n8 A Defcriftim of the Countries which border 



thence unto Afiraeam as much =, in all, 3 100 miles. But if any perfon (hould endeavour 

 by Land to Travel round this Sea, or in a Voyage by Sea follow the Coatt, he would 

 make at leaft a Thoufand miles more : for this Sea is full of great Gulphs, Bays, and 

 broken ground > fo that the Calculation I make, is upon a direâ: partage by Sea, fup- 

 pofe from Aflracan to Gilan ,from thence to the Oxusfrom the Oxus to the great North- 

 Eaft Bay, into which the River Jem falls, which is full of Illands and broken Grounds, 

 Shelves, Sand and Shallow Water -, and from thence back to Ajiracan. 



Having prefënted your Lordfhip with a fhort but true Account of thofe Countries 

 encompaffing and lying between the two forementioned Mediterranean Seas, I (hall no 

 lefs. briefly and faithfully declare by what Accidents I came unto this Knowledge : 

 which colt me fo dear, that I fuppofe the moft inquilitive perfon would not purchafë 

 the gratification of his Curiofity at a far lefs Expence of time and trouble, than I have 

 imployed (though often againft my will ) in my Travels and Enquiries. 



I was born in Ireland, yet of Englifo Extract : My Family Noble, but my Eftate noé 

 correfponding with my Quality, being ambitious, and withal naturally inclined to fée 

 Forraign Countries, I hoped to Raife my Fortune by my Sword. After I left Ireland^ 

 before I bad been long in England, an opportunity prefenting it felf, I engaged in the 

 Service of the King or' Sweden-, who had then Wars with the Mufcovite ; having given 

 Lome Ccnfiderable proofs of my Courage, I was gradually raifed unto, a Conlidefable 

 Command •, but being engaged too far in a Body of the Enemies, I was unhappily taken 

 Prifoner by the Ruffes, and carried Prifoner unto iPlefeow, then in their pofleifion, ha- 

 ving at the fame time Arrears due unto me from the Swede above 5000 Dollars. The 

 Swedes taking no care for my Enlargement, being willing, I fuppofe, to fave fo. great 

 a Summe of Money, as at my Return I (hould have challenged : after Three years cloie 

 Imprifonment, I was proffered Liberty by the Mufcovite,upon condition 1 would faith- 

 fully ferve him againlt all his Enemies -, whereunto alfenting, I was fent unto Mofcow, 

 and there before the Chancellor fworn a Tolmacl^, and preferred unto a Command lit- 

 tle inferiour unto what I enjoyed before. And the Poles advancing towards Mo/cow 

 with a great Army, fearing left I (hould go over unto them, I was fent unto Ajiracan^ 

 where I remained 10 years, being continually Employed againfi: the Tartars and Circap- 

 fians. By which means I came to know Pettigor, Sneefnagor, Sbadgore, Cabardye, and 

 the Great and Little Nagoy, the Comités, the Tartars of Caffan, the Kalmukgs, CaJJacby 

 Horda, Caragans, Vngenjh and Vsbeg, Tartars. During which Wars, I conflicted with 

 great difficulties and hardftup;, In making long Joumies, faring hardly : Nor was it 

 a fmall labour to make floates in order unto our palling over the great Rivers I have 

 mentioned, to (ay nothing of the Danger. Befides, we run great ha2ards in our Jour- 

 neying over thofe wafte wide howling Delarts,which on every fide furrounded us-, fre- 

 quently wanting provifions , and fometimes Guides => fo that had we failed never fo 

 little in our Conjectures, we had all periflied. After Ten years hard Service, in my 

 Return frrom Convoying Shollohofe Knez into Sbcrcajfen Land, I was taken Prifoner 

 by the Tartars of the Little Nagoy, and by them carried unto AJfowa upon the Mouth 

 of the Tana or Don. There I was fould unto a Precopenfian Tartar, who carried me 

 along with him towards Crim : But upon the (hallow Waters I very happily made my 

 Efcape. I had little Knowledge of the Country, but having formerly underftood by 

 our Cojfacks at Ajiracan, that great Bodies of the fame name, mortal Enemies unto the 

 Tartars, dwelt upon the Nepper not far beyond Crim ■■> by the help of the Sun and Stars, 

 I journeyed due Weft many days without any difaftrous Adventure,until I found them > 

 who gave me a very kind reception : In this efcape I traverfed almoft the whole Defart 

 of Ingile and Vngule. Vorofensko who then Commanded all the Cojjackj upon the Ntf- 

 per 3 immediately made me a Poskofneks, from which time for the fpace of almoft two 

 years, I did accompany them in divers Expeditions, in which we vifited molt of thofe 

 Countries which lye upon the Black Sea, to the no fmall vexation and lofs of the In- 

 habitants. We kept a Correfpondence with the Cnffâcks upon the Don. and frequently 

 affiited each other. And being all Foot,and the Country exactly level, we travelled 

 furrounded with Wagons (which they call a Tabor) for fear of the Tartars who 

 often fet upon us, but were as often repulfed, we being well accommodated with 

 Fire-Arms and fmall Field-pieces, which theTartars do exceedingly fear, and will not 

 ordinarily attempt clofely,unlefs they have greatly the Odds in Number. But at length 



it 



