Chap, III. from Muscovy?;? Chin a. 945 
attended it ^ S. His Arrival at the River Sadun, where he is joined by a Chinefe Envoy, and the 
great Hazard they run of being burned in their fents, 9. fhe Dificuliies and Inconveniencies to which 
they were expofed in this Journey, jrom the great Scarcity of Provifons and other Accidents^ together 
with the Methods they u/ed to alleviate them as much as poffMe. i o. Phey relieve themjelves in fome 
Meajure by Hunting and Fifing, His Interview with a Tunguiian Conjurer, and the Succefs of an 
Exprefs fent to Argun for a Supply of Provifons. 1 1. I he loftg-expebfed^ Provifons arrive, by which 
they^are delivered from all their Difficulties. Fhe Ambafador continues his Journey through the Ferrito^ 
ries of the Czar, and at length arrives fafely at Mofcow on the Fir ft of fimaxy, 1695, after having 
Jpent two Tears and ten Months in his Travels. 
I. A BOUT Ten in the Morning we approach- 
ed within half a Mile of Peking, and 
went by feveral magnificent Country 
Seats, belonging to the Inhabitants as v;ell as Aian- 
daryns i both Sides of the Way were adorned with 
thefe noble Buildings j before which were wide Chan- 
nels, which ferved to carry off the falling Water, with 
fmall Stone Bridges over them oppofire to the Houfcs. 
The Gardens were moft of them fenced with Stone- 
Walls, and adorned with carved Gates, and very fine 
Garden-Houfes ■, the largeft Paths were planted on each 
Side with Cypreffes and Cedars, which afforded a charm- 
ing Profped and Paffage through them. The Gates of 
the fineft Gardens were fet open, I luppofe on my Ac- 
count. Thefe pleafant Seats continued on each Side the 
Way to the Entrance of the City. It is alfo obfervable, 
that from the great Wall to Peking, at the Diflance of 
about every half Mile, are Watch Towers, in each of 
which are five or fix Soldiers, who Night and Day dif- 
play the Emperor’s Flags and Enfigns, which are yel- 
low : Thefe Furrets, like Beacons, ferve on Occafion of 
any Enemy appearing from the Eaft, to light Fires on, 
to convey Notice of it to the Emperor, which is done fo 
expeditioufly, that in a very few Hours it reaches 
Peking. 
The Land from the City of Lanier- hither is plain, 
and good arable Ground, on which grows Rice, Barley, 
Miller, Wheat, Oats, Peafe and Beans, Slit no Rye. 
The Roads here are very broad, perfe^ly ftrait, and 
very well kept ; for if but one Stone be found on them, 
it is immediately thrown to the Side by Perfons exprefly 
appointed for that Purpofe. In all the Villages we faw 
Pails filled with Water handing ready for the Camels 
and Affes to drink : And to my no fmall Wonder, I 
obferved that the great Roads through the Country, 
were as noify by the Multitudes of Travellers and Wag- 
gons, as if they were the crouded Streets of a populous 
City. So wonderfully flocked is this vafl Empire with 
Inhabitants. . 
After I had caufed our Caravan with all the travel- 
ling Baggage to be difpached into the City an Hour be- 
fore, I rode on in order with my Convoy, and thofe 
who were ordered to ride before me, making in all 
ninety Perfons, befides feveral Cojfacks. The Croud at 
the Gates, and the Concourfe of People with which' the 
Streets were lined, gave us fome Interruption at our 
Entry into the City. Notwithftanding there were fe- 
veral of the Emperor’s Bofehy, or Harbingers, appointed 
to make Way for our Paffage 5 yet they had enough to 
to do to make us bare paffing Room ; the Chinefe be-^ 
ing very curious to fee Novelties. Being come near to 
the Ambaffador’s Court, feveral Mandaryns came to 
meet and compliment me on my Arrival. Both Sides 
of the Streets were lined with Soldiers as well as the 
Court. Riding through which, they brought me to my 
Apartment, where not myfelf only, but all my Retinue 
were inftantly ffoeked with all Manner of Provifions 
and Refrefhments. And we every Morning returned 
Thanks to the great God, who after a long and difficult 
Journey of one Year and eight Months, had at laft 
conduced us fafe and well to our defired Place, without 
the Lofs of any more than one^Man, whofe Death for 
that Reafon has been particularly mentioned. 
