by the Circassians Salatto being the Mount of Caucasus of the Antients in the Province of Colchis now called Mengrelia famous in Antient Times for the Expedition of Jason as the height of this Mountain has furnish'd the Poets with that Fiction of Prometheus having from thence conveyed the Fire stoln from the Sun down upon the Earth The Mountain of Taurus and Ararat are so near to it that they appear like one continued Mountain which crosses all Asia from Mengrelia to the Indies The Mount Ararat is one entire vast Rock exceeding in height Mount Caucasus it self The Mountains Taurus and Ararat its top being covered with Snow Summer and Winter It is said to be the same upon which Noah's Ark rested after the Deluge the Armenians who call it Messina believing to this day that there are some remainders of that Ark upon this Mountain but by length of time all petrified which how agreeable or disagreeable to Truth is impossible to be determined the Mountain being so surrounded with Precipices that it is unaccessible These high Mountains are a great direction to the Mariners in those Parts most of whom having little or no Understanding of the Compass the different Prospect they afford towards the Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea serve as an Instruction to the Pilots to discover where-abouts they are The Caspian Sea was in antient times known by the name of Chosar having derived its name from the eldest Son of Thogarma who was the Son of Gomer and Grand child of Japhet third Son to Noah It is now a-days known by various names according to the diversity of the Inhabitants and Provinces bordering upon it Some Geographers have call'd it the Sea of Travisthan the Greek and Latin Authors the Hyrcanian Sea as also Mare Caspium and Caspianum the Muscovites name it Gualenskoi-more It s length from South to North viz. from the mouth of the River Wolga below the City of Astrachan to Ferebath in the Province of Mesenderan reaching eight degrees to the Aquator making 120 German or 600 English Miles Its breadth from the Province of Chuarasm or Karragon to Shirwan viz. from West to East is six degrees making 90 German or 450 English Miles and though according to the opinion both of the antient and most modern Geographers its length be reckoned quite contrary to this viz. from West to East and its breadth from North to South nevertheless upon the most exact Enquiry that could possibly be made the first account has been found most congruous both with the Persian Registers of Longitudes and Latitudes and with the true Situation of the Maritim Provinces adjoyning to that Sea There is also another Error introduced by Pomponius Mela Pliny and some of their followers as Strabo Macrobius and others who affirm the Caspian Sea to be a Sinus or Gulph of the Indian or Tartarian Sea or to have a communication with the Euxine Sea and by the River Tanais with the Palus Meotides But according to the best Survey made by some Europians of late Years of this Sea and the constant Report of the Persians bordering upon it it seems to be now passed all Dispute that the Opinion of Herodotus and Aristotle who affirm that the Caspian Sea is a particular Sea by it self not having any communication with other Seas is the most credible it being on all sides so encompass'd with Land that it deserves the name of the Mediteranean in a more strict sense than that which is commonly known by that name Besides the great Rivers of Wolga Araxis Cyrus the Jaika and Jems the Nios the Oxus and the Orxentes near a hundred other Rivers of less note fall into this Sea and notwithstanding all these prodigious Accessions of Waters it is not sensibly increased which may seem to furnish a probable Argument to those who assert that the Waters of these Rivers must needs be conveyed thence by some great and considerable Passages or open communication with other Seas The Persians are of opinion that under the Mountains near Ferebath betwixt the Provinces of Tauristan and Mesendan there is a Gulph where these Waters are swallowed up and conveyed away under the Earth But why may not the same reason take place here which is alledged for the Oceans not overflowing the Earth by the accession of so many Rivers viz. That besides the Mists which consume a great part the rest is conveyed by infinite secret Channels through the Earth back again to the Source of the Fountains and Rivers so that by the help of those Veins of the Earth these Waters being purified of their Filth and separated by this continual Percolation from their Salt are by an interrupted circulation reconveyed to the same Fountains