Chap. III. the R u s s I 
appeared with all the Luflre worthy of its Author. 
That knowing, that well-meaning, that Patriot-Mo- 
narch of the North, drew, or rather forced his Subjeds 
out of that Obfcurity in which for many Ages they 
had remained. He enlightened them by his Exhor- 
tations, he animated them by his Example, he com- 
pelled' them by his abfolute Power to ^ake off the 
Chains of Barbarity, to come forth out of a State of 
infenfible Ignorance, and to appear upon the bright 
Theatre of the Univerfe, not only as a great and pow- 
erful Nation, but as one of the greateft and moft pow- 
erful Nations that have been the Objedt ot Hittory. 
He It was that made the World know the Importance 
of the Country he poireffed, and this in Spite of Ob- 
flacles that would have amazed and terrified an Inferior* 
that would have tired and overcome a lefs vigorous Ge- 
nius. It was this wife, this adlive, this heroick Prince, 
that raifed his People from being the loweft to the high- 
eft of the Northern Powers. It was he that taught them 
to triumph by Land, and opened them a Paffage to the 
Sea *, In fhort, it was he that conceived and executed 
the amazing Projedf of making them a Maritime 
Power, and this too in a furprizing Extent. 
From a People unacquainted with a Veftel bigger 
than a Bark, and who knew no Navigation but that 
of their own Rivers, he not only taught them the Ufe 
of Ships, but put it into their Power to build and to 
equip them *, nay, he did more than all this, he was not 
Content with opening Ports on one Side only, he opened 
them on all •, his Frigates, fecured him the Pofleffion of 
the Cafpian Sea, his Men of War furpyized with their 
Appearance the Nations inhabiting the Coafts of iht Black 
Sea^ and even the fupine Pleaiurcs of an Eaftern Prince 
were difturbed by the Thunder of his Cannon, that 
alarmed the Inhabitants of Con§lantinople •, after 
trying thefc Experiments, he afpired to ftill greater 
Things, and not only built the City of Petersbourg^ but 
opened various Ports upon the Bahick^ which he covered 
With his Fleets* and came in Perfon as their Admiral 
to Copenhagen^ where not Ibme Ages only, but fome few 
Years before, they would have as loon expected a Vifit 
from the Emperor of Japan. 
His Predecefiors hardly comprehended the. Extent of 
their Dominions, but the Czar Peier not only difcover’d 
that his Dominions were the moft extenfive in the World, 
but that he had a Mind more extenfive than theie. He 
faw the Advantages that might be made ©f every Pro- 
vince, every Port, and every River in his Empire, and 
in the Courfe of a fhort Reign, a very fhort Reign in- 
deed, compared with the great Events to which it gave 
Birth, he convinced his Subjeds* his Neighbours, and 
all the confiderate Men in every Part of the World of 
the Truth of this ; and that he perfedUy knew how to 
have pufhed his Greatnefs on all Sides, if the pufhing 
it had not exceeded the Strength and Limits of a 
fingle Life* 
But within the Compafs of that fingle Life what did 
he, or rather, what did he not ! He exhaufted the 
Power of Sweden^ the only Means of taming the lion^ 
like Spirit of his Enemy Charles XII. he put it out 
of his Power to conquer, for to conquer him was not 
even in Peterh Power. He protedled Poland^ to which 
before his Time his Empire was inferior. ThtPartars^ 
?o whom his Predecefiors were Tributaries, he frighted 
into Quiet. He encountred alone* and when they had 
no other Enemy to deal with, the Forces of the 
*Purks, He extended his Dominions on the Side of 
Perfia. He fometimes encroached upon their Territories* 
he fometimes fought to conciliate by Concefiions, the 
Friendlhip of the Chinefe. 
He did more than all this* for after making himfelf 
firft known, and then admired in all Parts of the civi- 
lized Earth, he began to look beyond the Bounds of 
the habitable World itfelf, and to propofe after fiiowing 
his Subjebls fo many new Seas and new Countries, to 
point them out the Way to the Eajl Indies and to the 
IVeJi. Such were the Cares that occupied the Thoughts 
of this great Prince, while other Monarchs were com- 
plimented with high Titles for difturbing the Peace of 
Mankind about Trifles, for ftealing little Provinces* and 
buying now and then a Town. 
