in with the Faggots which they use for Fewel But whaâ— is most worthy of Remark is that Sheep covet them more than anâ— thing else and if they chance to spy one run in at a hole will not leaâ— throwing up Earth till she gets it and so snapp it up yet ail nothing at all After we had lay Eight days in Kaschan and bought Wares and Prâ—vision we broke up and on the 13 at night came to Carawanserâ— Chotza Cassim which stands in the middle of a Grove of Cypresâ— and other Trees which Winter and Summer grow always green In the said Carawansera we found very good Accommodation Herâ— my Patron was taken with a sudden Fit of the Cholic which helâ— him so hard that we very much doubted of his Recovery althô at last to my unfeigned Joy it went over On the 14 th we had very bad travailing way thrô dry and sand Ground and found no Villages nor Towns to refresh our selvs aâ— till we came at Natens which is a very pleasant little City Here wâ— set down and took up our Carawansera for that night The Countreâ— close by Natens is very fertile and affords great plenty of good Wine The Inhabitants being diligent Propagaters of the Vineyards Neaâ— this City is a Hill upon which is erected a very high Tower of squarâ— and polished stone which was built by Schach Abas as a Monumenâ— of a Battail between an Eagle and a
home I saluted him after the Persian manner withall manifesting my gratefullness to him for his many Favours which he had shown me althô without the lest deserts but he interpelling me in my discourse forbad me to talk any more of that saying I have not yet him so worthy as to give you the Reward I promised you which was to set you free when you came to Ispahan and now I understand you have redeemed your self with your own Money however I shall make it good to you by an Equivalent With that he opened a Chest and gave me 100 Dollars saying This I give you as part of Reward for your care to save my life when I was in danger of loosing it at the Caspian Sea This extraordinary great Bounty coming so besides my expectation put me to a stand what reply to make at first but considering how he might look upon it as an Ingratitude to be silent I expressed my self after this manner Sir I am not able ever to do you such service as may recompense your Goodness but I hope that GOD will remember your Bounty don in secret which is the truest Charity notwithstanding the unworthiness of my self on whom it is shown Great reason it is that I should record the worthy Deeds of this Turkish Christian or Christian Turk not only as don to me but as don to one of another Faith and that without vain Glory a thing he ever hated his calling me aside and forbidding me to make it known manifest the Absoluteness and Integrity of Charity well knowing that I was just upon my departure and consequently not likely to be his Trumpeter but the more he charged me to conceal it the more I reckon it my Office to publish it that Christians whose first and chief Duty towards their Neighbour is Charity and that the remissness of that Duty may be convinced by those who hold it as a voluntary and not an injoyned Act. In sum his fair Carriage towards me unfortunately thrown from a Condition of Freedom to a State of Slavery had so far ingaged me to love and honour him that had it not been for the Restriction and Care of a Wife and Children who lived all this time as Widdow and Orphans I could have bin more content to serv him all my Life as a Slave than to have the Liberty which I have before and since enjoyed with such Anxiety When with a faint Heart and Eies full of Tears I took my last leav of him he embraced me and told me he had yet hopes to see me once again and when I was at a distance cried out GOD in the highest Heavens conduct you GOD Almighty bring you in safety home which were the last words I heard him speak My two Companions to wit C. Brand and L. Fabritius were returned back again to Derbent with intent to go by way of Russia and I departed with the Caravan of the Honorable the East India Company from the Royal City Ispahan having a sufficient number of Camels and Mules to carry our Provision and Baggage to Gammeron The same day we travailed 8 Leagues and about 10 a Clock came to a village called Majar where we took up our nights Lodging We had also in our Company som of those Persians of whom I have already made mention that live still in Heathenism whom I found very civil and faithfull in all their Doings On the 18 it was very cold weather and snowy that we could hardly keep a Horseback The snow was here thicker than ever I have seen it to my knowledge in the Low-Countreys being between 4 and 5 Foot deep upon the Ground and the Path so narrow that the Horses oftentimes going out of the Way tumbled down in the snow with the Packs which happening so often mainly detarded that days Journey Before night we got the hilly Countrey and set down in the village Canischa where by reason of bad Weather we rested 3 days with the Caravan Upon the 22 we set forward again and had very hilly way which proved so incommodous that we travailed that day no more than 6 Dutch Miles and took our Nights rest at a Carawansera where we met another Caravan coming from Gammeron richly loaden with all sorts of Indian Commodities and bound for several Markets in Persia On the 23 we broke up and the same day had bad and slippery way insomuch that som of our Camels and Horses fell whereby the Chests and Goods were much endamaged The Heer Bent as I said before having appointed me as Caffil Abassi or Overseer it was my duty to look to the reparation of this Damage and to see the Chests effectually mended and therefore I went to see if I could meet with any Person who could help me in the Village letting the Caravan remain so long in a Carawansera At last after much enquiry I found one but coming back understood that my Portmantle and my Money was stole which put me in a great strait for I had not above the value of 25 gild or 55 sh sterling left I suspected that som of our Company was the Party that had committed the Theft and had also a privat hint given me of it The matter concerned me so far that I forthwith began to tax the Party with it that I had in suspicion but he stoutly denied it and was so displeased at me for blemishing his Reputation that he intimated the matter to som of his Companions who unanimously swore to be revenged on me and taking their opportunity fell all together upon me and used me in most cruel manner It was the Brother of the Party that told me averring that he had seen it but when he came to confront him denied every word he spoke to me insomuch that I was fain for the time being to be patient yet fully resolved to have it out of his Hide the first opportunity That day we travailed 7 Dutch Miles and came at night to a Village formerly called Jurgestan now Iesegas On the 24 we broke up again and that morning met a Post coming from Gameron and intending for Ispahan of whom I understood that the Director van der Dussen who had remitted the Money for my Redemption was gone for Batavia These Tidings I must confess were very unwelcom to me because I knew it would be 4 Moneths before any Ships would go for Batavia the more because I was to endure the hot season at Gameron This day we travailed 6 Dutch Miles and at night came to a fair new-built Carawansera The next day we broke up and passed thrô a fair Town called Surina About 12 a clock it began to snow very hard so continuing till the Evening when we met with a good Carawansera which was no small comfort to us having no stomach to lie such weather without a Roof in the open Field The same day we travailed 7 Dutch Miles On the 25 we had very good weather and the Way also