and Rivers The Caspian Sea being either quite undiscovered The Caspian Sea not very well known to the Antients or but superficially known to the antient Greeks and Romans before the latter carried their Arms beyond the Euphrates it is no wonder if the relations those Authors have left us about it are for a great part not consonant to Truth and some modern Writers misguided by their Authority and having taken the rest perhaps upon hear-say have inferted a great many things which are contradicted by Experience What Curtius relates concerning the Caspian Sea being fresher than the Ocean proves a mistake it being full as Salt as the Waters of the Ocean tho' upon the Coast of Hyrcania now called Kilan the Water is only brackish because of the mixture of a great many Rivers which fall into this Sea on that side which may probably have led the above-mentioned Author into that Error tho' the same may be observed in the Ocean especially upon the Coast of Holland and Zealand by reason of the fresh Waters of divers Rivers which exonerate themselves thereabouts What the same Author relates of a vast number of Serpents in this Sea is positively contradicted by the Inhabitants of the Province of Kilan and others bordering upon that Sea Pomponius Mela in his Geography speaks of a vast number of Monsters which he calls Belluae abiding in this Sea which he alledges for one main Reason why it is scarce Navigable whereas it is sufficiently known that the true Reason why the Persians Tartars and Muscovites seldom venture far into this Sea and that only in Summer is that their Barks and Boats are so small and wretchedly built that they dare not venture far from the Shoar Besides that this Sea has very few Havens to wit that betwixt the Isle of Tzenzeni and the Continent near Terki beforementioned the Havens of Baku Lenkeran and Ferebath none of the safest the Haven near the City of Minkischack on the side of the Grand Tartary being the best in this Sea so that the Inhabitants bordering upon it being generally very bad Seamen and not well skill'd in the Compass it is their own Ignorance and the Danger of this Sea that keeps them near the Shoar not the Terror of these
The third Province is the Dukedom of Rhesan betwixt the two Rivers of Don and Occa lying Southward from Muscovy Rhesan from which it is divided by the River Aka being one of the most fruitful Provinces of all Muscovy abounding in Wheat Honey Fish and all manner of Venison and Fowl Its Capital City is called likewise Rhesan formerly a very considerable Place which had given its name to the whole Province but was in the Year 1568 totally destroyed as was the greatest part of that Dukedom by the Crim-Tartars The Great Duke having taken into Consideration the Fertility of the Country all along the River Occa which from thence extends its self to that great Trench which serves for a Fence against the irruptions of those Barbarians on that side and having got together the dispersed Inhabitants and furnished them with Materials he ordered the building of a new City at forty Miles distance from the former which is called Peresla Resanski because a great many Inhabitants of the City of Peresla heretofore mentioned came hither to settle themselves Notwithstanding which the old City of Rhesan retains to this day the Honour of being the Seat of an Arch-Bishop Besides which this Province has also the Cities of Domkagorod Corsira and Tulla the latter being situated upon a River of the same Name The fourth is the Province of Wolodimer Wolâ—dimer formerly the Chiefest of whole Muscovy The Capital City had its name from its first Founder Prince Wolodimer who lived in the Year 928 and was from â—hence communicated to the whole Province which â—e situated in the most fruitful Country of all Musâ—ovy above 150 Miles Eastward from Musco beâ—ween the two Rivers of Occa and Wolga This City which is situated near the River Clesna was â—or a considerable time the Residence of the Great Dukes of Muscovy till the Imperial Seat was transferr'd to Musco by Prince Danilou Michâ—elovits since which time it is much decayed from its former Splendor the Ruins of its Walls and Houses being undeniable demonstrations of its former Greatness Unto this Province are annexed the two Tartarian Principalities of Cassinou and Mordwa Cassinou and Mordwa The Capital City of the first is Cassinogord situated on the right side of the River Occa as one comes from Musco surrounded with a great many goodly Villages and Monasteries most pleasantly seated among the Woods The chief City of the second is Moruma being inhabited partly by Muscovites partly