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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35310	The antient and present state of Muscovy containing a geographical, historical, and political account of all those nations and territories under the jurisdiction of the present czar : with sculptures and a new map / by J.C., M.D., Fellow of the Royal Society, and a member of the College of Physicians, London.	Crull, J. (Jodocus), d. 1713?	1698 (1698)	Wing C7424; Wing C7425; ESTC R2742	334,877	511

Monsters those other Europaeans that have of late years sail'd deeper into the Caspian Sea having neither seen nor heard any thing like it except they would take the Sea-dogs which are in great numbers near the mouth of the Wolga for such prodigious Monsters Errors of Modern Authors concerning the Caspian Sea By the Experience of those also it is sufficiently contradlcted what Petrejus in his History of Muscovy relates with so much confidence that the Water of the Caspian Sea is as black as Ink that it is full of Islands well stock'd with Inhabitants and a great number of Cities and Villages The Water being of the same colour with that of all other Seas and there being not one Island in it that has either City or Village and if the Persians Tartars and Muscovites living thereabouts may be believ'd there is only the Isle of Ensil near Ferebath which having very good Pastures the Neighbouring Inhabitants who keep their Cattle there have a few Huts to defend them against the Injuries of the Weather during the time their Cattle Grases there Of the same stamp is what Contarinus in his Travels and Father Bizarous in his History of Persia relate concerning a certain round Fish without a Head to be found in this Sea of an Ell and a half Diameter of which they say there is drawn a certain Oil which the Persians use in their Lamps and to greese their Camels whereas there are at the foot of the Mountain of Barmach near the City of Baku whole Rivulets of an Oily substance by them call'd Nefte Nefte which furnish them with a sufficient quantity of this Kind for that Use at a much cheaper Rate it being from thence transported into the other Parts of the Kingdom I am apt to believe that they are fallen into this Error by the superficial Description of a certain Fish in the Caspian Sea called Naka The Glutton or Glutton which has some resemblance to that mentioned by them for it has not only a very short Nose but the whole Head is as it was within the Belly and its Tail being round and its length and breadth near the same and sometimes of six or seven Foot it comes pretty near a circular Figure This Fish will fasten it self with the Tail under the Fisher-men's Boats so as to overturn them as will also the white Fish which makes the Fisher-men be very cautious of the●● They catch the first with the Liver of Beef 〈◊〉 Mutton which the Fish much delights in th●● they put as a Bait upon Iron Hooks ty'd to good strong Cords and so draw him to the Shoar But I cannot imagine upon what authority they have founded their Relation when they say that there is 〈◊〉 other Fish in the Caspian Sea it being sufficiently known by Experience that the Caspian Sea is very well Stor'd not only with abundance of Salmons Sturgeons and Herrings but also with several Kinds of Fish as are catch'd in Rivers and kept in Ponds as Barbels Breams and Trouts Before we leave the Caspian Sea it will perhaps not be amiss to take notice of a certain Species of wild Geese or rather Cormorants which are found in great numbers on that Shoar especially towards the mouth of the River Wolga They are like other Geese as to their Colour Legs Neck and Feet but the bulk of their Bodies exceeding the Swans Their Bills are fork'd at the end being a Foot and half long and near two Inches broad the whole Body of some of them being above seven Foot in length from the Head to the Feet But what is most remarkable in them is that under their Bills they have a shrivell'd Skin hanging resembling a Bagg which when dilated contains more or less three Gallons of Liquor this they make use of for a Rescrontory for such Fish they take which they afterwards swallow down at leisure On the same Shoar is also frequently seen that kind of Fowl Onocratalus which Pliny calls Onocratalus their Beaks are long and round but at the extremity flat in the form of a Spoon beaten out When it puts its Beak into the Water it makes a most hideous Noise almost like an Ass whence without doubt it had its Name I had almost forgot to tell you that the Caspian Sea neither Ebbs nor Flows which may serve as additional Argument to maintain our beforementioned Assertion that it has no communication or correspondence with any other Sea CHAP. V. Of the Tartars of Dagesthan and Circassia of Siberia and some other Tartarian Provinces betwixt China and Muscovy