I I z 



A Defcriftion of the Countrey* which border 



And that the Courfe of the Volga from its firfl Source, until it doth dif-embogue it 

 felf into the Caftan Sea, can be no lefs than what we have aflerted, is hence continued, 

 That the Snow which falls abundantly in Rufia, and begins to be diiTolved a£out the 

 latter end of April, and do mightily inaeafe the. Waters of the Volga, come not unto 

 Ajhacban until Midfunmer, when it To raifes the Volga, that overflowing the Banks, 

 it covers with his Waters all the Iflands near Ajhacban i fo that from the Little Nagoy, 

 unto Atlabon in the Gnat Nagoy, all the Countrey feems, excepting a Hillock or two, 

 one continued Lake, or a great Gulf of the Sea. Wherefore they who go in the 

 Spring from Ajhacban to fetch Wood, having cut it, make great Floats, which are 

 lifted up when the River overflows, and guided each by a few Men, until they are 

 brought unto Ajhacban, or thofc other places for which they are deiigned. 



Tile molt remarkable Towns and Habitations upon the Volga, between Scrakbena 

 and Ajhacban, (which are 500 miles diftant from each other ) are Camena, Rolygowa, 

 OJjhcnofkg, Chomoyar, Boriffe, fatally, Poohrvoy, Collmafof S atone , CoJJoyar, Crojhoyar, 

 Nafonoyar, S atone, Tanatavy, Danetfofly, Perre Oujjhakg, Eillanfuke, Evtyborro, Cnd'j'a, 

 Bufa^BalJhee^Tollotonygorod^olgoa, Goradocba (which was old Ajhacban) Sbarina, 

 Bogor, which is neat Ajhacban, betides many other Places, with whofe Names I have 

 not charged my memory. We will now pafs over the Volga through Ajhacban into 

 the Gnat Nagoy. 



The Great Nagoy may be properly enough divided into Iflands and Continent ; the 

 former are made by the Volga, and feveral Rivers which fall out of it, variouily mix'd 

 with each other, and are all at length emptied into the Caftan Sea. Thofc Rivers or 

 Branches have their feveral Names ', thofe which I remember are Cuttoma, Boulda, Alal- 

 ia, Guellufa, Creervantya, Bufane, Atlabon and Bereft. ' The Kingdom of the Great Na- 

 (roy is all plain and defart ; 1 200 miles in length between Ajhacban and Samara j 500 

 miles in breadth from the faid Ajhacban unto the River of the Tc/*% or Jaich^ There 

 is no Wood in all this Countrey, except what grows near the Rivers. It hath no 

 Towns or hx'd Habitations, though it had formerly divers, and fome among them 

 very confiderable, as Czarofsgorod, or Czarofs foliate, in Englifh, the Emperor's 

 Town, which formerly muft needs have been as its Name imports, an Imperial or Ca- 

 pital City. I have often viewed it with admiration,, and cannot compute it to have 

 been lefs than 20 miles in Circuit *, I have told fourfcore great eminent Buildings, 

 which mult have been either Mofcbees, Pallaces, or Caravanfcraies, and fome or them 

 6 miles diftant from the other. The Mufcciites are of divers Opinions concerning its 

 Deft-ruction : Some fay it was ruined by the Coffacks i but the Cofacks, who arc rea- 

 dy enough to brag of their Atchievements, know nothing thereof, only that they have 

 often difpoiTeiTed the Ruffes, when they endeavoured to rebuild part of it. For in- 

 deed the Situation is very excellent, having the Volga on one fide, the Atlabon on the 

 other : The Countrey very beautifi^, healthful and fertile s and yet notwithftanding 

 all theie encouragements, it is not yet inhabited, not by the Ruffes, becaufe it {landing 

 on the main Land, they would be continually expofed unto the Inroads of the Jar- 

 tars ; nor by the tartars, becaufe its nearnefs unto the Rivers, would render them ob- 

 noxious to the Ruffes, every time the great Caravan pafTes that way, which is at lealt 

 twice each year. Yet the Mufcovhes do frequently fetch Brick and Stones from this 

 ruined City, wherewith they have built a great part; of Ajhacban, and the neighbour- 

 ing Forts or Towns, where fuch folid Materials are imployed. But betides this Serai, 

 ( for fo the Tartars call any hx'd Habitation ) there were in ancient times rive or iix 

 more down along the Rivers fide, in each of which formerly dwelt a Clxan ; but Time 

 and Wars have almofl entirely ruined them. There is alfo another Serai upon the- 

 River Jaic\ named Seraicbika, where is faid formerly to have been th^Reiidcnce of a 

 great Myrja or Chan > but 'tis now quite ruinated. 



The Tartars who inhabit the Great Nagoy, both Men and Women, are very proper, 

 at leaft of much taller Stature than many other Tartars, but have ilWayo^ed:Qpunte- 

 nances, broad Faces, flat little Nofes, finall Eyes funk in their Heads i all w%h are 

 common to molt of theEaftern Tartars, But the Tartars of Crim are more comely, 

 which, I fuppofe, may partly proceed from their Wives, who are many of them Cap- 

 tive 



