E. Y S B R A N T S I D E s’i ^ravils 
Book III, 
This is the OpinioA of the Infidels concerning thefe Bow, taking that to be a Man and Woman reckoned to- 
Beafts, which are never feen. gether. No large Fruit-Trees grow here, by Reafon of 
But the old Stherian Ruffians affirm, that the Mammuth the extream Cold, and the only Fruits are black and red 
is very like the Elephant, with this Difference only, that Currants, Strawberries, Goofeberries, and fuch like, 
the Teeth of the former are firmer, and not fo ftreight 14. After a long Stay at this Place for the Sake of 
as thofe of the latter. They alio are of Opinion, that Refreffiment, I fet forwards in a Slead, and on the 20th 
there were Elephants in this Country before the Deluge, of January reached the Ifland Rihnoy, which fignifies 
when this Climate was warmer, and that their drowned ¥i(h-IJland. This Me is fituate in the Midft of the Ri- 
Bodies floating on the Surface of the Water of that 
Flood, were at laft waffied and forced into fubterra- 
neous Cavities but that after this univerfal Deluge, 
the Air which before was warm, was changed to 
cold, and that thefe Bones have lain frozen in the 
ver Tangujka, which is plentifully ftored with Fifh : Here 
are Sturgeon, Jacks, and Roach of an extraordinary 
Size. The Ifland is chiefly inhabited by Ruffians. On. 
the 25th of the fame Month we came to the City of 
Ilinjkoy, fituate on the River //»/, which runneth from 
Earth ever fince, and fo are preferved from Putrefadlion the South South- Weft to the North North- Weft, and 
till they thaw, and come to Light ; which is no very falls into the Tungujka. Thus far the River Tung/koy is 
unreafonable Conjedure. Though it is not abfolutely a little \nh2h\te.dL by "Tunguzians Rtfftam. 
Some 'Days Journey from hence is the great rocky 
Waterfall, cdWtdSchaman Schamanjkoy^or the Negroman- 
tick Fall, becaufe of a famous Schaman or ‘Tungujchian 
Coitjurer who lives there. This Waterfall is a Defcent 
of half a Mile long. Its Shoar is covered with high 
neceffary that this Climate fhould have been warmer 
before the Flood, fince the Carcaffes of the drowned 
Elephants were very likely to float from other Places 
feveral hundred Miles diftant, to this Country, in the 
oreat Deluge which covered the Surface of the whole 
Earth. Some of thefe Teeth, which doubtlefs have lain Rocks, fo that the whole Ground of this Water is pure 
the whole Summer on the Shoar, are entirely black Stone, which indeed affords a hideous Profpeft, and 
and broken, and can never be reftored to their former makes fuch a difmal loud Noife, that its rapid Courfe 
Condition : But thofe, which are found in good Cafe, over both vifible and invifible Rocks, may in ftill Wea- 
are as good as Ivory, and are accordingly tranfported ther be heard at the Diftance of above three German 
to all Parts of Mufcovy, where they are ufed to make Miles. The Bofchanicks or Ships which are obliged to 
Combs, and all other fuch like Things, inftead of Ivory. come up it againft the Stream, require five, fix or feven 
The abovemention’d Perfon alfo told me, that he Days, though empty, to tow up this dangerous Water, 
once found two Teeth in one Head that weighed above by cafting of Anchors and the Help of feveral Men ; 
twelve Ruffian Pounds, which amount to 400 German nay farther in fome fhallow Places where the Water is 
Pounds ; fo that thefe Animals muft of Neceffity be very low, and the Rocks lie high, they are obliged to 
very large, though a great many leffer Teeth are found, tow a whole Day before they can get forwards fo much 
By all that I could gather from the Heathens, no Per- as a Ship’s Length, and the Ship frequently ftands an 
fon ever law one of thefe Beafts alive, or can give any End on the Stem ; a Thing incredible almoft except to 
Eye Witneffes. 
The Ships which pafs up and down, are always un- 
laden, and their Cargoes carried by Land till they gee 
paft this dangerous Place, when they are again loaded. 
I have myfelf feen the Ships which failed down this 
Torrent, perform it in twelve Minutes ; fo prodigious 
rapid is this Defcent : And there are very few either 
Account of its Shape j fo that all we hear faid on this 
Subjedl arifes from bare Conjedture only. 