THE Tartars of Dagesthan and Circassia inhabit that Country known to the Antients under the name of Albania which reaches all along the Shoar of the Caspian Sea from the end of the Desarts of Astrachan mentioned in the foregoing Chapter to the City of Derbent Circassia on the confines of Persia The Dagesthan Tartars are subject neither to the Persians nor Muscovites the Mountains which they inhabit serving them for a Fence against these two Potent Neighbours But the Circassian Tartars divided from the former by the River Bustro which Ptolomy calls Gerrus bordering upon the Kingdom of Astrachan and being subject to the Jurisdiction of the Grand Czar of Muscovy we will treat of them first taking our course from the great Desarts of Astrachan first to the River Bustro and from thence to the Frontiers of Persia The Country of Circassia is situate all along the coast of the Caspian Sea from the South-West to North-East encompassing it about in form of a Cressent and making a very spacious Bay The Circassians are possess'd of that Part of Albania which hath for its Frontiers on the East and West-side the Caspian Sea and Mount Caucasus and on the South and North the River Bustro and the Desarts of Astrachan Very few Historians whether Antient or Modern have made any mention of them some having assigned their Habitations beyond the Mount Caucasus near the Euxin Sea whereas they are more properly to be called the Caspian Sarmatians Their Capital City is Terki The City of Terki above 300 Miles from Astrachan by Land situate near three Miles from the Shoar of the Caspian Sea upon a small River called Timenski a Branch of the great River Bustro which being formerly called Terck has given the name to this City it is seated in a very spacious Plain very fenny towards the Sea-side under 43 deg 23 min. Elev It is in compass about two Miles well fortified with Ramparts and Bastions of Earth after the modern Way stor'd with Cannon and has always a considerable Garison in it of Muscovites under the Command of a Weywode the Tartarian Prince who resides here having 500 of them allow'd him for his Guard Since the Reduction of those Parts under the obedience of the Czars of Muscovy they have put in all Places of Strength not only their Garisons but also Governours Magistrates and Priests for the exercise of the

passage to the Boats over the 〈◊〉 Islands The River Volga contains a prodigious Store of Fish of all Sorts a very good Commodity in Mus●ovy by reason of the great number of their Fast-days which both the Tartars and Muscovites catch with a Cord but in a different manner The Tartars fasten to the end of a long Cord a pretty big Stone which sinks to the bottom several great pieces of Wood being fastn'd to the other end 〈…〉 which swim upon the Water All along this great Cord many littles ones are fastn'd at some distance from one another each of these has at the end a good●ook baited with a certain Fish which they know the rest to be greedy of by which Invention they catch often Fish of ten twelve and more foot long The Muscovites take also a Cord with a ●ook fastn'd to the end of it this Cord is ty●d about a piece of a well plain●d Board tinn'd over its ●igness about 4 or 5 Inches square which being dragg●d behind a Boat by the reflection of the Sun resembles the Scales of Fish by which means they draw up Fish of a very great seize to the Bait and into the Snare Among other Fish wherewith this River abounds the Sturgeon is none of the least considerable whose Eggs afford that Ragout which the Italians call Cavayar 〈…〉 and the Muscovites 〈◊〉 the Eggs are put into a Paste being prepar'd 10 or 12 days with Salt This Commodity affords a considerable Trade to Muscovy being exported from thence to all Parts of Europe where it is look'd upon as the best of this kind for which reason the Czar keeps this Trade to himself Some Miles below the abovementioned ruined places the Shoar on both sides of the River is very Mountainous yet not ●o but that the Valleys afford very pleasant Pastures The first that appears on the right hand is a Mountain out of which the Muscovites get great store of Salt which being prepared in certain Huts at the foot of the Mountain is sent from thence by the River to M●s●o Almost opposite to this is another Mountain at the foot of which the River Vssa falls into the Wolga On both sides are very fine Meadows bordering upon the Shoar but at some distance from thence are very thick Woods a place of retreat for the Cosacks which makes it very dangerous for Travellors Below this lies the Mountain Diwiagora or Maids-mountain which being divided into several steepy ' Hills of various colours and bearing Pine-trees in so regular an Order as if they had been planted there on purpose makes it appear very pleasant to the eye At the foot of this rises another