The fertility of this country, in respect to corn and cattle, may be understood from this circumstance, that flesh is not sold by weight, but they give it out in large pieces, as much as would weigh four pounds727. Seventy hens may be bought for a ducat, worth four or five shillings; and a goose may be had for less than threepence. In this country, the cold of winter is very severe, and the rivers are long frozen over: Taking advantage of this circumstance, they carry oxen and other beasts to market in winter, ready slaughtered, skinned, and embowelled; which they set up on their feet in the market places, frozen as hard as a stone, and in such numbers, that one may buy 200 or more of them at a time. Cutting them in pieces, as in our markets, is quite impossible, as they are as hard as marble, and are delivered out whole. The only fruits to be met with are apples, nuts, and small walnuts. When the Russians have a mind to travel, especially if the distance is very great, they prefer the winter season, when the whole country is covered over with frozen snow, and all the rivers are passable on the ice. They then travel with great convenience and expedition, being only subjected to the severity of the cold. At this season, they use sledges, which are to them as waggons are to us; and in them they take every thing along with them, with the utmost ease, that they have a mind to. In the summer, the roads are extremely miry, and full of inequalities, proceeding from the country being extremely woody; and they do not therefore take long journeys at that season, more especially as it is very thinly inhabited. They have no grapes, but make a species of wine from honey, and a kind of beer from millet, into which they put hop blossoms, of which the odour is so strong, as to occasion sneezing, and which intoxicates like wine. I must not omit to mention in this place, that, about twenty-five years ago, the great duke, on finding that his subjects were much addicted to drinking, which made them neglect their affairs, gave orders that no more beer or mead should be made; by which means, he obliged them, to live sober and regular lives. Besides this, he did many other things for the advantage of his dominions.
Before the reign of this prince, the Russians paid tribute to the Tartars; but they have now conquered a country called Kasan, which is 500 miles to the east of Moscow, and the chief city of which lies on the left bank of the Wolga, in descending towards the sea of Bochri, or the Caspian728. This country of Kasan enjoys considerable trade, especially in furs, of which large quantities are carried from thence by way of Moscow to Poland, Prussia, and Flanders. These furs come from a great distance to the north-east, out of the empire of Zagathai729, and from Moxia730; both of which northern districts are inhabited by Tartars, part of whom are idolaters, particularly the Moxians, who continue so to this day.
Having received some account of these Moxians, I shall relate, what I know concerning their religious customs. At a certain season they lead a horse into the middle of their assembly, and fasten it strongly by the head and feet to five stakes, driven into the ground for that purpose. After this, a particular person goes to some distance, with his bow and arrows, and shoots at the heart of the animal till he has killed him. The horse is then flayed, and the flesh eaten after the performance of certain ceremonies. They then stuff the horses skin with straw, and sew it up, so as to appear entire, fixing pieces of wood under the skin of the legs, that the stuffed animal may stand up as it did when alive. They next construct a scaffold, amid the branches of a large tree, upon which they fix the stuffed horse skin, and worship it as a god; offering up to it the furs of sables, ermines, grey squirrels, and foxes, which they hang among the boughs of the sacred tree, just as we offer up wax-lights to the images of the saints. The food of this people consists mostly of flesh, and that chiefly of venison, got by hunting; but they likewise catch abundance of fish in the rivers of their country. Many of the Tartars are idolaters, and carry the idols which they worship about with them, on carts, in their moveable huts; and some of them have the strange custom of worshipping each day, the animal they meet first in a morning, after going out of their houses.
The grand duke of Russia has likewise conquered Nowgorod, or Novogorod731. This is an extensive province, about eight days journey to the north-west of Moscow, which was formerly a republic. The inhabitants were without sense or reason, and had a great many heretics among them; but at present, the catholic faith makes its way among them by degrees, though some are still misbelievers. In the meantimes, however, they lead more rational lives, and justice is properly administered.
Poland is twenty-two days journey from Moscow; and the first place we come to in Poland is a fortified town, called Trocki, or Trozk732, to which we arrive through woods, and over hills, travelling a long way in an uninhabited desert. There are, it is true, certain places by the way, in which travellers may rest a while, and make a fire, if ordered before hand; and sometimes, though very rarely, one finds a small hamlet or two, a little way out of the road. Going beyond Trozk, one meets with more hills and forests, in which there are some habitations; and nine days journey beyond Trozk, we come to a fortified town called Loniri or Lonin733. After this, we quit that part of Poland called Lithuania, and come to a district named Varsonich734, which belongs to certain lords, who are subject to Kazimir, or Cassimir, King of Poland. This part of the country is fertile, and contains a great many walled towns and villages, but none of any great importance. From Warsaw, it is seven days journey to the frontiers of Poland, through a good and beautiful country; where one meets with Mersaga735, a tolerably good town, where Poland ends. Respecting the towns and provinces of Poland, I shall say nothing farther, for want of proper information; except that the king and his sons, and whole household, are very good Christians, and that the eldest of his sons is king of Bohemia.
Travelling four days more beyond Poland, we came to Francfort, a city which belongs to the Margrave of Bandenburgh. But having reached Germany, I shall say nothing of it, as we are now in a manner at home, and in a country with which most people are well acquainted.
END OF VOLUME FIRST.
727
This expression has no meaning. Barbaro probably wrote that four pounds could be had at Moscow for the same money that would buy one in Venice. –E.
728
The Caspian, besides the names of Bochri and Bakhu, is likewise called the sea of Khozar, and the sea of Tabristan. –E.
729
Zagathai was one of the sons of the great conqueror Zingis Khan, and received that part of the empire for his share, which comprehended Turkistan, Mawaralnahar, and Kuaresm; which extensive country took from him the name of Zagathai. –Forst.
The furs mentioned in the text could not be brought from this country, which besides, is to the
730
Moxia is the country of the Morduanians, one tribe of whom call themselves Mokscha, or Moxa. –Forst.
731
This word signifies the New Castle; of this name there are two cities and provinces in European Russia, Novogorod proper, and Nisney Novogorod: The former is the one here meant. –E.
733
I imagine that Slonym is here meant; formerly a place of note, and which used to be the appanege of one of the Lithuanian princes. –Forst.
734
Varsonich is an evident corruption for Varsovich, or Warsaw, the capital of Masurea or Masovia. –Forst.
735
It is not easy to determine the situation of