A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 1 - Robert Kerr
Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50
Before the reign of this prince, the Russians paid tribute to the Tartars;
but they have now conquered a country called Kasan, which is 500 miles to
the east of Moscow, and the chief city of which lies on the left bank of
the Wolga, in descending towards the sea of _Bochri_, or the Caspian[31].
This country of Kasan enjoys considerable trade, especially in furs, of
which large quantities are carried from thence by way of Moscow to Poland,
Prussia, and Flanders. These furs come from a great distance to the
north-east, out of the empire of Zagathai[32], and from Moxia[33]; both of
which northern districts are inhabited by Tartars, part of whom are
idolaters, particularly the Moxians, who continue so to this day.
Having received some account of these Moxians, I shall relate, what I know
concerning their religious customs. At a certain season they lead a horse
into the middle of their assembly, and fasten it strongly by the head and
feet to five stakes, driven into the ground for that purpose. After this, a
particular person goes to some distance, with his bow and arrows, and
shoots at the heart of the animal till he has killed him. The horse is then
flayed, and the flesh eaten after the performance of certain ceremonies.
They then stuff the horses skin with straw, and sew it up, so as to appear
entire, fixing pieces of wood under the skin of the legs, that the stuffed
animal may stand up as it did when alive. They next construct a scaffold,
amid the branches of a large tree, upon which they fix the stuffed horse
skin, and worship it as a god; offering up to it the furs of sables,
ermines, grey squirrels, and foxes, which they hang among the boughs of the
sacred tree, just as we offer up wax-lights to the images of the saints.
The food of this people consists mostly of flesh, and that chiefly of
venison, got by hunting; but they likewise catch abundance of fish in the
rivers of their country. Many of the Tartars are idolaters, and carry the
idols which they worship about with them, on carts, in their moveable huts;
and some of them have the strange custom of worshipping each day, the
animal they meet first in a morning, after going out of their houses.
The grand duke of Russia has likewise conquered Nowgorod, or Novogorod[34].
This is an extensive province, about eight days journey to the north-west
of Moscow, which was formerly a republic. The inhabitants were without
sense or reason, and had a great many heretics among them; but at present,
the catholic faith makes its way among them by degrees, though some are
still misbelievers. In the meantimes, however, they lead more rational
lives, and justice is properly administered.
Poland is twenty-two days journey from Moscow; and the first place we come
to in Poland is a fortified town, called Trocki, or Trozk[35], to which we
arrive through woods, and over hills, travelling a long way in an
uninhabited desert. There are, it is true, certain places by the way, in
which travellers may rest a while, and make a fire, if ordered before hand;
and sometimes, though very rarely, one finds a small hamlet or two, a
little way out of the road. Going beyond Trozk, one meets with more hills
and forests, in which there are some habitations; and nine days journey
beyond Trozk, we come to a fortified town called _Loniri_ or Lonin[36].
After this, we quit that part of Poland called Lithuania, and come to a
district named _Varsonich_[37], which belongs to certain lords, who are
subject to _Kazimir_, or Cassimir, King of Poland. This part of the country
is fertile, and contains a great many walled towns and villages, but none
of any great importance. From Warsaw, it is seven days journey to the
frontiers of Poland, through a good and beautiful country; where one meets
with _Mersaga_[38], a tolerably good town, where Poland ends. Respecting
the towns and provinces of Poland, I shall say nothing farther, for want of
proper information; except that the king and his sons, and whole household,
are very good Christians, and that the eldest of his sons is king of
Bohemia.
Travelling four days more beyond Poland, we came to Francfort, a city which
belongs to the Margrave of Bandenburgh. But having reached Germany, I shall
say nothing of it, as we are now in a manner at home, and in a country with
which most people are well acquainted.
[1] Forster, Voy. and Disc, in the North p. 165.
[2] Called likewise the sea of Zabachi, Ischaback-Denghissi, the Palus
Maeotis, and Sea of Asof.--Forst.
[3] This is explained to signify Deodati, or Given by God.--Forst.