which reaches near 40 Miles along the River But what is most remarkable here Th● Cy●●● Valley is the Valleys betwixt them which being stor'd with Apple-trees affords very good Cyder being called by the Muscovites Jabla-New-quas which is as much to say as Drink of Apples Some of these Mountains reach a great way into the Country others bordering only upon the River-side At the left side of the River about two Miles from the Shoar lies the City of Samara belonging to the abovementioned Tartarian Province of Bulgar and above 300 Miles distant from the City of Casan It s Form is square its Buildings all of Wood except the Churches and Monasteries which are three in number The River of Samar from whence it derives its name falls about three Miles below into the Volga About 100 Miles from hence is the Mountain of the Cosacks being all bare without any Wood it serves for a retreating place to the Cosacks living upon the Don or Tanais and hath from thence got its denomination Betwixt this and the City of Saratof above 200 Miles distant from hence are abundance of small Islands in this River so that at certain Seasons it has been fordable and consequently very incommod●ous for Ships of Burthen who at such places are obliged to unload part of their Cargo in smaller Boats which they carry along with them for that purpose The City of Saratof is situate in a very fair large Plain about four Miles from the River-side upon a Branch of the Wolga It is inhabited by Muscovite Soldiers who are put there as a Guard against the Incursions of the Tartars called Kalmuches Tartars Kal●uches Inhabiting a vast Tract of Ground which extends towards the Caspian Sea betwixt this River and the River Jaika About Three Hundred Miles lower 50 Miles on this side the City of Zariza The River Tanais the River Don the Tanais of the Antient Geographers advances within a days Journey near the River Volga as some Miles below the said City behind a certain Island called the Isle of Zerpinsko there falls a little River called Kamous which rises out of the before-mentioned River Don into the River Volga but it being very shallow affords scarce passage for small Boats Notwithstanding which there are some who affirm that it might be rendred more Navigable and consequently a Communication be established betwixt these two considerable Rivers Near the first of these two above-mentioned places The first Branch of the Wolga before you come to the City of Zariza near Achtobska Vtska the River Volga divides it self into two Branches whereof one taking its course to the left into the Country carries its Stream for a Mile to the North-East quite contrary to the Current of the great River but afterwards reassuming its former course returns to the South-East till it falls into the Caspian Sea About 40 Miles from hence at 5 Mile distance from the River-side are to be seen the Ruins of a great City formerly called Zaaresgorod that is to say the 〈◊〉 Royal built as it is related by Tamerlain Its Palace and Walls were all of Brick which have furnish'd the City of Astrachan for these many Years with Materials for their Walls Churches and Monasteries A few Miles from this Place lies the City of Zariza at the bottom of a Hill on the right side of the River 49 Degrees and 42 min. Elevation It is fortified with several Bastions and Towers but all of Wood it being a Frontier-Garison against the Neighbouring Tartars and Cossacks and inhabited only by Soldiers who also serve for a Convoy to the Vessels passing this way up and down the River All abouts here and even as far as Astrachan it self the Country except the before-mentioned Island of Zerpinsko which is Twelve Miles long and furnishes the Cattle belonging to the Garison with Grass the Soil is so barren that it affords no manner of Corn which defect however is easily supplyed by help of the River the fertile Grounds about Casan furnishing these Parts and even the City of Astrachan with Wheat at a very cheap rate About Sixscore Miles below the City of Zariza the River Wesowi near a small Island of the same Name falls into the Wolga on the right side as does the River Wolodinerski Vtsga 30 Miles lower

