Book L 
558 The VOYAGES 
We came then into the Country of Gazaria , which is 
in the Shape of a Triangle, having on the moft Weftern 
Point a City called Kerf ova , where St. Clement Bifhop of 
Ancfra buffered Martyrdom, and palling in View of this 
City we had Sight of an Bland in which there is a Church 
faid to have been built by Angels. In the Middle, which 
is alfo the moft Southern Part, Hands the City of Soldaia , 
which is clireiftly over-againit Simple , to which all the Mer- 
chants coming from Y urky refort in their Paffage to Nor- 
thern Countries, as do likewife fuch as come from Rufiia 
with Intent to go to Yurky. 
Thefe laft bring Ermine and other rich Furs the for- 
mer deal in Cotton, Cloth, Silks of all forts and Spices. 
Towards the Eaft Part of this Country Hands a City called 
Matriga , at the Mouth of the River Yanais , or the great 
River Don, where it falls into the Sea of Pontus , being 
there about twelve Miles over. This River before it falls 
into the Sea, makes of itfelf a kind of Sea, which is near 
feven hundred Miles in extent, but fo fhallow, that no 
Ships of Burthen can. fail therein. The Merchants of 
Confiantinople however, when they arrive at the City of 
Matriga , fend their Barks up the River Y anais to purchafe 
dried Filh, fuch as Sturgeons, Theofes, Barbies, and 
many other forts of Filh. The Province of Gazaria be- 
forementioned, has the Sea on three Sides, viz. On the 
Weft, where ftands the City of Kerfova ; on the South, 
where lies the City of Soldaia , or Caffa, where we land- 
ed ; and on the Eaft, where is the City of Matriga , at 
the Mouth of the River Yanais. 
Beyond this Country lies Zich'ta , that is the Country 
about Azoph , which is not fubjeft to the Y art are \ to the 
Eaft of which lies the Countries of the Suevians and Ibe- 
rians, which likewife do not pay Obedience to the Yartars . 
Towards the South again ftands the City of Yrebizond , 
which belongs to its own Prince, whofe Name is Guido , 
and he is defcended of the Race of the Emperors of Con- 
fiantinople , but is for all that fubjebl to the Yartars. The 
City of Simple ftands next belonging to the Sultan of 
Yurky , who is at prefent their Vaffal likewife. 
Beyond his Dominion lies the Country of Vafiacius , 
the Son of whofe King is called Ajlar , after his Grand- 
father by the Mother’s Side, and he is not under their 
Subjection. All the Country from the Mouth of the Ya- 
nais Weft ward as far as the Danube , is at prefent under 
their Dominion, and even beyond the Danube towards 
Confiantinople •, all Walachia , which is alfo called the 
Country of AJfanus , and the Defer Bulgaria , as far as So- 
linia, pays Tribute to them: And befides this Tribute, 
they have of late Years impofed a new Burthen on the 
Inhabitants j for they exadt from every Family an Axe 
and a confiderable Quantity of Corn. 
This Introduction of our Author’s is in itfelf very clear, 
and by adding the modern Names of Places, it is hoped 
it will be perfedtly intelligible to every Reader. 
The Author intended it to explain the Situation and 
Condition of thofe Countries at the Time he wrote, which 
was the more neceffary, becaufe great Alterations had 
been occafioned by the repeated Irruptions of the Yartars. 
In regard therefore to the Situation of Commerce at this 
Time, as well as the perfedt comprehending his Rout to 
the Camps of the Yartar Princes, this explanatory Dif- 
courfe was very expedient *, and as this Writer begins 
very methodically, fo his whole Work is condubted with 
fuch Order and Eloquence, as is not ufual in the Writers 
of thofe Times. His Stile is agreeable to his Matter, 
plain and expreffive, without any Flourilhes, or the leaft 
Defire of heightening the Wonders which he relates : On 
the contrary, he every where endeavours to avoid height- 
ening Things beyond Credit, and delivers himfelf with 
fuch vifible Sincerity, as gives an intrinfick Value to his 
Work, that no Length of Time can ever take away. 