[4] The _Ch_ is used in Italian orthography before _e_ and _i_ to indicate
the letter _k_. Hence Cheremuch is Kererouk, and Chertibei, Kertibei,
or Kertibey. In the perpetually varying nomenclature, from vitious
orthography, and changes of dominion, it is often difficult to
ascertain the nations or districts indicated. This is peculiarly the
case in the present instance, and the sequel, which enumerates a
number of the Caucasian petty tribes, lying between, the sea of Asof
and the Caspian, now mostly subject to the Russian empire, whose
momentary names and stations we dare not pretend to guess at.--E.
[5] This odd expression, that these provinces are not far from each other,
certainly means that they are not large.--E.
[6] Otherwise called Sebastopolis, also Isguriah or Dioskurios.--Forst.
[7] Hence _Asper_, the ordinary denomination of silver coin in moderns
Turkey is evidently borrowed from the Greek.--E.
[8] Now Precop.--E.
[9] Kumania and Gazzaria, here said to be provinces of the Crimea, or
island of Kaffa, must have been small districts of that peninsula,
inhabited by tribes of the Kumanians and Gazzarians of the country
between the sea of Asof and the mouths of the Wolga, now frequently
called the Cuban Tartary. The whole of that country, together with the
country between the Wolga and Ural rivers, often bore the name of
Kumania. But the destructive conquests of the Mongals, has in all ages
broken down the nations of those parts into fragments, and has induced
such rapid and frequent changes as to baffle all attempts at any fixed
topography, except of lakes, rivers, and mountains.--E.
[10] The ancient Taurica Chersonesus; the Crimea of our days, now again
called Taurida by the Russians.--E.
[11] Probably Ulu-beg, or the great prince.--E.
[12] Soragathi or Solgathi, is named by Abulfeda Soldet or Kirm; and is at
present called Eskikyrym, or the Old Citadel.--Forst. From the name of
this place, Chirmia, Kirmia, Kirm, or Crim, the name of the peninsula
and its inhabitants, Chrimea, and Crim-Tartars, are evidently
derived.--E.
[13] Kerkiardi is the Kerkri of Abulfeda, and signifies in Turkish forty
men. Some call the place Kyrk, and the Poles name it Kirkjel. It is
situated on an inaccessible mountain, and was one of the castles
belonging to the Goths who dwelt in those mountains, absurdly called
Jews by some authors; of whom some traces remained not long ago, as
their language contained many words resembling German.--Forst.
[14] I should suspect that this term, here applied to one place only, had
been originally the general appellation of the _forty_ castles
belonging to the Goths, who long defended themselves in the Tauric
Chersonese. The ridiculous conversion of these Goths into Jews, may be
accounted for, by supposing that some ignorant transcriber had changed
Teutschi into Judei, either in copying or writing from the ear.--E.
[15] The Pantikapaeum of the ancient Bosphorian kings. The Ol-Kars of
Abulfeda.--Forst.
[16] This is nearly on the same spot with the Theodosia of the Greeks and
Romans.--Forst.
[17] Otherwise Soldadia, Soldadia, or more properly Sugdaja, now Sudak or
Suday, by which name it is mentioned in Abulfeda.--Forst.
[18] Grasui, or Grusui, now unknown, perhaps stood at a place now called
Krusi-musen, which seems to preserve some traces of the name.--Forst
[19] Called likewise Cimbolo, the [Greek: Symbolan Hormoos] or [Greek:
lymaen], the Buluk-lawa of the moderns, or Limen.--Forst.
[20] Otherwise Sherson and Schurschi; which was formerly called Cherson
Trachea, and was built 600 years before the Christian era, by the
inhabitants of Heraclea in Pontus. It was also called Chersonesus, or
the Peninsula; but that term properly signified the whole of the
peninsula between this harbour and Symbolon or Limen, which was
entirely occupied by the Greeks. The Russians took this place in the
reign of Wolodimer the great, and it is called Korsen in their annals.
By the Turks, it is named Karaje-burn. It must be carefully
distinguished from another Cherson on the Dnieper, at no great
distance, but not in the peninsula.--Forst.
