Chap. III. from Muscovy to China. 931 
the Lake or Meer of Eaikol^ which I reached on the 
loth of the fame Month, and found it frozen up 
very hard. 
I paffed over this Lake and fafdy arrived at Kqbania, 
This Meer is about fix German Miles broad, and forty 
long : The Ice in it was full two Ells thick, and is very 
dangerous when the Paffengers are overtaken by a great 
Snow, or a high Wind ; and the Horfes which draw 
the Sleads mull be very fharp ftiod, by Reafon the Ice 
is all over very flippery, and even on Land here is no Snow 
found to lie, but it is immediately driven away by the 
Wind. Here are feveral broken Places or Wind-holes, 
that are not frozen up, which prove very dangerous 
to Travellers when furprifed with tempefiuous Winds ; 
for the Horfes, if not fharp Shod, by the Fury of the 
Winds are driven on fo violently that they cannot tread 
fure, but Aiding and falling on the glib Ice, are hurried 
on by the Wind, till they and the Slead too are fwal- 
lowed up in one of thefe open Places ; by which feve- 
ral Men and Horfes are loft : Befides, to augment the 
Danger, the Ice of this Lake is fometimes torn open 
feveral Fathoms by fudden Winds, which make a Noife 
as loud and terrible as Thunder-Claps, but after the 
Expiration of a few Hours, the Ice joins again, and be- 
comes quickly as clofe as before. 
The Camels and Oxen, which Travellers take with 
them for their Journey to China^ are alfo obliged to go 
this Way from Jekutskoi^ in order to which the Camels 
have a kind of Boot tied about their Legs, which is 
very fharp at Bottom : The Oxen alfo are provided 
with fharp Irons ftruck through their Hoofs, without 
which it would be impoflible for them to go forwards. 
The Water of this Lake taftes very frefh, is clear, and 
yet of a deep Green, like that of the Ocean. Where 
the Ice was open we often obferv’d a great many Sea- 
Dogs, all blackifh, and not variegated, like thofe in the 
white Sea. Here are alfo great Multitudes of Fifh, as 
large Sturgeons and Jacks, of which I have feen fome 
that weighed two hundred German Pounds. The only 
River that iflues from this Lake is the Angara^ v»?hofe 
Defcent is to the North-North-weft : But amongft the 
Rivers which fall into it, is the Silinga^ the principal 
River, the Source of which is in Mongalia ; the Re- 
mainder are feveral Rivulets, which fall from the Hills : 
There are alfo fome Iflands in this Water. Its Shoar 
and adjacent Country is inhabited by Burattians, Monga- 
lians^ and Outkotians. In all Parts hereabouts there 
are very fine black Sables, and Gaberdines arc alfo fre- 
quently caught here, 
I obferved, that when I entred upon this Sea, and 
left the Cloyfter of St. Nicholas^ fituated at the Entrance 
of the Angara, on the Sea-fhore, I was very zealoufly 
entreated by feveral Perfons, that when I came upon 
this dangerous Water, I fhould not call it a ftill Water 
or Lake, but a Sea j alledging, that formerly feveral 
confiderable Perfons, who had been on this Sea, and 
ventured to call it an Ofer or ftanding Water, were im- 
mediately overtaken by violent ftormy Winds, and 
were in Danger of their Lives ; But I could not help 
Laughing at this wild Notion, that the Waters fhould 
refent Affronts, and ftand up for their Honour. How- 
ever I went forward in the Name of God, and being 
got to the Middle, I called for a large Glafs of Sherry, 
and drank a Health to all fincere honeft good Chrifti- 
ans, and my Friends in Europe, adding, which I take 
you Ofera, or Jiill Water to witnefs j and the Wine pro- 
ved very refrefhing, and I obferved, that the farther I 
went, the Wind, which before was fomewhat rougher 
than ordinary, began to decreafe j fo that I landed with 
Sun-lhine and clear Weather, at the Caftle of Kabania, 
the firft Daurian Fortification beyond the Meer, 
without having the leaft Satisfaction taken of me. I 
heartily laughed at the Folly of thofe, who gave 
Credit to fuch ridiculous Superftitions, and truft not in 
God, who created, and governs all Things j to whom 
the Sea and all the Winds are obedient, either to ferve 
or deftroy them for their Sins, or perhaps to chaftife 
and terrify them to Righteoufnefs ; fince otherwife the 
Sea is deaf and ftupid, and utterly incapable of refent- 
ing or revenging. . 