This in all Probability was in fome Meafure owing to his 
Attention to the Inftrubtions given him by his Mafter, 
who was a Prince of great Abilities, had himfelf travelled 
into the Eaft, and was coniiquently a better Judge of thefe 
Particulars than moft other Princes, either of that or any 
other Age. It was for the fame Reafon probably, that 
our Author thought proper, as the Reader will fee, to in- 
fert his Account of the Y \ artars , their Habitations, Cuff 
and TRAVELS 
toms, Manners, Laws, Government, and whatever elfe 
was neceffary to give a juft Idea of thefe People, before 
he proceeds to his Negotiations with them, which is a clear 
Proof that this Treatife was not compoftd in a Hurry, or 
written as Gccafion offered while he was adtually on his 
Travels, but after his return out of Y art ary, when he had 
Time to recoiled himfelf, to compare and digeft the 
Notes he had taken during his Stay in that Country, and 
to bring every Thing into its proper Place. So that we 
have no Occafion to interrupt his Difcourfe with Remarks 
or Corrections, but are able to leave his Work as it ftands 
to the Perufal of the ingenious Reader, who will find 
therein abundant Proofs of what we have here advanced. 
6. We arrived, continues he, at Soldaia the twenty-firftof 
May , and feveral Merchants of Confiantinople who arrived be- 
fore us, reported that Ambaffadors were coming thither from 
the Holy Land, who were to travel to Sartack. I had however 
publickiy given out on Palm-Sun day, in the Church of San A a 
Sophia, That I was not your Ambaffador or the Ambaffa- 
dor of any other Prince, but that I travelled to thofe Princes 
to preach the Gofpel to them according to the Rule of 
our Order *, and being arrived, the faid Merchants ad- 
moniftied me to be very cautious in what I fpoke, becaufe 
they having reported me to be an Ambaffador, if I Ihould 
fay the contrary, I could not have free Paffage granted 
unto me. Then I fpoke to the Lieutenants of the Cities, 
becaufe the Governors themfelves were gone to pay Tri- 
bute unto Baatu, and were not as yet returned. tc We 
“ heard of your Lord Sartach in the Holy Land that he 
<c was become a Chriftian, of which the Chriftians were 
“ exceedingly glad, and efpecially the moft Chriftian 
“ King of France, who is there now in Pilgrimage, and 
cc fighteth againft the Saracens to redeem the Holy Places 
cc out of their Hands. I am determined therefore to go 
“ to Sartach, and to deliver unto him the Letters of my 
“ Lord the King of France , wherein he admoniflieth 
“ him concerning the Welfare of all Chrifiendomfi 
On this they received us with Joy, and gave 11s Enter- 
tainment in the Cathedral Church, the Bifhop of which 
Church had been with Sartach , who told me many good 
Things concerning him, which afterwards I found untrue. 
They then gave us our Choice, whether we would haveCarts 
and Oxen, or a Number of Horfes to tranfport our Baggage, 
and the Merchants of Confiantinople advifed me not to 
take Carts of the Citizens of Soldaia , but to buy cover- 
ed Carts of my own (fuch as the Ruffians carry their Skins 
in) and to put all our Baggage into them, becaufe if I 
jfhould ufe Horfes, I muft be conftrained at every Bate to 
takedown my Things and to lift them up 5 and befide 
that, I fhould ride a more gentle Pace in the Carts,. 
Wherefore yielding unto their evil Council, I fpent in 
travelling to Sartach two Months, which I could have 
done in one, if I had gone on Horfe-back. I brought 
with me from Confiantinople pleafant Fruits, Mufkadell 
Wine, and delicate Bifcuit Bread, to prefent unto the 
Governors of Soldaia, that I might obtain free Paffage, 
becaufe they look favourable upon no Man who comes 
with an empty Hand. 
All thefe Things I packed in one of my Carts, and the 
Governors being abfent when we came, I ftill carried them 
on, for they told me if I could bring them to Sartach , 
that they would be moft acceptable unto him. We took 
our Journey therefore about the beginning of June, with j 
four covered Carts of our own, and with two other 
which we borrowed of them, wherein we carried our a 
Bedding to reft on in the Night, and they allowed 11s five 
Horfes to ride upon, there being juft five Perfons in Com- 
pany I, Friar Bartholomew of Cremona , and Gojfet the 
Bearer of thefe Prefents, the Interpreter, and Nicholas \ 
my Servant, whom I bought at Confiantinople with fome p 
of the Alms bellowed upon me. They allowed us be- 
fides two Men which drove our Carts, and looked after 
our Oxen and Horfes. There are high Promontories on 
the Sea-fihore, from Kerfova unto the Mouth of Yanais. \ 
Alfo there are forty Caftles at Kerfova and Soldaia , in 
every one of \ which almoft they ufe different Languages, 
amongft whom there were many Goths who fpoke the 
Dutch Tongue. 
- Beyond ill 