[21] This seems a corruption of Klimata; as all the towns named by Barbaro
formerly belonged to [Greek: chastxa ton chlimata] of the Greeks, and
all belonged till lately to the Turks.--Forst.
[22] This is a place at the mouth of the Dniester called Ak-Kierman by the
Turks; Tshelatalba by the Walachians; Belgorod by the Russians; Aspro
Kastra by the Greeks; and Moncastro by the Genoese. It was the Alba
Julia, of the Romans.--Forst.
[23] This circumstance was before noticed by Rubruquis, and is likewise
mentioned by Busbeck. Father Mohndorf met with many slaves in the
gallies at Constantinople, who were descended from the Goths, and
spoke a dialect of German. Now that the Crimea belongs to Russia, it
is to be wished that the remaining traces of the Gothic language may
be inquired after; as this language might serve to explain and
illustrate the remains we still possess of Ulfila's translation of the
gospels into Gothic; while the names and customs of this people,
together with many of their phrases and turns of expression, might
throw light on the manners and customs of the ancient Germans. It is
even possible, that some families among them, of the higher rank, may
still possess some books in their ancient language, which would be a
very important discovery.--Forst.
[24] Otherwise called Erdir, Erdil, Atel, Athol, Etilia, and now the Volga
or Wolga.--Forst.
[25] Likewise named Citracan and Astrakhan, Astracan.--Forst.
[26] There is an obvious blunder here, for this account of the trade must
be understood as follows: "That the trade in silks and spices from the
East, which now come by way of Syria, came over land by way of
Astracan to Tanna, whence it was transported by sea to Venice." The
concluding sentence, "That no other nation but the Venetians then
traded with Syria," is quite inexplicable; as the Syrian trade could
not possibly come to Venice by way of Astracan and Tanna. The various
routes of trade from India or the East to Western Europe, before the
Portuguese discovered the way by sea, have been well illustrated by Dr
Robertson; and will be explained in the course of this work.--E.
[27] Riazan on the Oka, the capital of a province or the same name.--E.
[28] Even at present, they make an inebriating liquor in Russia, from
millet, called busa, which is very heady, and is probably what is
named bossa in the text--Forst.
[29] I strongly suspect that this passage is wrong translated, and that it
ought to have been, that the castle as encompassed with wooden walls,
as it is well known that the city of Moscow environs the castle or
Kremlin.--E.
[30] This expression has no meaning. Barbaro probably wrote that four
pounds could be had at Moscow for the same money that would buy one in
Venice.--E.
[31] The Caspian, besides the names of Bochri and Bakhu, is likewise called
the sea of Khozar, and the sea of Tabristan.--E.
[32] Zagathai was one of the sons of the great conqueror Zingis Khan, and
received that part of the empire for his share, which comprehended
Turkistan, Mawaralnahar, and Kuaresm; which extensive country took
from him the name of Zagathai.--Forst.
The furs mentioned in the text could not be brought from this country,
which besides, is to the _south-east_ of Kasan. To the north-east lies
Siberia, the true country of fine furs; and which Barbara, by mistake,
must have named Zagathai: though perhaps it might at one time form
part of that extensive empire.--E
[33] Moxia is the country of the Morduanians, one tribe of whom call
themselves Mokscha, or Moxa.--Forst.
[34] This word signifies the New Castle; of this name there are two cities
and provinces in European Russia, Novogorod proper, and Nisney
Novogorod: The former is the one here meant.--E.
[35] This is near Wilna in Lithuania.--Forst.
[36] I imagine that Slonym is here meant; formerly a place of note, and
which used to be the appanege of one of the Lithuanian princes.
--Forst.
[37] Varsonich is an evident corruption for Varsovich, or Warsaw, the
capital of Masurea or Masovia.--Forst.
[38] It is not easy to determine the situation of _Mersaga_; but, as on the
borders of Poland, towards Brandenburgh, and in the direction of
Francfort on the Oder, it is probable that Meseriz, or Miedzyrzyez, is
here meant.--Forst.
END OF VOLUME FIRST.