932. E. YsB RANTS ] 
Furrs of thefe Animals are extraordinary black in this 
Place : Here are alfo very fine Linxes, and a Sort of 
Squirrels, the Furrs of which were formerly taken off 
by the Chinefe. On the North-fide of this Gaftle are 
three large Lakes near one another, each of which is 
full two Miles in Circumference, and are plentifully 
ftored with Fifh, more efpecially with Jacks, Carps, 
Pearch, and luch-like. From hence there are two 
Roads which lead to Zitinjkoy or Platbifcha. I ordered 
Part of my Retinue to go one of thefe Roads ; but the 
Caravan and Convoy went diredlly Southwards, along 
the I.ake Schackze-Ofer, which plentifully abounds with 
Fifli *, and the other proceeded forwards over the Ja- 
hlufnoy or Apple-Mountains, on which, though they bear 
that Name, there grow no Apples, but only a Sort of 
red Fruit on the Trees, which 'indeed tafte very like 
them. But I myfelf, accompanied with a Retinue of 
Forty Men, took the other Road, which proved very 
Moraffy, and lay betwixt high Rocks, which continue 
fiW xho. W diy ^xom J arauna to the Q\ty oi Telimba. In 
this lad Fortification live feveral Ruffians, who in Winter 
go out a Sable-hunting ; and indeed this Country yields 
fuch rich black Sables, that better are not to be found 
in the whole Province of Siberia. 
Lodging here one Night, a Tunguzian Knezets or 
Prince, whofe Name was Liliulka, came to vifit me ; 
he had prodigious long Hair, which for that Reafon he 
bound up in a Leathern Band, and wound three Times 
about his Shoulders. I was very curious to fatisfy my- 
felf, whether his Hair was really fo long as I was told *, 
to which Purpofe I caufed him to be intoxicated with 
Brandy ; by which Civility I obtained the Favour of 
having his Hair loofened, and I found it to be all his 
natural Hair only, for I examined it very narrowly, and 
meafuring it with an Ell, to my great Surprife, was 
convinced that it was four Dutch Ells long. He had a 
Son of fix Years of Age, whofe Hair growing in Imi- 
tation of his Father’s, hung down over his Back the 
Length of an Ell wanting an eighth Part. This Sort 
of Tunguzian Heathens live on the Hills in great Mul- 
titudes. Part of them grow rich by catching the moft 
hne and beautiful Sables, for which they receive great 
Sums of Money. 
We were, obliged to travel two Days from hence over 
high rocky Hilk, running North-Weft and South-Eaft. 
Very far Northward there rifes a Spring, from whence 
the ' River Konela, alterwards called the Wittim, pro- 
ceeds, which runs North Eaft, and falls into the River 
Lena, that empties itfelf into the North Frozen-Sea \ 
and about half a Mile beyond the high Hills, the River 
7 jita arifes, which falls into the River Ingoda or Amur, 
and purfues its Courfe on to the Amurifchian or Eajlern 
Sea, into which it flows. 
Arriving fafely on the 15th of May at Platbifcha, 
which Place the Caravan alfo reached the next Day, 
having run through feveral Dangers, by reafon that the 
withered dry Grafs was burned off the Fields every 
where, the Fire of which was very prejudicial to the 
Caravan, and often catched the Horfes Tails *, befides 
which, the Beafts wanted Forage, and were frequently 
obliged to go a Mile out of the Way in Search of 
fome Grafs, which was not yet burned on the Side of 
the Hills, to relieve the poor Cattle. 
We were obliged to ftay feveral Days in the Village 
Platbifcha, fituate on the River Zita, partly to refrefh 
our Beafts, and partly to make Floats, to drive down 
the Rivers Ingoda and Shilka, to Herzinjkoy, this being a 
very fliallow Water, on which no other Sort of Ship- 
ping can be made ufe of. And even thefe Floats can 
fcarce pafs over the rocky Places without Danger, two 
of ours being broken to Pieces in our Paffage, fo that 
we had Trouble enough to fave our Goods. 
20. All Things being ready, I caufed the Camels, 
Horfes, and Oxen to go firft over the Mountains for 
Herzinfkoy ', but I went from thence on the i8th of 
the fame Month, and on the 19th reached the River 
Onon, which runs Northward, taking Rife in the South 
out of the Mongolian Pool, and, after it is united with 
the Ingoda, takes the Name of Schilka. The Water of 
this River is very white, and its Shear is inhabited by 
. D E s'5 Travels Book III. 
great Numbers of Flongaiians , who make freouent In- 
curfions over i\iz Schilka 10 Nerzinjkoy, though not al- 
ways with Succefs ; for fometimes they are not only 
driven from their Prey, but catched themfelves, and 
puniftied as Robbers ; and the Ruffian Coffacks themfelves, 
by way of Reprifal, make Sallies up the Onon, de- 
ftroying whatever comes in their Way. 
