ï i z A Defer iftivn of the Gomtrey s which border 



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

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

 That the Snow which falls abundantly in Rujjia, and begins to be dhTolved about the 

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

 Ajiracban until Midfummer, when it lb raifes the Volga, that overflowing the Banks, 

 it covers with his Waters all the Iflands near Ajiracban i fo that from the Lz'«/e Nagoy, 

 unto Aftabon in the Great 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 Ajiracban to fetch Wood, having cut it, make great Floats, which are 

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

 brought unto Ajiracban, or thofe other places for which they are defigned. 



The moft remarkable Towns and Habitations upon the Volga, between Seraichena 

 and Ajiracban, ( which are 500 miles diftant from each other ) are Camena, Rokegoroa, 

 Offhcnofka-, Cbornoyar. Borijfe, Offatalka, Toollorvoy, CoHmakof Sator.e , CoJJ'nyar, Crofnoyar, 

 Naffonayar, S atone, Tanatavy, Vaneelofka, Terre Ouffhakç, Eilla/ifake, Eatyborro, Crukla, 

 Bujf'an, Balfhceke, Tolhtonygorod, Volgoa, Goradccba (which was old Ajiracban) Sharina, 

 Bogor, which is near Ajiracban, befides many other Places, with whofe Names I have 

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

 the Great Nagoy. 



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

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

 with each other, and are all at length emptied into the Caftian Sea. Thofe Rive-rs or 

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

 ia, Guellufa, Creetvantya, Bufane, Atlabon and Bere\t. The Kingdom of the Great Na- 

 goy is all plain and defârt ; 1 200 miles in length between Ajiracban and Samara > 500 

 miles in breadth from the faid Ajiracban unto the River of the Yeikç or Jaick. There 

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

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

 very conliderable, as Czarofsgorod, or Czarofs foliate, in Englilh, 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 kfs than 2 o miles in Circuit j I have told fourfcore great eminent Buildings, 

 which muft have been either Mofcbees, Pallaces, or Car avancer aies, and (bme of them 

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

 Deftruclion : Some fay it was ruined by the Coffackj ■> but the Cojfacks, who are rea- 

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

 often difpoflefled the RuJJes, when they endeavoured to rebuild part of it. For in- 

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

 other : The Countrey very beautiful, healthful and fertile •> and yet notwithftanding 

 all thele encouragements, it is not yet inhabited, not by theRuffes, becaufe it Handing 

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

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

 noxious to the Ruffes, every time the great Caravan paffes that way, which is at kaft 

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

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

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

 ( for fo the Tartars call any fix'd Habitation ) there were in ancient times five or fix 

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

 and Wars have almoft entirely ruined them. There is alto another Serai upon the 

 River Jaick^ named Seraicbika, where is faid formerly to have been the Refidence of a 

 great Myrfa or Chan h 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 ill-favoured Counte- 

 nances, broad Faces, flat little Nofes, fmall Eyes funk in their Heads > all which are 

 common to moft of the Eaftern Tartars. But the Tartars of Crim are more comely, 

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