there is one general Pricas or Court of Justice where all Matters that do not appertain to any peculiar Pricas are determined this is called Siskoi Pricas All the Diacks or Secretaries Clerks and Copiers of these Courts are very well Skill'd in Writing and Arithmetick the latter of which they perform by the help of Plumb-Stones instead of Compters They keep their Registers in Rolls of Paper pasted together which being 30 or 40 Yards long are kept in the Offices The Boyar who is President of each Court and has his Secretary and Assessors determines finally all such Causes as come under his Cognisance he being the Representative of his Imperial Majesty Formerly most of these Causes depended from the Equity of the Judge Laws of Muscovy there being very few Laws established then according to which Judgment was to be given They only were concerning High Treason Adulteries Thefts and Debts between private Persons But in the Year 1647 a Book was compiled in Folio under the Title of Soborna Vlosienia that is to say Universal and General Right containing all the several Laws and Ordinances according to which the Judges were to regulate themselves in the Courts of Judicature In Civil Cases they proceed thus If there be no sufficient Evidence on the Plaintiff's side as to the Matter of Fact alledged against the Defendant the latter is ask'd Whether he will by his Oath confirm the Answer given to the Plaintiff's Declaration or else refer it to the Plaintiff's Oath He who consents to take the Oath is brought in the presence of one of their Saints where being admonished and ask'd Whether he will take this Oath upon the Salvation of his Soul If he persists in his Resolution he is obliged to kiss a little Cross and the Saint's Image Those that have taken an Oath tho' never so true are look'd upon as Scandalous and are not admitted to the Communion in three Years after For which Reason and to obviate Perjuries which are pretty common here the Great Duke made an Edict in the Year 1634 That all Promises or Obligations whether for Money or Pawning tho' between Father and Son should be put in Writing sign'd by both Parties under Forfeiture of the Debt Perjury is punished by a severe Whipping and Banishment Strangers take their Oaths according to the Custom of their several Countreys and Religions In Criminal Cases the Accused cannot be Condemn'd altho'never so many Witnesses appear against him unless he confess the Fact To force therefore Criminals to a Confession of the truth they make use of the Torture which has its several Degrees The first is the Strapado when they hang the Malefactor with his Hands tyed behind in the Air having fastned to his Feet a great Beam upon which the Executioner ever and anon gets up to further the Dislocation of the Members and consequently to augment the Pain Under his Feet is made a Fire which with the Smoak and Heat stifles and burns him If they don't think this sufficient they shave his Head and as he is thus hanging drop gradually cold Water upon the Crown of his Head which is the most exquisite Torment that can be invented Whipping in Muscovy is perform'd thus A lusty Fellow one of the Executioner's Men after having stript them to the middle takes up one by one upon his Back much after the same manner as the Boys in England are hors'd by their Fellow-Scholars at School and having ty'd their Feet together with a Cord which comes thro' the Legs of him that holds them up is held by another Servant of the Executioners so fast that they are not able to stir The Executioner with a Bulls Pizzle having fastned to the end of it three Straps of an Elks Skin not tann'd lays it on their Back with so much Dexterity and Strength that at every Lash the Blood gushes out on all sides Heretofore these Punishments were not accounted Infamous and were inflicted upon Persons of the first Rank but time has in a great measure corrected that Error Besides this they have another Way of Chastisement which is also used in Families for the Correction of Children and Slaves He that is to be thus corrected after having pull'd off his Cloaths to the Shirt and Drawers is laid down upon the Ground flat upon his Belly one sits across his Head and Neck another upon his Feet each of them furnish'd with a good Switch wherewith they soundly tickle his Back in the same Manner as we beat the Dust out of Cloaths or Hangings Murther is a capital Crime unless no body prosecute it or it be that a Man kills his Wife or Slave under Correction He that has committed a Murther after he has been kept with Bread and Water in close Prison has his Head cut off But if a Wife kills her Husband she is put in the Ground alive up to the Neck till she dies The Punishment of Coiners is to have some Metal ready melted pour'd down their Throats Traitors after they have been tormented to the highest Degree are often banish'd into Siberia some with their Noses and Ears cropp'd some without Eyes some are put under the Ice Hanging has not been long in use in Russia but what is most remarkable is that the Malefactor most commonly at the Command of the Hangm●n puts his Neck thorow the Noose and turns himself off ●uch particular Admirers are the Russians of Passive Obedience Thefts are not capital in Muscovy but they are not sparing in applying to them the Torture for the Discovery of their Accomplices The first time after a sound Whipping across the Market-place they have one Ear cut off and are imprison'd for two Years The second time they receive the same