But through Divine Mercy we arrived, without be- 
ing once attacked, on the 20th Inftant at Merzinfkoy 
which lies on the River Nerza, that runs from 
Nortli-North-Eaft, and about a Quarter of a Mile 
from the City falls Southward into the Schilka. This 
City is tolerably ftrong, provided with feveral Brafs 
Guns, and a great Garrifon- of Daurian Co}Tks both 
Horfe and Foot. It is fituate between high Mountains ' 
notwithftanding which it has Champion Ground enou^^h 
for the Inhabitants to graze their Camels, Horfes and 
Cows ; and fome Parts of the Hills affbrd Spots of 
Ground a Mile or two over, that are very proper for 
Tillage, and afford Room to plant and low enoiio-h to 
fupply their Neceffities. 
From four or five'Miles upwards to ten, below on the 
River Schilka, live feveral Gentlemen and Cof- 
fach, who fubfift on Tillage, Grazing of Beafts, and 
Fiftiing : Amongft thefe Hills, and round the City, are 
likewile feveral very fine Garden-Trees and Plants, as 
alfo Rhaponticum or Baftard Rhubarb, of an extraordi- 
nary Thicknefs and Length, and very fine white and 
yellow Lillies. Here are vaft (^lantities of red, and alfo 
of Snow white Peonies, which diffufe an extraordinary fra- 
grant Scent, and feveral other Flowers, with which I 
was unacquainted. Here are Rofemary, Thyme, Mar- 
joram, Lavender, and feveral other odoriferous* Plants 
unknown to me, which grow fpontaneoufly in great A- 
bundance: The Fruits here are only red and blackcur- 
rants, kFc. agreeable to the Climate. 
Here are two Sorts of Heathens which have for a 
long Series of Years lived in Subjedion to the Czar • 
xht Konni-Funguzians and Olenni-Tunguzians : The for- 
med of which are obliged to be ready on Horfeback, 
at the Command of the Waywod of Nerzinjkoy, or 
whenever any Incurfions are made on the Frontiers by 
the_ Roving Tartars. And the Olenni-Tunguzians are 
obliged on all Occafions to be ready on Foot, and ap- 
pear armed on any Exigence in the City. The chief 
of the Konni-Tunguzians is the Knees Paul Pe.tr ovitz Gan- 
timur, Tunguzian Name is Catanq Gantimur, born 
in the Country of Nieuheu \ he is an old Man, that was 
formerly a Taifcha or Baron there, fubordinate to the 
Emperor of China ; but falling into Difgrace, and be- 
ing difplaced, he, attended with his entire Horde or 
Clan, retired to Dauria, put himfelf under the Protec- 
tion of their Czarifti Majefties, and embraced theCre- 
cian Religion. This Knees Paul Catana can on any 
grand Occafion in one Day raife three thoufand Horfe- 
men, well equipped and provided with good Bows, all 
which are valiant and fearlefs Soldiers, of whom it is 
frequently obferved, that fifty of them attack four hun- 
dred Mongolians, and very frequently beat them. All 
of thefe Heathens which live near the City fubfift 
themfelves by grazing, but thofe on the River 
Schilka and Amur depend on Sable-hunting, becaufe 
the Beafts in the Forrefts are there very black, and their 
Furrs valuable. 
They all live in Huts, called in their Language Jur- 
ten, the Infide of which is compofed of wooden Poles 
jointed together, that whenever they are willing to re- 
move their Dwellings, as they frequently do, they may 
conveniently pack them up and carry them altogether. 
This wooden 'Work when fet up is thatched ail over 
with Hair and Rubbilh, except only the Smoak-hole 
left open at the Top. They place their Fire in the 
Midft of their Huts, and fit round it upon Turves. 
Their Religion is the fame with that of the Doom or Dau^ 
rians, from whence they pretend to be defeended : So 
that indeed throughout all Great- to the Begin- 
ning of the Mongolian Tartars, there is a very great Si- 
militude in Religion, as I ftiall hereafter evince. Both 
Men and Women in this Country are very ftrong, broad 
faced, and both Sexes, not excepting the young Girls, 
