their compliments to the Princefs Bika, Prince Mufal's mother, and a few days after paid her a vifit in perfon, dined with her, and entertained her with their mufic.

On the 21st of May they began to prepare for their departure, and bargained with the waggoners of Terki at a crown for every wag-` gon, and two horses, to carry them over the defart, which was 70 leagues to Aftrachan, and as they were now joined by many Perfian, Turkifh, Greek and Mofcovite merchants, they had above 200 waggons, each of which carried three or four perfons; but their allowance for fo long a journey was very flender; for it only confifted of fome hard bifcuit, a loaf of mouldy brown bread, and half a dried ftinking falmon for each man in the retinue. They did not even provide drink, because the Ambaffador Brugman would not be at the expence of hiring a waggon to carry it, and though they were not then very follicitous about it, they had foon fufficient reason to repent of this ill conduct. For in that dreadful defart they travelled eleven days, without feeing fo much as a city or village, or even a hill, tree, or bird, or any river but the Kifilar, and one fmall brook of fresh water; the whole being a vaft fandy plain, which here and there produced a little grafs, and fome ftanding pools of falt and ftinking water. They were therefore greatly afflicted with heat, thirst, gnats, wafps, and other infects. However, at length they took up their quarters upon the banks of the Volga, oppofite to Aftrachan, where many of the people,

prompted

prompted by thirst, ran up to their knees in the river to drink. Immediately fome of their friends came from Aftrachan to bid them welcome, and fresh provifions being brought them at the fame time, they ftaid all day near the river, to give leifure to the Governor to provide them lodgings.

On the 15th of June they paffed the river, and had their quarters appointed them in a large forehouse without the city, near the riwer fide, where they found a large quantity of provifions fent thither by the Duke of Hol fein's factor at Mofcow; but the Ambaffador Brugman having ordered all the baggage to be fhut up in one room, fome of the retinue were fo exafperated, that they forced open the doors, and took away their chefts in fpite of the fentinel that food guard.

The Ambaffadors during their refidence in this city, fent part of their retinue with fome horfes to Mofcow by land, and then bought two boats 60 feet long and 15 broad, and hired 30 watermen to row them to Cafan. A few days before their departure, fome Mafcovite Strelitzers brought the Ambassadors two girls, one of ten, and the other of seven years of age, in order to fell them. The first was a daughter of a Tartar of Trecos, and had been made prifoner by the Coffacks at the taking of Alou, and the latter had been stolen not far from Aftrachan, and being very young, they had put her naked in a bag. The Ambaffador Brugman purchased them both, one for 25, and the other for 16 crowns, and after his return

into Holftein prefented them to the Dutchefs, who had them inftructed and baptized.

On the 7th of September the Ambassadors divided their retinue, and each of them embarking in his own boat upon the Volga, failed for Cafan, where they staid five weeks, till the ice was ready to bear. On the 13th they proceeded on their journey in 60 fledges, and on the 2d of January made their public entry into Moscow, each of the Ambassadors riding in a rich fledge lined with crimfon velvet, and adorned with Perfian carpets. The chief of their retinue being mounted on 12 white horfes out of the Czar's ftables.

On the 18th the Ambaffadors had their firf private audience, and having a few days after obtained their audience of leave from the Czar, proceeded towards Germany, and arrived at Gottorp on the first of Auguft, which put a period to their travels.

THE

THE

TRAVELS

OF

Mr. JONAS HANWAY, Merchant,

THROUGH

RUSSIA into PERSIA,

And back through

RUSSIA, GERMANY, and HOLLAND.

CHAP. I.

Mr. Hanway fails to Riga, from whence he proceeds by Land by the Way of Dorpt and Narva, to Petersburg,

MR

R. Elton an English Gentleman, bred to the fea, having agreed with the court of Perfia, about fettling a trade through Ruffia into that empire and afterwards entering into the fervice of Nadir Shah, for whom he was to build fhips in the European manner; the English factors belonging to the Ruffia company, grew uneafy at the apprehenfions of the offence that

M 3

might

might be taken by the Ruffian court. About this time Mr. Hanway, a gentleman equally diftinguished by his piety, humanity and good fenfe, being well acquainted with the nature of that trade, accepted of the offer of becomIng partner with a factor at Petersburg, and being defirous of feeing Perfia, a country fo famous for great and memorable events both in ancient and modern history, refolved to endeavour to complete the establishment of a trade which was the object of the fanguine hopes of the moft confiderable of our merchants. This may ferve as an introduction to his travels, which we fhall give in as concife a manner as poffible.

In April 1743, this gentleman embarked in the river Thames on board an English fhip bound for Riga, and in May entered the Sound. This ftreight is about two English miles broad, and the caftle of Kronenburg, on the Danish fide, guards the entrance, while Elfinburg is on the oppofite fide on the Swedish continent. The duty paid to the Danes on entering the Sound has varied at different periods of time. The caftle of Kronenburg, which is mounted with large cannon, projects into the water, and is fo far detached from the town of Elfineur, as to enjoy an open and delightful prospect, and by its buildings, extent and verdure within the walls, is rendered an agreeable place. Elfineur is a neat little town about 20 miles from Copenhagen; it is watered by a spring in the east part of it, and the streets being in fome places lined with trees have an agreeable effect.