Punishment but as an additional Chastisement are banish'd into Siberia The Concealers and Receivers undergo the same Punishment Those that sell Tobacco and Aqua vitae without Licence have their Nostrils slit or else are whipt How they punish Adultery is mentioned before Those that are uncapable of paying their Debts are us'd with a most barbarous Severity For if any one happen to fail of paying at the time prefi●ed he is put in a Sergeant's House for some time to see whether in the mean time he can make Satisfaction or agree with the Creditor If he cannot he is carried to Prison and from thence brought every Day to a certain Place appointed for that purpose where for a whole Hour the Executioner beats him with a pretty thick Wand across the Shin-bone If he can put in Security for his forth-coming the next day in order to receive the same Chastisement he is permited to go home if not he is remanded to Prison and is to undergo the same every day till he has made Satisfaction which if he cannot do at last he is to be sold as a Slave to his Creditor with Wife and Children but this last the Muscovites are not much concern'd at forasmuch as they frequently fell themselves and their

Restoratives at which the Indian Women are the most expert in the whole World as they are very skilful to send their Husbands upon certain occasions to the enjoyments of the other World But to return to the more serious part of their Religion they hold the immortallity of the Soul but believe withal that at its departure out of the first Body it transmigrates into that of some other Creature Thus they affirm that by example the Soul of a good natur'd and meek Person is translated into the Body of a Pidgeon or Chicken that of a Cruel and Rapacious Fellow into a Crocodile a Lyon or a Tyger that of a Cunning and Crafty Man into that of a Fox That of a Glutton into the body of Swine that of a Treacherous and Malicious Person into a Serpent before they are admitted to the enjoyment of Spiritual Beatitude For which reason it is the Banyans abstain as we mentioned before from killing any living Creatures even to the Insects be they never so troublesome or dangerous Nay they Act with so much Circumspection in regard of all Living Creatures of what kind soever that they forbear keeping any fire and lighting of Candles in the Night time out of fear that the Flies or Moths should chance to burn themselves therein they scarce can be induced to make any Pits in the ground for fear of drowning the Slegs and other Insects If the Mahometans among them do sell any Birds they will be sure to redeem them if possibly they can and feed them well because say they we don't know how soon our selves may stand in need of the same kindness and they will Erect Hospitals for Beasts that are Hurt or Wounded They have a more then ordinary respect for Cows so that if they know of any one that is to be killed for the Market they will not only purchase and redeem it at a high rate from the slaughter but there is scarce a family but what breeds up one almost as tenderly as their own Children For they will comb and feed it and lodge it as cleanly and as carefully as if it were one of their best Friends or Relations They never eat but in private and before they touch the Victuals they throw some small quantity of it separately into the Fire the Water the Air and upon the Earth They have abundance of other pretended niceties too many to be inserted here but it ought not to be passed by in silence that tho' they acknowledge one Supream God they nevertheless worship the Devil alledging for a reason that God having created him to govern the World They worship the Devil and to do hurt to Mankind he ought to be appeased by Prayers and Sacrifices From whence it is that his Statues of Gold Silver Ivory Ebony Marble Wood or Stone are every where to be seen in their Mosques the figure of which appears most dreadful to the eyes of the Beholders For his Head out of which come forth four Horns is adorn'd with a triple Crown in the shape of a Taira His Face resembles that of a large Boar with two great Teeth coming out of his Mouth and a great ugly Beard on his Chin. He bends his Breast to his Belly where the Hands hang down negligently Betwixt his Thighs there appears another Head with two Horns upon it as ugly as the first thrusting out of the Mouth a Tongue of extraordinary bigness Instead of Teeth it hath Saws and a Cows Tail behind This Figure stands always upon a Stone Table this being the Altar where the offerings are to to be made They have no other light in their Mosque than what they are furnish'd withall by the Lamps which are kept burning perpetually near the Idol And after the Priest has finished his Devotious he purifies his Head by putting it into these Flames as the other Banyans purifie themselves before the