The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 02Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 02
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
lyter, hauing bounde both the lyters together, and so they rowe them ouer.
In this place our guide played the foole most extreamely. For hee imagining
that the said Russians, dwelling in the cottage, should haue prouided vs
horses, sent home the beasts which we brought with vs, in another cart,
that they might returne ynto their owne masters. And when we demanded to
haue some beasts of them, they answered, that they had a priuiledge from
Baatu, whereby they were bound to none other seruice, but only to ferry
ouer goers and commers: and that they receiued great tribute of marchants
in regard therof. We staied therfore by the said riuers side three daies.
The first day they gaue vnto vs a great fresh turbut: the second day they
bestowed rye bread, and a litle flesh vpon vs, which the purueyer of the
village had taken vp at euerie house for vs: and the third day dried
fishes, which they haue there in great abundance. [Sidenote: The breadth of
Tanaia.] The saide riuer was euen as broad in that place, as the riuer of
the Sein is at Paris. And before we came there, we passed ouer many goodly
waters, and full of fish: howbeit the Barbarous and rude Tartars know not
how to take them: neither do they make any reckoning of any fish, except it
be so great, that they may pray vpon the flesh thereof, as vpon the flesh
of a ram. [Sidenote: He is much deceiued.] The riuer is the limite of the
East part of Russia, and it springeth out of the fennes of Mæotis, which
fennes stretch vnto the North Ocean. And it runneth Southward into a
certain great sea 700. miles about before it falleth into the sea called
Pontus Euximus. And al the riuers, which we passed ouer, ran with ful
stream into those quarters. The foresaid riuer hath great store of wood
also growing vpon the West side thereof. [Sidenote: About the beginning of
August, the Tartars returne southward.] Beyond this place the Tartars
ascend no farther vnto the North: for at that season of the yeere, about
the first of August, they begin to returne backe vnto the South. And
therefore there is another cottage somewhat lower, where passengers are
ferried ouer in Winter time. And in this place wee were driuen to great
extremitie, by reason that we could get neither horses, nor oxen, for any
money. At length, after I had declared vnto them, that my comming was to
labour for the common good of all Christians, they sent vs oxen and men;
howbeit we our selues were faine to trauel on foote. At this time they were
reaping their rye. Wheat prospereth not wel in that soile. They haue the
seede of Millium in great abundance. The Russian women attire their heads
like vnto our women. They imbroder their safegards or gowns on the outside,
from their feet vnto their knees with particoloured or grey stuffe. The
Russian men weare caps like vnto the Dutch men. Also they weare vpon their
heads certain sharpe, and high crowned hats made of felt much like vnto a
sugar loafe. Then traueiled we 3.
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