A.D. 

 1253- 



He descendeth 

 dozvne the 

 river Volga in 

 a barke. 



Astracan. 



The descrip- 

 tion of Baatu 

 his court. 



Horda signifi- 

 eth the midst. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



Baatu remaineth upon the farther side towards the East. 

 Neither ascendeth hee in Sommer time more Northward 

 then the foresaide place where we arrived, but was even 

 then descending to the South. From Januarie untill 

 August both he and all other Tartars ascend by the 

 banks of rivers towards cold and Northerly regions, 

 and in August they begin to returne backe againe. 

 We passed downe the streame therefore in a barke, from 

 the foresaid cottage unto his court. From the same 

 place unto the villages of Bulgaria the greater, standing 

 toward the North, it is five dayes journey. I wonder 

 what devill caried the religion of Mahomet thither. 

 For, from Derbent, which is upon the extreame borders 

 of Persia, it is above 30. daies journey to passe over- 

 thwart the desert, and so to ascend by the banke of 

 Etilia, into the foresaid countrey of Bulgaria. All which 

 way there is no citie, but onely certaine cottages neere 

 unto that place where Etilia falleth into the sea. Those 

 Bulgarians are most wicked Saracens, more earnestly 

 professing the damnable religion of Mahomet, then 

 any other nation whatsoever. Moreover, when I first 

 beheld the court of Baatu, I was astonied at the sight 

 thereof: for his houses or tents seemed as though they 

 had bene some huge and mighty citie, stretching out a 

 great way in length, the people ranging up and downe 

 about it for the space of some three or foure leagues. 

 And even as the people of Israel knew every man, on 

 which side of the tabernacle to pitch his tent : even so 

 every one of them knoweth right well, towards what 

 side of the court he ought to place his house when 

 he takes it from off the cart. Wherupon the court 

 is called in their language Horda, which signifieth, the 

 midst : because the governour or chieftaine among them 

 dwels alwaies in the middest of his people : except onely 

 that directly towards the South no subject or inferiour 

 person placeth himselfe, because towards that region the 

 court gates are set open : but unto the right hand, and 

 the left hand they extend themselves as farre as they 



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