ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1559- 



taines of Caucasus, the Rivers of Cyrus and Arash, and 



divers others. 



As touching the trade of Shamaky in Media and 

 Tebris, with other townes in Persia, I have enquired, 

 and do well understand, that it is even like to the trades 

 of Tartaria, that is little utterance, and small prorlte : 

 and I have bene advertised that the chiefs trade of 

 Persia is into Syria, and so transported into the Levant 

 sea. The fewe shippes upon the Caspian Seas, the want 

 of Mart and port Townes, the povertie of the people, 

 and the ice, maketh that trade naught. 



At Astracan there were merchants of Shamaky, with 

 whom I offered to barter, and to give them kersies for 

 their wares, but they would not, saying, they had them 

 as good cheape in their countrey, as I offred them, 

 which was sixe rubbles for a kersie, that I asked : and 

 while I was at Boghar, there were brought thither out 

 of Persia, Cloth, and divers commodities of our coun- 

 tries, which were sold as good cheape, as I might sell 

 ours. 



The tenth day of June, we departed from Astracan 

 towards the Mosco, having an hundred gunners in our 

 company at the Emperors charges, for the safe con- 

 duct of the Tartar Ambassadors and me. And the eight 

 and twentieth day of July folowing, wee arrived at the 

 citie of Cazan, having bene upon the way from Astracan 

 thither, sixe weekes and more, without any refreshing 

 of victuals : for in all that way there is no habitation. 



The seventh of August folowing, wee departed from 



Cazan, and transported our goods by water, as farre 



as the citie of Morum, and then by land : so that the 



[I. 335.] second of September, we arrived at the citie of Mosco, 



His arrival at anc [ the fourth day I came before the Emperours 



&*£«& 2 '^Majestie, kissed his hand, and presented him a white 



Cowes taile of Cathay, and a drumme of Tartaria, which 



he well accepted. Also I brought before him all the 



Ambassadors that were committed to my charge, with 



all the Russe slaves : and that day I dined in his 



478 



