ANTHONY JENKINSON ad. 



1558. 



towne of Urgence, and having travailed by the river 



Oxus, 100. mile, we passed over another great river 



called Ardock, where we paid a certaine pety custome. 



This river Ardock is great, and very swift, falling out of The river of 



the foresaid Oxus, and passing about 1000. mile to the Ardock falleth 



Northward, it then consumeth it selfe in the ground, „/-*-, 



and passing under the same about 500. mile, issueth 



out againe, and falleth into the lake of Kitay, as I have 



before declared. 



The 7. of December following, we arrived at a Castle The castle of 

 called Kait, subject to a Soltan called Saramet Soltan, Kait ' 

 who meant to have robbed all the Christians in the 

 Caravan, had it not bene for feare of his brother the 

 king of Urgence, as we were informed by one of his 

 chiefest counsellers, who willed us to make him a present, [I. 330.] 

 which he tooke, and delivered : besides, we paid at 

 the said castle for custome, of every camel one red 

 hide of Russia, besides pety gifts to his officers. 



Thus proceeding in our journey, the tenth day at 

 night being at rest, and our watch set, there came unto 

 us foure horsemen, which we tooke as spies, from whom 

 wee tooke their weapons and bound them, and having 

 well examined them, they confessed that they had seene 

 the tract of many horsemen, and no footing of camels, 

 & gave us to understand, that there were rovers and 

 theeves abroade : for there travaile few people that are 

 true and peaceable in that Countrey, but in companie 

 of Caravan, where there be many camels : and horse- 

 feeting new without camels were to be doubted. Where- 

 upon we consulted & determined amongst our selves, 

 and sent a poste to the said Soltan of Kayte, who 

 immediatly came himselfe with 300. men, and mette 

 these foure suspected men which we sent unto him, 

 and examined them so streightly, and threatned them 

 in such sort, that they confessed, there was a banished 

 Prince with 40. men 3. daies journey forward, who 

 lay in wait to destroy us, if he could, and that they 

 themselves were of his companie. 



II 465 2G 