by Tartars but altogether under the Subjection of the Grand Duke It is situated on the left side of the River Occa the River Clesna which comes from Wolodimer falls into it at about 10 or 12 Miles distance The fifth Province is Nisenovogorod Nisâ—â—ovogorod having received its Name as most others in this Country from its Capital City called Nisenovogorod Thâ—â— City being built at the conflux of the two Greâ— Rivers Occa and Wolga at 56 degrees 28 min. neâ—â— 500 Miles distant from the City of Musco by Land and above 700 by Water received its Name from the Famous City of Novogorod the Inhabiâ—ants 〈◊〉 which were by Order from the Great Duke Basâ—â—â— translated to this Place It is true it falls far shoâ—â— in bigness of what the City of Novogorod was 〈◊〉 former Ages nevertheless it has very strong Towers and Walls of Stone and the Suburbs exceed 〈◊〉 bigness the City it self being near three Miles 〈◊〉 circumference and inhabited by Tartars Muscovites and some Dutch the most of them Merchants the latter of which have here a Protestaâ—â— Church whereas the City is for the most part take up with Military Officers Victuallers Sutlers â—â— being all under the Government of a Weywode Thâ— next City in this Province is Basiligorod built like wise by the Great Duke Basili who gave it 〈◊〉 Name and made it a Frontier-place against the Incursions of the Tartars called Ceremisses of whoâ— we shall have occasion to speak immediately It 〈◊〉 situated at 55 deg 51 min. at the foot of a Mountain on the right side of the Volga to reckon from its source the same being to be understood from all the other places mentioned in this Treatise at the falling in of the small River Sura heretofore the common Boundary betwixt the Muscovites and the Tartars of Casan Since the Muscovites have extended their Conquests over the Tartars on that side even to the Caspian Sea this place has been neglected its Walls being quite ruined and its Edifices altogether of Wood it resembles now more a great Village than a City The Tartars Ceremisses The Tartars Ceremisses whom we mentioned just now having their Habitation on both sides of the River Wolga betwixt this place and the Kingdom of Casan it will not be amiss to give a short Account of them in this Place They are a Nation barbarous treacherous and cruel living upon Robbery and addicted to Sorcery Their Food is Honey and wild Fowl they take in the Woods and Milk which their Pastures furnish them with they 〈◊〉 not inhabit Houses but most wretched Huts Those that live on the right side of the River Wolâ—a are called Nagorni or Mountaineers as those â—nhabiting on the left side are called Lugoivi from â—heir Meadows which supply them on both â—ides of the River with Hay They are generally â—peaking Heathens using neither Circumcision â—or Baptism They give a Child its Name from â—he first Person they meet that Day when this â—eremony is to be performed which is six Months â—fter its Birth They acknowledge an Immortal â—od the Author of all Good who ought to be â—dor'd but ridicule the Immortality of the Soul â—ho ' they do not believe a Hell they dread the â—evil as the Author of all their Misfortunes â—hom therefore they pretend to appease with Saâ—ifices Their chief Devotion and Pilgrimages â—hich they do to the Devil is performed at a place â—â—lled Nemda amongst the Fenns where every body 〈◊〉 obliged to carry a Present When they Offer â—â—eir Sacrifices to God they kill a Hoâ—se an Ox or a Sheep some of the Flesh thereof being roasted and put into a Dish and holding in the other Hand another Vessel fill'd with Hydromel or some other Liquor both is cast into a Fire made for that purpose before the Skin of the Creature that is Sacrificed being extended upon a Pole laid a crosâ— two Trees This Skin they adore in order to interceed for them with God unto whom they also make sometimes their Address the whole Subject of their Devotion tending to some Conveniency 〈◊〉 another of this Life but most commonly to the augmenting the number of their Cattle They pay a great Veneration even to Adoration to the Suâ— and Moon whom they believe the Authors of the Productions of the Earth They make use of no Churches Priests or Books their Sacrifices and other religious Exercises being performed near somâ— Torrent or another Polygamy is used amongâ— them even so as to Marry two or
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 theâ—â— They catch the first with the Liver of Beef 〈◊〉 Mutton which the Fish much delights in thâ—â— 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