Vo L. II, N® 133. 
19. Leaving the Caftle of Kabania the following Day, 
on the 1 2th of March we arrived at llinskoy or Bolfoy 
Saimka, a very large Town, moft of whofe Inhabitants 
a re Ruffians, which in the Winter go a Sable-hunting, 
not tilling any more Ground than Neceflity requires ; 
wherefore the Land is every where deformed with great 
barren Hills, which, by an induftrious People, might be 
rendred pleafant and fruitful. 
Departing thence, on the 14th of the fame Month 
we reached the Caftle of Ban%ienJkoy, which was pro- 
vided with a ftrong Garrifon of CoJJacks, to cover this 
Country from the Incurfions of the Mongalians which 
border on it. Without any Delay I went forwards 
with the firft Slead that went off, and on the 19th In- 
ftant came to Udinjkoy, which City or Fortrefs is fituated 
on a high Hill ; but moft of its Inhabitants live below 
the Fortrefs, at the Foot of the Hill, on the River Uda, 
which falls into the Silinga, about a Quarter of a Mile 
Weftward below the City, which bordering on the 
Mongalians, is conftantly fupplied with a ftrong Garrifon 
of Ruffian Coffacks. 
The City of Udinfkoy is accounted the Entrance of 
the Province of Daur, and in Summer-time the Mon- 
galians frequently come hither, and carry off the Horfes 
of the Inhabitants, which are grafting in Sight of the 
City ; and befides a little Pafture, this Land, which is 
every where mountainous, is very improper for Tillage *, 
tho* it plentifully abounds with Gabbages,Turneps, Car- 
rots, and fuch-like Vegetables, which belong to the Cu- 
linary Garden : But here is not a Tree to be feen. 
After having refted here fome Days, one Night at 
Nine of the Clock happened a violent Earthquake, 
which terribly fhook the Houfes of this City, thrice 
within the Space of an Hour*, but went off without 
any Damage. 
The River Uda yields very little Fifh, befides a few 
Jacks and Roach. But annually in June, from the Lake 
Baikal, great Shoals of a certain Fifh fwim hither 
againft the Tide : The Inhabitants call them Omuli % 
they are as big as Herrings, and proceed no higher up 
this River than the End of this City, by a fallen Moun- 
tain, where they ftay fome Days, and then return back. 
During which Time they fwim fo incredibly thick and 
clofe, that the Commandant told me, he threw feveral 
Lime-ftones into the Water, which did not fink, but 
continued lying on the Shoals of Fifh. When the In- 
habitants are defirous to catch them, they ufe no other 
Net than a Bag, a Shirt, or a Pair of Linnen Stockins 5 
with which they go to the Shoar, and draw greater 
Quantities than they want of thefe Fifh on Land. I 
was obliged to a tedious melancholy Stay here, before 
miy Camels and Horfes were ready, and was indeed 
very glad, that at laft'I got from hence on the 6th of 
April. 
On the 26th of the fame Month we travelled by 
Land to the River Ona, which flows from the North- 
North-Weft, and falls into the Uda. 
On the 27th I reached the River Kurba, which alfo 
proceeds from the North-North- Weft, and falls into 
the Uda. We travelled hither upwards on the River 
Uda, at about half Flood, but were frequently obliged 
to go off from it, and fometimes to fuch a Diftance, 
that we loft Sight of it. 
On the 29th of the fame, I had the good Fortune 
to put an End to my Travels in this uncouth, uninha- 
bited Road, and to reach the Fortrefs of Jarauna. I 
was not a little glad that I once more came within 
Sight of Towns, for from Udinjkoy to this Place is 
wholly uninhabited, and we were obliged to travel over 
high and difmal Rocks. The Caftle of Jarauna is gar- 
rifoned by Coffacks, and alfo inhabited by feveral Ruf- 
fians, who depend upon Sable-hunting. The Heathens, 
which pofTefs this Country, are called Konni T unguzi, be- 
ing a Sort of Bunguzians, which live along the Banks 
of the River Angara ; though their Language is entire- 
ly different from all others. If any one of them die, 
he is buried with his Cloaths and Bows under Ground y 
upon his Grave, Stones are laid, and a Pole eredted, to 
which is faftened his beft Horfe, being firft foot to 
Death, They live entirely on Sable-hunting, and the 
II D F urrs 