But to return to my Travels, in which I durft not 
venture to proceed any farther by Water, but was ob- 
liged to go by Land from the abovementioned Village 
of Makofskoy. After 1 had advanced fixteen Miles, on 
1 2th of Odiober I fafely arrived at the City of Je 
the 
nizeskoy., where I refted for fome Time, being obliged Ruffians or 'Tunguztans that know how to bring down 
to wait till the Roads were fufficiently frozen to be paf- the Ships, which muft be provided with a Rudder fore 
fable with Sleads. Though in the Interim, I prepared and aft, and Rowers on both Sides ; the Pilots give 
to proceed on my Journey as foon as I fhould be in- their Orders very dexteroufly to the Rowers by a Hand- 
formed that the Rivers Tungujka and Jenizea were in- kerchief ; for no Voice can be heard, by Reafon of 
tirely frozen up. This Delay furnifhed me with an Op- the Noife of the Water. The Ships are alfo clofe fhut 
portunity of thoroushly obferving the City of Jenizeskoy. every where, that the Waves which frequently fly over 
Which is fo called from the River, and in Order to them, may not find Entrance into, and confequently 
make the adjacent Country the more diftindtly known, fink them. Several Ships, notwichftanding thefe Pre- 
The River which runneth by and below the City, is called cautions, are call: away here every Year, efpedaliy when 
Jeniza, arifeth out of the Calmackian Mountains, and unexperienced Pilots undertake the bringing them 
takes its Courfe Northwards, almoft in a diredl Line, down, being very often lhattered to Pieces againffc 
to the Tartarian or Frozen Sea ; very different from the the hidden Rocks. And the Men are in fuch Cafes 
Oby, which difeharges her Water out of her Bofom, inevitably loft, and immediately ftifled by the rapid 
which is afterwards conveyed to the Sea by indiredt Stream, or dafhed to Pieces by the Rocks where- 
Branches. Below the City the River is a full third part fore their Bodies are very rarely found ; and the 
of a Mile over •, its Water is white and light, but doth Shoars are full of Croffes, erefted in Remembrance of 
not much abound with Fifh. Somewhat above feven thofe drowned there. ^ In the Winter Seafon, the Water 
Years paft the Citizens of Jenizeskoy fitted out a Ship, of this River is fo high that it ftands almoft level with 
and fent her on the Whale Fifhery but the Enterprife the Flood, and it hath been fo oveMowed from the 
did not fucceed, and they never yet heard where their Icy-Sea, that feveral have paffed over it with Ice-Sleads ; 
Ship was loft. Wherefore they imagine that it was But in the Summer the Water is very low as we have 
fwallowed up in a violent Inundation of Ice, But from already hinted. 
the City of Fuganai^ fituated lower down this River, fe- Some Miles from hence live feveral TunguzianSy 
veral Perfons go out yearly on the Whale-Fifhery *, but. amongft others, their famed Schaman or Fiaholical Artiji, 
they carefully watch their Opportunity, when the Wind The Reports which paffed concerning this Cheat made 
blows from the Land, and the Ice drives towards the me very defirous to fee him. Wherefore in order to 
Sea, at which Seafon they purfue their fiflTiing very fuc- gratify my Curiofity, I went to thofe Parts, to vifit him 
.cefsfully, and without Danger. The City of Jenizeskoy and his Habitation. I found him a tall old Man, that 
is large and populous, and the Fortrefs indifferently had twelve Wives, and one who was not at all afhamed, 
ftrong. Several Villages and Cloifters extend themfelves of the Art he pretended to : He fhewed me his Con- 
for tne Space of fome Miles round the City : And the juring Habit, and the other Tools which he ufed, Firft 
Land is very proper for Agriculture. Corn, Flefh, I faw his Coat, made of joined Iron-work, confifting 
Cattle, and w’lld horned Beafts, and Fowl are very plen- of all NIanner of Reprelentations of Birds, Fifties, Ra- 
tiful here. Subjecl: to the Jurifdiftion of this City are vens. Owls, befides feveral Beafts and Birds Claws, 
feveral Heathens, who moftly live on the and Bills, Saws, Flammers, Knives, Sabirs, and the 
mzea, Tungujkay and the Inland Neighbouring Coun- 
try. Tiiele pay a Tribute of Furs to the Czar ffir .every 
Images of feveral Beafts, Cfr, fo that all the Parts of 
this ^Diabolical Robe being fix’d together by Joints 
might. 
