ti6 A Definition of the Countreys which border 



alfo told, That the Chincfes do fometimcs trade with them. I am perfwaded, that 

 this is the famed Kingdom of Cat aye > for the Catalans are a fort of 'Tartars, and I 

 know no other Tartars between this Countrey and China. Caragan lieth from them 

 to the North-Weft •, Vrgenfbe due Norths China to the Eaft \ the Tartars of Balk^ to 

 "the South •, and the Pcrfians South and by Weft ; and the Caftan Sea duely Weft. 

 They are almoft continually in Wars with the Perfuns. 



The next Countrey I am to defcribe is Pcrfia, in which Land I was ncver.excepting 

 once, in that part thereof which borders upon the Comuk^s •, but I have converfed 

 with feveral Perfian Merchants at Ajtracan, who came by Shipping from dim, which 

 when the Wind is very fair and good, they fail in 2 or 3 days and nights. They 

 wear Turbants like the Turfy, and fo do the Bouchars. Therefore not having feen 

 much of Pcrfia, nor having fufficiently informed -my felf concerning it, I (hall pals 

 through it unto the Comukcs Land, of which I have obtained more perfect: knowledge 

 both by War and Traffick., .This Countrey is bounded on the .South by Pcrfia ■■> on 

 the Eaft by thcCzj^wSea ; Wcftward by Circafiah and on the North by the River 

 oiTumcm \ on which ftands a Town of the fame Name, from which unto Cbabanrate y 

 the mod Northerly Habitation of Prrj?.?, is 6co miles. A great part of this Countrey, 

 cfpccially Weftward, is very mountainous *, I could ncvci karn^vv here it doth exactly 

 terminate. I have been in four of their Towns : The rirft is Tarlye, where Gildar, 

 whom they own for their Prince, doth ordinarily refide. The fecond is Verbeirie, in 

 the Mountains. The third Vmvcna, in the fame mountainous Tract. The fourth 

 Knffa, upon a River of the fame Name, not far from the place where it empties it 

 ! fclf into the Caftan Sea. Thefe Ccmukcs are proper Men and very couragious i and 

 that which makes them more daring and adventurous than moft Tartars, is the good- 

 nefs of their Horfcs, and the advantage of their Arms, both crTenrive and defeniive h 

 for they feldcm engage in Wars without Helmets, Jacks of Steel, Shirts of Mail, and 

 Targets, which excepting thofe times wherein they fight, hang behind their backs* 

 being very light, and not very large, and therefore not cumberfome. They have, 

 as other Tartars, both Bows and Cymetars , and withal never go without Lances, 

 which they ufe with great ftrength and dexterity.* In their Apparel they differ little* 

 from the Circafians j but as for Religion, they are generally Makimctans, and their 

 Language is in fubftance the fame with other Tartars, their vicinity unto the Perfians, 

 Muscovites and Shccrcaffes^ having fomewhat difguifed it. The Countrey they inhabit 

 abounds with Wood •, part of it is hilly, with fmall plcalant Valleys between the Hil- 

 locks \ and in fome places, efpecially towards Pcrfia, and thencelnto the Land, it hath 

 many great and almoft inaccellible Mountains, by reafon of their heighth and fteer> 

 nefs. 1 his Land was reduced under the Government of the Ruffes many years ago, 

 after the enfuing manner : Evan VafiEy&icb being Czar or Emperour of Ruffia, after 

 '•he had taken Caffanzrtd Aftracan, fent part of his Army into Circaffial where they 

 took m Tumeine. Another Body entred the Comukgs Countrey, and pofleffed them- 

 felves of Verevena, Vcrbcine, Tarfye and Koffa. The Ruffe Emperour conftituted a Voy- 

 vod, whom he ordred to refide in Tartye, and left with him iooco Men •, he ordered 

 alfo at the fame time another considerable Brigade to fray at Coif a> where he left a 

 great number of Boats and other VelTels, who had brought fupplies of Men and Pro- 

 vifions from Mofco, and other Parts of his Dominions. And having, as he appre- 

 hended, fecured his new Conquefts, he returned unto Mofco ': Immediately after his 

 retreat, the ComuJ^s gath^ed their whole Force, and fet down before the Town of 

 Tark^c, which after a vigorous refiftance they took, and in it with the Voyvoa\ feveral 

 Officers of divers Nations, whom with the common Souldiers they fold unto the Cir- 

 catfians, Tartars, and other neighb'ring Nations, fo that few were ever afterwards re- 

 covered. From Tartye they marched unto Koifa, which by the inftruction of Cap- 

 tives, they did pretty regularly bellege and aflault, and after fome repulfes took it by 

 ftorm, killing all the Ruffes, excepting fuch as efcaped in the Ships and Boats which 

 lay before the Town. The Ruffe Emperour being fpeedily informed of thefe Succef- 

 fes, immediately raifed a great Army, with which he ordred all the Coffacfy between 

 the Don and Volga, unto the River of Tumeine, to joyn his Forces, and aflift them, in 

 order unto the recovery of what he had loft, and utter extirpation of the Comuk$s ; 

 Who hearing how highly the Czar was exafperated, and how great a Force was ready 

 to invade them, they began to be folicitous about the Event •> and having consulted 



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