put into a general Consternation the Great Duke surrounded by a great Number of his Guards appeared in the Market-place seating himself near the Caldron of boiling Water But perceiving that the Generality of the Citizens had out of Fear either abandon'd their Houses or at least absconded and dispersed themselves into the other Quarters of the the City he rid in Person through the Streets crying out to them Let nothing disturb you Come and see what I am going to do I give you my Word that nothing shall hurt you you may come forth without the least Danger to your selves Therefore come forth and see what a Spectacle I am preparing for you The People partly out of Fear partly out of Curiosity flocked to the Market-place where they saw 400 Noble-men of the most antient Families in Muscovy coupled together Two and Two like Hounds and so miserably disfigured by the Violence of the Torture that they were almost not to be known by their nearest Kindred To gratifie in some measure the People he selected 180 out of their Number Vnto these said he I give their Lives for your sakes I will pardon them all their Offences Let them be presently discharged Which being done accordingly The first that was brought forth to Execution was John Michaelovits Wiskowaty his Chancellor descended from one of the most antient Families in Muscovy Who being charged with Keeping great Correspondence with the King of Poland and inviting the Turks and Tartars to invade Muscovy when he was just going to be put on one of the Gibbets he spoke these following Words I call God Almighty the Infallible Searcher of Hearts to witness of what I am going to say to be true I confess my self before him to be a miserable Swordâ— and trust in his Mercy through the Blood of his 〈◊〉 beloved Son But as to what concerns the Station I was lately in by the Great Duke's Favour I protest to God that I have always discharged my Trust faithfully as I ought to do towards him and therefore I appeal at this Instant to the Tribunal of God where when I shall meet the Duke I will make my Innocence appear to the Great Judge of Heaven and Earth I am sensible that O Duke such is thy Ambition such is thy Avarice and Thirst after innocent Blood that nothing but my Life can satisfie thee at present Glut thy self therefore with innocent Blood but remember that thou must one Day give a most severe Account of all these most barbarous Cruelties Whilst he was going on in his Discourse the Executioner by the Great Duke's Order tied him up to one of the Gibbets with his Feet upwards and his Head hanging down This done one of the Captains of his Guards asked him what he would have farther done with this Malefactor Every one of you said he that belong to my Court here present shall lend an helping Hand to send this Traytor out of the World whom I will have cut Limb by Limb. He had no sooner spoke the Word but the first Captain of his Guards called Molutlo dismounting his Horse he with a little Knife cut off his Right Ear the Second his Left the Third his Lips and so every one in their Turn the rest of his Limbs The Secretary of the Grand Duke being also to have his Share in the Execution at last cut off his Privy Members of which he immediately died Which the Duke perceiving and believing that it had been done on purpose to shorten the Chancellor's Misery he ordered him to eat them instantly which he was forced to do The dead Body of the Chancellor being taken from the Gibbet and cut into small pieces the next that was brought upon the Scaffold was Michael Tumâ—chow the Lord High Treasurer of Muscâ—â—y for no other reason but that he had been an intimate Friend of the Chancellors he was very short in his Expressions saying only these Words I appeal to God from whom nothing can be hidde◠〈◊〉 I never was guilty of any trespass against my Lord and Master and that I have faithfully and without any fraud discharged my Office wherefore I summon thee O Great Duke to appear on the last day of Judgment before the Tribunal of God where thou shalt be obliged to make ample satisfaction to me Having ended these Words he was tied up to the Gibbet in the same manner as the Chancellor with his Head downwards and very close shaved After he had hung thus for some time two of the Captains of his Guards each with a bucket of Water whereof one was Cold the other fill'd out of the Chaldron with Boiling Water we mentioned before approached to the Gibbet and he with the cold Water having first washed his Head the other continually poured the Boiling hot Water upon it till the Skin was quite shriveled together and the poor Treasurer at last died in the midst of the most exquisite Torments The third