H4 A Dejcripion of the Countreys which border 



divers other Fifli, doth fo wonderfully abound with Sturgeon, that a man may ftand • 

 upon the Bank tide with a Pole in hand arm'd at the end with an Iron Crook, make 

 choice of what Sturgeon befr pleafcth him, which he (hall rarely fail of taking, though 

 never fo inexpert in Fiihing, if he have but ttrength or help to draw it on Land. Not 

 far from the Mouth of the Jaick^ in the Cajpian Sea near the Shore, are many Coves 

 and Corners which they call Lapateens and Cultures, which are alwayes full ot Swans 

 ufually fwimming on the Sea, which are fo numerous, that it is impoflible to make 

 any reafonable Computation thereof. Thefe Swans after Midfummer every Year call 

 their Feathers, a little before which time there parts from Ajiracan many Boats which 

 are manned b^j Ruffes, and moll of them are their Youth j after a pafTage of 500 miles 

 they arrive at thefe places which the Swans moftty haunt, and having filled their Boats 

 with Swans Skins and Feathers, they return unto Ajlracan, where a great Trade is 

 driven with the Pcrfians who give ordinarily a Dollar apiece for thefe Skins. 



The next Country unto the Great Nagoy towards the Eall is Caffacby Horda, which 

 hath, as I faid, on the Well the Jaick* by which it is divided from the Great Nagoy. 

 On the North the Kalmukes, North Eall the Turgeacb, or Jurgencb. Tartars, and to 

 the South the Cajpian Sea and Caragans, who inhabit on the North Eall fide of the 

 Cajpian Sea. Thefe Caffacby Tartars march up and down the Country much after the 

 manner of the Nagoys. They have frequent Wars with the Kalmukes and Ttttgea- 

 cbians j but feldome with either Nagnysox Caragans. Only after the manner of molt 

 other Tartars they will clandeilinely ileal even from thofe Neighbours with whom 

 th«y have the moil uninterrupted and profound Peace. 



Cajfachy Horda is altogether Defart, excepting fome Woods Northward, bordering 

 upon the' Kalmucks, where there are divers fmall Rivers which empty themfdves into 

 the Jaichj* which River is alfo in moft places bordered with Woods unto its En- 

 trance into the Cajpian Sea. And therefore the Inhabitants may well be named Caffa- 

 . thy Horda, or Wild people, as the name imports : They fowe no fort of Corn, their 

 chief Food being Horfe-fldh and Mares milki which is alfo common to divers other 

 Nations of the Tartars. 



On the North of Caffacby Horda dwell the Kalmukc Tartars, if fuch a life as they 

 lead may be called dwelling. The Country they inhabit deferves a better People, the 

 Land abounding with all thing? neceffary for a Comfortable fubfiftence. This Coun- 

 try hath ftore of Sables, Marterns, Black Foxes, Squerrils, and feveral other forts of 

 Furs, which they Exchange with the Ruffes for Aqua-vit*, Mead, Tobacco, and other 

 Commodities. This Country hath fome Towns, as Siberia, the Head of a Province 

 of the fame name, and lumen, both which the Ruffes have gained from them : Ouffha, 

 Wadle, Sellona, Lucomoria> which latter place, they fay, is iituated upon a Cold Sea. 

 But Oufffja is a midland Town, 500 miles from Caff an which is near the Volga. The 

 Kalmukgs are accounted good Souldiers, being kept in continual Exercife by the Muf- 

 covites on the one fide, the Nagoyans and Caffacby-Horda on the other. Their un- 

 married Women do not only accompany the Men unto the Wars, but are faid to be 

 little inferiour unto the Men in Skill and Valour, (hooting almoll as ftrongly and dex- 

 teroufly as the men, from whom they cannot be diflinguifhed by their Garb, being ap- 

 parelled and riding much after the fame manner : Both Men and Women in all their 

 Expeditions feldom carry along with them fewer than 5 or 6 Horfes apiece. I can- 

 not precifely determine what their Religion is, but I do perceive by Converfe with 

 them, that they have a more favourable opinion of the Chriftians than of the Mahome- 

 tans, or of fome of their fellow Etbnicks; for if I miflakenot, they are Heathens, I not 

 being able to difcern among them any Religious Worihip, excepting fome kind of 

 Adoration which they pay unto the Sun and Moon. They have a very peculiar kind 

 of Diet j for befides Horfc-flefh, which is a great Dainty, they fcruple not to eat 

 Snakes, Adders, Foxes, and indeed even Carrion of divers forts of Creatures, fuch 

 Food as to Europeans would be intollerable, even in the greatell Famine. They wear 

 a kind of Caps or Hatts which are called by the Mnfcwites, Coulpackgs, open before 

 and behind, with broad Brims on each fide. And thereupon they are called by the 



other Tartars, CalmxkeA 



Eailwarel 



