On the 15th, the horses being embarked, we set sail and entered the Mar Maggiore; and, then bending our course towards the said Tina, sailed with a favourable wind. Having sailed about twenty miles, however, without seeing that place, the wind veered to the east, contrary to us while we kept on the same course. Having noticed that the sailors were talking together, and wishing to know the subject of their conversation, I was told that they were willing to do whatever I wished, but was assured that Tina was a very dangerous place. Hearing this, and seeing that it appeared as though our Lord God did not wish me to come to harm, I determined to make for Leati and Fasso; and having come to this determination, the weather became favourable shortly afterwards, and we sailed with good winds. On the 29th, we reached Varti, and as the horses were out of condition, I had them put on shore and sent to Fasso,[154] a distance, I was told, of sixty miles. At this place a certain Bernardino, the brother of our captain, came on board, who, hearing that we had intended to go to Tina, said that, if we had done so, we should all have been taken as slaves, as he knew for certain that that place was frequented by a _Sobassi_ with many horsemen, who acted according to their usual custom. Returning thanks to God, we left this place. Varti, in Mengrelia, consists of a castle surrounded by a town of small extent, and belongs to a lord named Gorbola. There is another town on the Mar Maggiore, of little importance, called Caltichea, trading in silks, canvass, and wax, of little value, and the people of every condition are very miserable. On the 1st of July, 1474, we arrived at the mouth of the Fasso, and a boat came alongside filled with Mengrelians, who behaved like madmen. Leaving the ship, we went, in this boat, to the mouth of the river, where there is an island over which, it is said, reigned King Areta, the father of the poisoner Medea. We slept there that night and were annoyed by so many gnats that we could scarcely guard against them.