in order was his Cook who underwent the same Fate as the Chancellor being cut to pieces Limb by Limb. After these follow three of the Great Duke's chief Secretaries George Czapkinou John Buthakow and Basili Stepanow these were all together with their Wives and Children cut in pieces in the Great Duke's presence by his Guards At last two hundred of these Noble Men we spoke of before were brought before the Great Duke upon the Scaffold who having Condem'd them to Die without as much as naming their Crime they were in an instant cut to pieces by his Guards before his Face To conclude the Tragedy the Great Duke ordered to be brought before him out of Prison where he had been detained a great while a certain person venerable for his Old Age and Nobility as being extracted from a very ancient Family whom he run through the Body with his own Lance and not satisfied with that after the Old Man lay upon the Ground wallowing in his Blood gave him at least Fifteen or Sixteen Wounds more till he died upon the Spot This Spectacle having thus continued for four Hours the Tyrant before he returned to the Castle would needs give a Visit to the Widow of the Treasurer whom he had caused to be executed just before She was Sister to the Duke Wiazinski and one of the handsomest Ladies in all Muscovy whom he found shut up in her Bed-chamber all over whelmed with Grief and lamenting the miserable Death of her Husband in Terms so Passionate that it would have moved Compassion in a heart of Stone But the Tyrant being void of all sense of Humanity no sooner entred the House but ordered her to be stript stark Naked and to be set with her bare Buttocks upon a Rope fastned titely for that purpose betwixt two Posts and so to be drawn upon the Rope till the tender Flesh of this Pretty Creature not being able to resist long the violence of this motion was torn every where to the very Bones of which she died some days after She had a
to moulder away to nothing by the intestine Dissensions of their Generals and the carelesness of their Martial Discipline but more especially by the mismanagement of Sigismund King of Poland who by the unseasonable Distractions occasioned by his recalling the Poles out of the Demetrian Camp was the chief Instrument of the Deliverance of the Muscovites to his great Detriment for the Enemy who before was scarce able to maintain himself within the Walls of Musco being now freed from that Thorn that stuck so deep in his Flesh soon gathered new Strength for that the King who might if he had given due Encouragement to have Demetrius prosecuted the War at the Expence and Danger of others or at least have shared both with them by his obstinate Perseverance in the Siege of Smolensko drew the whole Burthen of the War upon his own Shoulders and thus robb'd himself of the Glory and Advantage of making himself the Arbitrator betwixt both the contending Parties This memorable Siege was rais'd in the beginning of March in the Year 1610. The Citizens of Musco seeing themselves thus deliver'd from their troublesome Neighbours began now to assume new Courage and Vigour and having driven the Poles out of Peresla and Alexandria most of the Provinces which were revolted to Demetrius now again declared for Zuski offering considerable Supplies and promising their utmost Assistance in chasing the Poles out of Muscovy Zuski having conceived new Hopes of Sâ—ccess from the Zeal of his Subjects march'd to the Riâ—er Wolga where he recover'd all the Places as yet in the Possession of the Demetrians and forced Sapiha who as we mention'd before remain'd stedfast in the Interest of Demetrius to raise the Siege of the strong Convent of Troitza Rosinski after his Separation from Sapiha and the rest of the Demetrian Forces had possess'd himself of Volock and the strong Convent of Ossipow both which he had provided with a good Garrison having sent the rest of his Troops under the Command of Zlarowski to the King of Poland before Smolensko He himself was by reason of an Indisposition occasioned by a hurt he received before Musco detained at Volock His Distemper increasing every day by reason of the Distraction of his Mind created by his late ill Successes he was at last overcome more by the Violence of his Grief than of his Malady which deprived him of his Life in a strange Country Rosinski dyes at that very time when the Zuskians were approaching the Place in order to besiege it Volviowitz the Zuskian General having soon received Intelligence of the Death of Rosinski hastned his March and having immediately caused the Town to be attacked with Vigour the Garrison all in a