2. After a Repofe of three Days, I expedled to be 
informed when it would pleafe the Emperor to admit 
me to Audience : And, according to the Cuflom of this 
Country, that Day the Emperor’s Orders came for me 
to appear, and receive a Welcoming or Meal. Upon 
which I prepared myfelf, and feveral great Mandaryns 
were appointed to condudl me up into the Caftle^ 
where the Viceroy, Siingut Doriamba, Uncle to the Em- 
peror, and four of the greateft Lords of the Empire, 
received and welcomed me. Here the Floor was over- 
fpread with Carpets, upon which having feated myfelf 
with, them, the Viceroy, in the Name of the Emperor, 
acquainted me that the Emperor his* Mailer prefented 
me with this Table or Entertainment ; and though he 
could not himfelf be prefent, yet defired I would accept 
this Meal, as a Welcome after fuch a long Journey. 
After which the Table vvas covered with cold Meats, as 
roaft Geefe, Chickens, Pork and Mutton,' befides all 
Sorts of Fruit, and Confedlions ; the Table appointed 
for me alone was about an Ell Square, upon which the 
Diffies, that were all ol Silver, and piled one upon 
another, amounted as I told them, to the Number of 
Seventy. 
They were entertained with Tea, and I with Tara- 
foen and Rheniffi Wines. The Viceroy and other Lords 
diverted themfelves by Smoaking Tobacco, and he 
made his Compliment to me in the following Words 1 
He defired, that I would accept of this Entertainment, 
as a Teftimony of the Emperor’s Favour, and expedl 
his Orders in a few Days, to bring their Czarifh Majef- 
des Credentials, and receive my publick Audi- 
ence ', upon which rifing up and thanking him for 
the Emperor’s Favours, I return’d to the Ambafladors 
Court. 
On the 1 2 th of November the Viceroy fent fome 
daryns to give me Notice to appear with their Czarifh 
Majellies Credentials next Morning in the Caftle j for 
which I accordingly prepared myfelf. At Eight in the 
Morning three principal Mandaryns came to advife me 
that it was then a proper Time to wait on the Em- 
peror : Befides their common Habit, they were alfo 
dreffed in Robes, which were embroidered, fome with 
Dragons, others with Lyons, and a third Sort with 
Tygers and Cranes on the Breaft and Back, work’d with 
Gold Thread : They brought with them fifty Horfes for 
my Retinue. According to the European Mode, I ad- 
vanced with their Czarifh Majefties Credentials, and 
was attended by my Retinue in good Order towards the 
Court. 
Coming to the outer Gate of the Caflle, there is a 
Pillar, with fome Charadters engraven on it, where I 
was told I mull alight, according to their Cuftom ;*fp 
that I went on Foot through five outer Courts to 
the Caftle itfelf. I found a great Number of Mandaryns 
at the Court, all cloathed in their richeft Embroidered 
Robes, fuch as they wear in the Emperor’s Prefence, 
who waited for me. 
After Vv^e had mutually exchanged Compliments, the 
Emperor appeared on his Throne; upon which I deli- 
vered his Czarifh Maje fly’s Credentials, and after the 
ufual Ceremonies, and a ffiort Speech, was conduced 
back. 
On the 1 6th of the fame Month, I was informed 
that I was invited to eat before ,the Emperor : Where- 
fore in the Morning, accompanied with the Mandaryns 
thereto appointed, and the chief Gentlemen of my Re- 
tinue, I rode to Court. And in the fixth Court, a great 
many Lords and Mandaryns were (landing in Rows 
in their beft Robes ; and ffiortly after an Order 
came for us to appear above in the Palace, As foon as 
I entred, the Emperor afeended his exalted Throne, 
having near him fome Perfons who played very finely 
on the Fife, and a Life-Guard of twelve Men with gilt 
Halbards without any Point to them, but adorned with 
Leopards and Tygers Tails. As fc.on as the King was 
feated. 