Sacrifice by washing in a Trough which always stands on the right side of the Altar But it being beyond our present Scope to digress further into the cloudy and Superstitious Rites of these Banyans let us return to their traffick which seems to be more suitable to our present intention These Banyans therefore being the most in number throughout the Cities of Surat Blevitshia Gandeer Goga Cambaya Dium Pateppatene Mangalor Gondore Massary Gandivi Balsara and in the Metropolis of the Province Hamed Ewad or Amadabath they manage the whole Trade of India not only in Silks Cottons but also all sorts of Proveado's of Gold and Silver Sattins Velvets Taffata's Sattins for Linings and Carpets quilted Coverlets of Silk or Cotton Tents which are used instead of Coaches Cabinets of Lacque Chest boards of Tortoise Shell Seals Beads Chains Buttons and Rings of Ivory Amber Rock Christal or Agat The other Commodities which by the Banyans are transported into Mnscovy and Persia are Sugar candy'd or in powder Cummin Opium Ginger dry and preserv'd Myrobolans or Indian Plums Sal Armonias Musk Amber Greece Lacque Saltpeter Indico Borax Assafaetida and Diamonds besides several sorts of other precious Stones The Lacque is a Gumm taken out of a certain Tree Lacque how made not much unlike a Plum Tree there is abundance of it all over the Province of Guzurette its native colour is Red Brown But the Indianst beat i● to powder and after they have given it what colour they please make it into Sticks for to Seal Letters or beatfiie their Cabinets and other Household Stuff Saltpeter is made in those parts Saltpeter how made out of the blackest and Saltest ground in the following manner having made certain Trenches they fill them with this Nitrous Earth and let into them out of the Adjacent small Rivulets so much water as they think sufficient for its soaking which that it may be the more effectually done they tread it with their feet till it be well mix'd When they believe the Water to have drawn out all the Nitrous Substance which was in the Earth they take after it be well setled the clearest part of it which they dispose in another Trench where after some time it grows thick and then they boil it like Salt continually scumming it Lastly they put it into a great Earthen pots where the grossest dregs falling to the bottom they take of the Saline Substance which is set a drying in the Sun till it grows hard and is reduced into that form as we see it in Europe The best Indigo in the World comes from about Amadabath Indigo how prepared the Capital of the Province of Guzurat●e from a Village called Chirphees The Herb out of which that is made is not unlike that of Yellow Parsnip but shorter and of a more bitter taste It sprouts forth to branches like a Reed growing some Years when the season proves kind Six or Seven foot high with a flower like that that of a Thistle and the seed altogether like Fenugreek It is seldom sown till in June and is

ready to be cut towards towards the latter end of November or the beginning of December They Sow it but once in three Years but the first year produces the best when the leaves are cut off within a foot of the ground The Stalks are thrown away as useless and the leaves laid a drying in the Sun which done they are put a put a soaking for four or five days in a Stone Trough the Water with the leaves is often stirred till such time that the Water has sufficiently extracted the whole tincture of the Herb. Then the Water is smoothly drawn off into another Stone Trough in order to let it settle for one night The next day all the Water is again drawn off to the settlement and what is thus left in the bottom of the Troughs is strained through a course Cloth and so set a drying in the Sun And this is true Indigo which however the Banyans frequently adulterate by mixing with it a certain Earth of the same Colour And because the excellency of this Commodity is judged by its lightness they have cunning enough to add to it some oyl to make it swim upon the Water The second year the Stalk which was left in the ground the year before shoots forth other leaves but they are not comparable to those of the first tho' they much exceed the Wild Indigo Wherefore they reserve the greatest part of the second Years product for Seed That of the third Year is as much infersour in goodness to that of the second as that is in comparison of that of the first and being therefore in no esteem among forreign Merchants is onmade use of in the Country in dying of their Cloaths After it hath been in the ground three Years they let the Land lye fallow for one Year before they set it again The Banyans in General are the most crafty Traders in the World which makes the Muscovites as do also the English and Dutch in India employ those residing at Astrachan and in other parts of the