The 20th of July, we departed from St. Nicholas, and the 24th of the same we came to Colmogro, where we remained eight days; and the same messenger was there of all his acquaintance welcomed home, and had presents innumerable sent unto him, but it was nothing but meat and drink; some sent white bread, some rye bread, and some buttered bread and pancakes, beef, mutton, bacon, eggs, butter, fishes, swans, geese, ducks, hens, and all manner of victuals—both fish and flesh—in the best manner that the rude people could devise; for among them these presents are highly esteemed. The 29th of July we departed from Colmogro, and the 14th of August we came to Vstioug, where we remained one day, and changed our barques, or boats. The 27th of August we came to Vologhda, where we remained four days, unlading the barques, and lading our chests and things in small waggons, with one horse in a piece—which in their tongue are called “telegos”; and these telegos, they carried our stuff from Vologhda unto the Moscow, which is 500 verstes; and we were upon the same way fourteen days; for we went no faster than the telegos. There are three great towns between the Moscow and Vologhda—that is to say, Yereslava, Rostave, and Pereslava. Upon one side of Yereslava runneth a famous river, which is called Volga. It runneth into the Caspian Sea, and it divideth itself, before it come into the Mare Caspium, in fifty parts or more: and near unto the same sea there stands a great city called Boghare; the inhabitants of the which are called by the same name. The people of the said city do traffic in the city of Moscow: their commodities are spices, musk, ambergris, rhubarb, with other drugs. They bring also many furs, which they buy in Siberia, coming towards the Moscow. The said people are of the sect of Mahomet. The 12th of September we came unto the city of Moscow, where we were brought by Napea and two of the Emperor’s gentlemen unto a large house, where every one of us had his chamber appointed. The 14th of September we were commanded to come unto the Emperor, and immediately after our coming we were brought into his presence, unto whom each of us did his duty accordingly, and kissed his right hand, his Majesty sitting in his chair of state, with his crown on his head and a staff of goldsmith’s work in his left hand well garnished with rich and costly stones; and when we had all kissed his hand and done our duty, his Majesty did declare by his interpreter that we were all welcome unto him, and into his country, and thereupon willed us to dine with him that day. We gave thanks unto his Majesty, and so departed until the dinner was ready. When dinner-time approached we were brought again into the Emperor’s dining chamber, where we were set on one side of a table that stood over against the Emperor’s table, to the end that he might well behold us all, and when we came into the aforesaid chamber we found there ready set these tables following:—