A N Difeoveries. i b l y 
It is very true, that he did not Jive to perfed his laft 
great Defign, but that he framed it was fufiicient for his 
own Glory, and to amaze all who are capable of forming 
a competent Judgment of the Circumftances that muft 
attend the perfeding this Defign when-ever it ftiall be 
brought about. To fiiew that this is no Chimera, but 
a very wife and well laid Scheme, and which fooner or 
later will be certainly carried into Execution* is the Bu» 
finefs of this Sedion, in which we are to fpeak of the 
North-eaft Limits of the Rujfian Empire, and of the 
Country of Kamtjchatha ox Kamtjehatska, for it is writ- 
ten both Ways, of which, though we have but lately 
heard, it imports us as much to be well acquained with as 
any Country upon the Face of the Globe ; for though 
we cannot boaft much of the Figure it makes at pre- 
fent, yet as it is the Poflefiion of this Country that put 
it more in the Power of this Nation than any other to 
make Difeoveries, and as the moft important Difeove- 
ries that ever were made, may very probably be made 
from hence, we muft be content to take a little Pains in 
the Explanation of this Point, and in becoming Mafters 
of a Subjeeft, as curious and entertaining as it is ufeful 
and important ; fo that however great they may be, 
we fhall have no Caufe to regret the Labour they coft, 
to think our Time ill bellowed, or our Trouble not 
well laid OLiti 
2. It is not eafy to difeover at what Time the Ruffians 
became acquainted v;ith that Part of their own Domi- 
nions which borders North-eaft upon the Icy Sea ; but 
it feems very evident, that though the Name of Kamf- 
chatska was given to fome very remote Parts of their Afi- 
atick Dominions, then commonly included under the 
general Name of Siberia., yet were they very indifferent- 
ly and very indiftincftly known at the dole of the laft 
Century, as appears by the Map of Mr. Tsbrant Ides^ 
which IS very far from agreeing with later Lilcoveries. 
Bat after the Czar Peter had travelled, and had acqui- 
red a competent Knowledge of Coimography and Geo- 
graphy, he began to be extremely defirous of having 
theie Parts more thoroughly examined, as having now 
fome Notion of their Importance. He took great 
Pains to make himlelf well, acquainted with the Route 
to China., and alio caufed a very accurate Map to be 
drawn of the Countries lying about the River Amury 
as far as the Peninfula oi Corea on the South, and as 
high as he had any certain Accounts of his own People 
to the North. 
He likewiie directed the ftrideft Enquiries to be made 
into the Stare of Nova Zernbla, and the Country about 
the Streighes of Wygaiz, and fo along the Icy Sea as far 
as poflible to the Eaft •, and of thefe alfo he had Maps, 
in which tne Mountains and Rivers that had been care- 
fully examined, were laid down ; but the whole was 
not compleated at the Time of his Death ; fo that he 
enjoyed not the Satisfadlion of beholding a diftineft 
Reprefentation of his Dominions on that Side. He had 
the Pleafure however of dilcourfing frequently of the 
Difeoveries that might be made, and of the Trade that 
probably might be carried on from thefe Countries^ 
bounded by the Sea of Japan ; and as he would fome- 
times difeourfe of thefe Matters a little hyperbolically, 
which was however no more than neceflary to awaken 
the Curiofity and Attention of his Countrymen and 
Subjeds j fo by Degrees it had Effed, and many of his 
Minifters, efpecialiy Prince Menzikeff and Admiral 
Apratdny entered pretty well into his Sentiments* and 
endeavoured all they could to pufti their Colonies as far 
as Kamfehatska. 
It was however with infinite Difficulty thd they pre- 
vailed, and the Relations that were tranfmitted from 
thence feemed to deftroy all Hopes of doing any thing 
there to the Purpofe ; for the Soil was reprefented the 
moft fterile that could be pofiibly imagined, the Cli- 
mate fevere beyond Expreffion* binding not only the. 
Brooks and Rivulets, but even the Earth itfelf in fuch 
Icy Chains, that it was as pradicable to dig a Rock, 
as to make a Spade enter it. It was faid that Wifd-fowl 
were frequently killed by Gold, and that fometimes 
even the wild Beafts penfhed by the exceffive Severity 
of the Weather; neither .do the very lateft Accounts 
■-thaj 