Empire employ them for their Factors and Hawkers as being the most likely to discover the cheats of their brethren in India Both the Banyans and Armenians residing at Astrachan are very industrious in keeping a constant correspondence with the Indians and Persians in their respective Countries but especially in all the Seaports of the Caspian Sea which by reason of the vast number of Rivers that exonerate themselves into it rendereth the Commerce with Persia and consequently with the Infidels very commodious to the Muscovites Among others the great City Gangea one of the fairest and best in Persia by reason of its advantageous Situation for trade upon the confluence of several Rivers and the great Croud of strangers that resort thither on the account of Traffick is frequently visited by the Muscovian Factors the Banyans and Armenians But Shamachie is the place The City of Shamachi which chiefly furnishes the Muscovites by reason of its nearness to the Caspian Sea with such Indian and Persian Commodities as they stand in need of This City was indeed formerly much bigger than it was now the greatest part of it having been about twenty Years ago ruin'd by an Eathquake yet notwithstanding this misfortune it is still very considerable there being not in all the Persian Empire a City where there is so general a resort of strangers of all Nations to wit of Armenians Banyans Georgians Greeks Turks Circasians and Muscovites the latter of which have their particular Caravansera or publick Storehouse where they truck their Tin Russia Leather Copper Furrs and other Merchandises for the precious Commodities of India and Persia and which afterwards are conveyed into to Russia either by Land by the Way of Derbent through the Dagesthan and Circasian Tartars over the great Desarts of Astrachan to the river Wolga or else are Ship't in the Road of Nizora the most safe and most convenient for Shipping in all the Caspian Sea and from thence are carried up the Wolga to the River Oc●a and so by the Inopea to the Capital City of the Empire The project which by the Command of the present Czar of Muscovy has been set on foot of 〈◊〉 a Communication betwixt the great Rivers the Wolga and the Don would when perfected be of incredible advantage to the Muscovites in trans●●●ing not only their own but all the Sarick Indian Persian and Chinese Commodities into the other parts of Europe especially if his present Czarish Majesty should be so Successful against the Crim Tartars as to make himself Master of the Taurica Chersonesus and consequently of the City and Port of Caffa formerly so famous when in the hands of the Gene●ses and the Port of Erzotra Situate on the black Sea I have hitherto withal the enquiry I could make not been able to be fully instructed in what place it is that this Communication betwixt these two Rivers is to be perfected But thus much is most probale that it must either be effected by cutting a Canal on this side of the first Branch of the River Wolga Communication betwixt the Rivers Don and Wolga near the City of Zariza where the Don advances within Seven Leagues of the Wolga for else by rendring the small River of Kamous Navigable which rising out of the Don falls below the said City of Zaria behind the Islle of Zerpinsk into the River Wolga As to what relates to the Chinese Trade in Muscovy The Chinese Trade how the way thither was first discovered and improved by the Sable Hunters of Siberia and how by the Rivers of Obi Genessay Lena and Yomour and by the conveniency of their sleds drawn by Rain-Deer during the Winter Season they carry on that Trade has been circumstantially related in the first part in that Chapter where we treated of Siberia We have therefore only thus much to add here that as by the help of the Banyans and Armenians 〈◊〉 Muscovites maintain a constant correspondence with the Indians and Persians so with the assistance of those they call Kitachi they keep up their Communication with China These Kitachi go commonly under the Name of Chineses in Muscovy by reason that the Muscovites call all the Inhabitants betwixt the River Oby the Wolga and China which 〈◊〉 properly the Great Tartary by the Name of Ka●●● But in regard the Muscovites as we mentioned in the first Volumns have made such considerable discoveries on that side of late Years as to have built several Cities for the security of their Colonies on that Side they have also by degrees drawn abundance of these wandering People to these 〈◊〉 where after once they became fix'd and began to have a true Sense of the Benefits and Advantage of a Settled Life they have settled themselves in the other parts of Muscovy and prove very beneficial to the Russians to carry on the Chinese Trade by their Correspondence with the several Tartarian Nations Inhabiting that spacious Country betwixt Siberia and