a goodly sight, and they crossed quickly, though the passage was full of peril. When all had crossed over and taken a little rest, the baggage was packed, and we set out, leaving the river, than which, in my judgment, there can be few greater, as it appears to be more than two miles across, very deep, and with high banks. CHAPTER VIII. The Illustrious Ambassador traverses the great desert of Asiatic Sarmatia and arrives at Moscow, a city of White Russia, where he presents himself to the Duke. We started, as I have said, by God’s grace, and travelled, as before, in a northerly direction, but turned very often towards the west. There was no indication of a road, but all was a desert plain. The Tartars said that we were more than fifteen days’ journey north of Tana, which I thought we had passed. We continued travelling in the same manner, resting at midday and towards evening, our couch being the earth and our covering the air and sky. At night we always placed three guards: one on our right hand, one on our left, and a third in front, to secure us from attack. At times we could not find water either for ourselves or for our horses at our resting places, and throughout this journey we scarcely met with any game. We found, however, two camels and four hundred horses feeding, which were said to have belonged to the caravan of the preceding year. We were, on two occasions, in fear of attack. One was a false alarm; on the other we found about twenty chariots with a few Tartars, who could not make us understand where they were going. As the journey was long and my stock of provisions small, we were obliged to limit ourselves. On the 22nd September, 1476, it pleased God that we should enter Russia. There were a few little Russian villages in the middle of the woods, and when it was known that Marco was with the caravan, the people came forth,—with great timidity, however, on account of the Tartars,—and brought him a little honey in the combs. Of this he gave me a portion, and I was certainly in want of it, as all our provisions were exhausted, and we were reduced to such a state that we could scarcely mount our horses. We left here, and reached a city called Resan, belonging to a lord whose wife is sister to the Duke of Muscovy, the houses, as well as the castle of which, are all of wood. Here we obtained bread and meat in abundance, as well as their beverage of apples, by which we were much restored. After leaving here, we travelled through extensive forests, and at night we all lodged in Russian villages, and were able to take some repose, as by the aid of God we appeared to have reached a place of security. We then came to another city named Colonna, which is situated on a branch of the Volga, called Mosco, over which there is a large bridge. We left here, and I was sent in advance by Marco, as the caravan would not go so quickly.