Distraction by the Death of their General surrender'd it in a few Days without making any considerable Resistance From thence he turn'd his Arms to Ossipoâ— which he also took but not without great Difficulty and the Loss of a great many of his Men. For this Place being garrison'd by a thousand French and Germans they beat off the Muscovites in several bloody Assaults and obliged them to turn the Siege into a Blockade which having reduced the Garrison to the last Extremity for want of all manner of Necessaries they took a Resolution rather to force their way with their Swords in their Hands thro' the Enemies than tamely to surrender upon dishonourable Conditions They chose Midnight as the fittest time for the Exploit when having refreshed themselves with what Provisions there was left and having taken their farewel of one another by Embraces and drinking each a Cup of Aqua vitae they made a Sally out of the Gate which leads to Smolensko and like Men resolved to die attacked the Muscovites in their Posts with an unparallel'd Bravery of whom a great many were kill'd before they could be relieved by fresh Troops when their Number increasing continually they kill'd most of the Garrison but not without great Slaughter on their side two hundred only escaping to King Sigismund's Camp And the rest sold their lives so dearly that some thousands of the Muscovites were slain upon the Place In the mean while the King of Poland had made several fruitless Attacks upon the City of Smolensko the Garrison of which Place defended it self with a most gallant Resolution The Attempt which was made at the Gate of S. Michael by one Nowodorski a Polander and Captain of the King's Guards deserves among the rest a particular Remembrance here For he having fastned a Petard to the abovementioned Gate laid open a Passage into the Town and with a few young Polish Noblemen entred the City with their Scymetars drawn cutting down all before them There is no question but that if they had been vigorously seconded by the rest the Place must have infallibly fallen into the Hands of King Sigismund But most of them not daring to follow he and his small Company were over-powered by the great Number of the Muscovites who flock'd to the Defence of the Gate yet they made good their Retreat with the Loss of two only of their Companions leaving behind them most evident Proofs of their Valour among the Muscovites They being now forewarn'd took care to block up their Gates with Earth and making deep Trenches before them to prevent their being surprized upon the same Account for the future Zuski being flush'd with the variety of these Successes and having got together an Army of above fifty thousand Men all chosen Troops a great many of them being Germans Swedes and French was resolved to push on his Fortune and if possible to clear Muscovy both of its foreign and domestick Enemies If he had bent his whole Force against Demetrius who at thatâ—time lay with the Remnants of his Army near Caluga there is no question but that he might have destroyed him and his Party past all Recovery but despising his small Number he committed the Care of them to his Tartarian Troops whilst he with the main Army march'd to the Relief of Smolensko King Sigismund having received timely Intelligence of their Design was not unprepared for their Reception and having sent Stanislaus Zolkievitski with ten thousand Men to take Possession of some advantageous Posts near Clusin he resolved there to expect the Enemy Not many days were past before the Muscovites were advanced within sight of the Poles when pursuant to a Resolution taken in a Council of War the whole Army was drawn out in order of Battle to attack in their Advantage The left Wing of the Zuskian Army was composed of Muscovites the Right of Swedes French and a good Number of Tartarian Horse the main Body consisting most of Germans and some other mercenary Soldiers The Poles were much inferiour in Number to the Muscovites but trusting upon their Courage and the Advantage of the Ground they received the Enemy with great Bravery who confiding in their Number attack'd them with incredible Fury The Fight was very bloody and remained doubtful for some
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 iâ— 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 Guzuratâ—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 Ocâ—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 transâ—â—â—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 Geneâ—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 Kaâ—â—â— 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